Page 160 of Between the Lines

“You were right.”

My eyes, that had just fluttered closed at the sound of my name on his lips, snap open, my gaze flicking to his.

“My parents’ death wasn’t my fault. But this rift between usis.”

The empty chasm where my heart has been residing floods over. He drops my hand in favor of cupping my waist in both of his, seeming to ground himself there.

“I don’t know how to do this—to trust in other people. I barely trusted Dr. Marty and June to take Cal on those few nights when my classes and Cal’s school schedule didn’t align. I don’t let people in easily, but you barreled into my life, and now I don’t know how it works without you in it. I know now what it looks like to speak through the burdens on my heart, and that’s because of you."

He stutters here, and I can’t help the hand that slides up to squeeze right over his heart.

“I don’t want to do that alone any longer. I want you by my side. In my life, so that we can lift each other up, and remind each other of the things we don’t think we deserve. Because you deserve theworld, Claire. I just hope I can deserve you enough to give it to you.”

The slow song ends. Some high-energy, high-octane, TikTok song makes every single adolescent in the room start screaming as they rush the dance floor. My lips part, but I can’t even hear his name on my tongue, let alone piece together anything I’d want to say to him.

He squeezes my waist, then presses his lips to my ear and says, “I’ll be in my office after the dance. Go enjoy your night.”

And with that, Nathan Harding, assistant principal at River Valley Middle School, known to students and staff as “Hard-Ass Harding,” joins a circle of jumping, thrusting, twerking middle schoolers.

I can’t help but laugh.

And the moment the dance is over, I hightail it to his office.

“Should I wait up for you?” Penelope calls after me.

“Nope. Lock up!” I toss over my shoulder.

He is waiting right where he said he’d be. Behind his desk, checking emails, because the man never stops working. The sight of his soft, relaxed smile when I close the door behind me takes my breath away.

“Hi,” I say.

“Hi.”

Immediately, he pushes away from his computer, standing to join me in the middle. Even though I practiced this speech over and over again in my head all evening, the only words I can get out are, “Penelope said you took a sick day last week. Are you okay? Is Cal okay?”

He smiles, huffs a laugh, and reaches for me.

“Everything is fine. I wasn’t sick. I actually played hooky.”

“You faked being sick?” I ask tilting my head in disbelief.

“I did.” He smirks, wrapping his hands tentatively at my waist. His face softens as he says, “I took off work to go talk to Cal. We worked things out, and made a decision about our financial situation and the house moving forward.”

I blow out a breath. “God, you are always right to the point, aren’t you?” I chuckle.

“I try to be. I don’t want you to have to read between the lines when it comes to us anymore.”

His gaze turns stone serious.

“I’m selling the house. I found a smaller, more manageable property, fit for two people and a few big dogs. I decided to use my inheritance to hire a company for the new build—fit with a custom library that will be bigger than the one in the study. All I need to complete it is the woman I wouldn’t be complete without. The woman I’ve been in love with far longer than I once would’ve admitted.”

I gasp. My heart stutters like a choked engine as I blink away the disbelief.

He’s selling the house. He’s building a new house.He…

“You said the ‘L word.’”

He tucks an errant strand of hair behind my ear, smiles, and says, “I said I’m in love with you, and I meant it with my whole heart.”

---