Page 169 of A Sky Full Of Stars

“I love you and I can’t wait to wear your jersey, but more than that, I can’t wait to be your girl.”

“Oh, Lainey.” He tsks before smiling. “You’ve always been my girl.”

After another hour in bed, Thomas and I are walking, arm in arm, across the yard when Summer comes rushing out the back door, her face lit up in excitement.

“Who won the jackpot?” Thomas asks as we both laugh.

“My big brother’s in love. I hope you don’t have any plans. I cooked breakfast.”

“You did?” Thomas forces a smile, but it’s an obvious one, and I’m not sure what I’m missing; I’d love some breakfast.

“Okay.” Summer crinkles her nose with a grimace. “Dylanmade breakfast. But it was my idea. And for the record”—she turns my way—“I’m not a bad cook. I just don’t do it that often, and when I do, it’s basic. I’ve even cooked for youbefore,” she exclaims, lightly shoving Thomas as he laughs.

“No judgment here.” I raise my hands, smiling at their banter, hoping we can one day get to a place where this is the norm for them and there’s no darkness surrounding it. But first they need to have a long talk…about everything.

“Great. So let’s get breakfast. I want to know your story. All of it.”

I smile as I follow them inside the house, a feeling of peace settling over me. I will always wish we’d never spent those years apart, or that we’d never been through what we did. But this feels right. And instead of running from our past or hiding, this time, we’re in it together, and we’re going to use our past to strengthen our relationship, to learn from our mistakes. Because we both deserve to be happy. And I’m more in love with him today than I’ve ever been before.

Thomas glances over his shoulder to check that I’m following, and when I smile, he smirks.

“You sure you want to know from the beginning?” he says to Summer, making me jokingly groan as I laugh.

Summer nods as Thomas wraps his arm around her shoulder before reaching for my hand, giving it a squeeze. “Well, Summer. It all started when I was eighteen and I walked into the wrong room…”

Epilogue One

Three Months Later

Lainey

Istare at the nondescript building, my eyes drawn to the bright patch above the entry. The patch I’m guessing used to house a sign for whatever business this is, but now works to highlight the discolor of the white brickwork.

“What am I looking at?” I ask Thomas, my gaze flashing to him out of the corner of my eye.

“It’s…a dance studio,” he says hesitantly before stepping a little to his left and out of arm’s reach.

“Why are you moving away?”

“Because I’ve witnessed the damage your fist can do, and I know after everything that happened between us, we’re not supposed to try andfixeach other anymore.”

“Is that what we’re doing here?” My brows furrow as I glance back to the building. “Are you trying to fix me?”

“No, not at all. I’m simply presenting you with an option, then leaving it in your hands.” He pauses, and I can feel his intense gaze on the side of my face. “So…should we go in?” he adds, comically gritting his teeth when I look his way, his brows rising as he nervously chuckles.

“What happens if I say no?” I raise an eyebrow in challenge, trying not to smile while my heart races, his gesture and slight panic making me swoon.

“Then you say no.” He shrugs, like it’s no big deal, and yet, I get the feeling it is.

When my eyes roam back to the building again, Thomas steps closer, intertwining our fingers before squeezing my hand. I don’t say anything for the longest minute, and he waits, patiently giving me the chance to think it through.

“Okay,” I whisper as I take my first step, feeling the warmth of Thomas’s support while he rubs his thumb across my skin. He’s nervous, as he should be, but I’ve got to admit it’s adorable.

When we reach the threshold, I take a deep breath, but the second I step inside, it feels like home. I’ve spent so long trying to escape my life as a dancer that I actually forgot how much I wanted it.

Ballet was my dream. For as long as I can remember, I wanted to dance, but all it took was one bad experience to bring it crashing down.

And one smile from Thomas to build it back up again.

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