Page 118 of Tell Me It’s Right

He smirks and pulls out a handful of gummy bears. “Want one?” he asks as he pops one in his mouth.

I can’t help but laugh. “No, I don’t want your pocket gummy bears.”

He shrugs and eats another. “You want me to go get you somefreshones?”

I shake my head and eye the stairs that lead to the rest of the grounds. Liam follows my gaze.

“You hatching an escape plan?”

I shrug innocently. “No one will probably notice we’re missing until all the guests are arriving, right?”

Liam throws his arm over my shoulder and steers us that way. “Have I mentioned that I love you?”

We pace around the grounds, admiring the flowers, landscaping, and ocean views. Eventually we come across a small gazebo linedwith flowers and string lights, and I huddle against Liam’s side for warmth as we slide onto the bench. He drapes my legs over his lap and runs his hands up and down them.

“We can go back inside if you’re cold.”

I shake my head and wind my hands around his torso. “I’m just going to steal all of your body heat.”

He chuckles and kisses the top of my head. After a moment, he murmurs, “Thanks for coming with me today.”

“Of course.” I debate the wisdom of my next words, if I want to risk ruining this moment, but I’ve been dying to ask since it happened, and it’s just never felt like the right time. “Can I ask you about something?”

He nuzzles his face against the side of my neck. “Mm-hmm.”

“It’s something Leo said at the party.”

He pulls back, a hint of concern drawing his eyebrows together. “Okay?”

I stare at my hand on his thigh. “What did he mean when he said you promised you’d never go there with me?”

He takes a deep breath and tilts his face up to the sky. “Oh. That.” He says nothing for what feels like a long time, but when he rolls his head to look at me, there’s a faint smirk tugging at his lips. “Leo has always been perceptive,” he says, as if that answers everything. “Even in high school. Or maybe it was just obvious. Where my attention was. I guess he wasn’t worried while I was dating Hailey, but she and I were broken up for a good six months during your freshman year. That’s when he gave methe talk.”

Freshman year? “I—I didn’t think you noticed me back then.”

“Gracie.” He says my name like a prayer, like a promise. He tucks his knuckles beneath my chin and tilts it up. His eyes are soft as they trace over my face. “I’ve always noticed you.”

I try to fight my smile, I really do, but it feels like my heart is doing flips in my stomach the way it always does when he looks at me like this. “So what you’re saying is my stupid, embarrassing crush on youwasnoticeable.”

He stares at me. Blinks. Stares some more.

I shove him lightly on the shoulder. “Oh, don’t pretend to be surprised.”

He shakes his head as if stunned, and a slow, disbelieving smile grows. “Gracie, I—I had no idea.”

I cock my head. “Really?”

“Really.” That smile turns into a full-on grin as he brings my hand to his mouth and kisses my knuckles. “How long?”

“How long, what?”

“How long did you have this crush?”

My face burns, and I purse my lips and look away. “Don’t make me say it.”

“Please.”

There’s something about the quiet, sincere quality of his voice that makes me turn. And the look in his eyes…it’s almost like a younger version of him is looking at me right now.

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