Page 85 of Look What You Made Me Do

Whatever.

It could no longer be denied. And, weirdly, she wasn’t afraid to say it because it felt overwhelmingly right.

Even amidst the shambles of her life.

“I love you,” she said into the cold, crisp night as she stared at the house across the road.

“I love you, too.”

The words settled around her like the missing pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, making her whole. She sucked in a breath and glanced at him to find him looking at her. There were no choirs of angels or thunderbolts from heaven that she’d always thought would mark such a moment.

Just Jake. Looking at her. Smiling at her.

Loving her.

Maybe that’s why she hadn’t been afraid. Maybe she’d known somewhere that he felt the same. Maybe, like her, he’d always felt the same?

Ella’s lips curved into an answering smile. “You do, huh?”

“I do.”

“So this isn’t just a sex thing?”

Jake chuckled. “Nope. This is the real thing and I’m not going anywhere. I’m afraid you’re stuck with me.”

Ella’s heart practically glowed in her chest. It was hard to believe not that long ago she’d wanted him as far away from her as possible and now, she couldn’t imagine her life without him in it.

“Thank you, Jake,” she whispered, sliding her arms around his neck and hugging him close, absorbing his strength, his solidness, his goodness.

She wasn’t sure how long they sat there, just holding each other, their hearts beating as one, but eventually he roused, dropping a kiss on her forehead. “I better go find Cam.”

“Oh God, yes, please.”

Ella nibbled at her bottom lip as her anxiety returned. This moment on the stoop with Jake had been a calm interlude in the chaos and she’d needed it more than she’d realized. But it was back to reality now.

“I don’t know where he’ll be.”

“I think I do.” Dropping a lingering kiss on her mouth, he said, “Sit tight.”

Jake pulled up at the Deluca football field ten minutes later. It had been a momentous night. Getting that frantic phone call from Ella after practice had been like a pickaxe to his heart. Her distress had caused a physical ache in his chest and the state of her when he’d arrived had ramped up the ache to a vicious stabbing pain and he’d realized he wanted to be the one to fix the situation.

That he always wanted to be the guy who fixed things for her.

Of course, she didn’t need him to ride in and rescue her but that didn’t stop him wanting to be that guy.

Her guy. Her first call. Fixing her shit would be his love language from now.

Love language.

Hearing her say I love you had been like opening a door he’d shut a long time ago. Or maybe it hadn’t ever been truly open to start with. But it had been wrenched wide tonight and the feelings he’d already been experiencing for her in all their depth and glory, had flooded in.

Ella Lucas loved him. And he loved her right back.

Smiling to himself, he unbuckled and got out of his car, his step lighter than it had been in years despite the conversation ahead. Glancing at the bleachers he could see a lone human shape sitting on the top row. The face was obscured by shadows and a hoodie but he didn’t need to be psychic to know it was Cameron.

Jake had always gone to the field when he’d been troubled or needed to think, too.

Jumping the fence with ease, he crossed to the bleachers, striding up them then navigating to where Cameron was sitting. It was evident from the waft of rum that greeted him that the kid was drinking.

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