Page 58 of Return To You

“Girl, the moment we locked eyes, I knew I had to have you.

You were so fine, and I wanted you as mine.”

I smile bashfully as he winks at me, the crowd screaming.…

“You pretended not to notice, but we both knew you were mine.

You played hard to get, but I played harder,

Baby, you were fucking perfect, perfectly mine.”

“So, you’re the girl I should thank…,” someone says from beside me, but I don’t look, keeping my eyes on Noah as he plays and sings.

“I hear your heart beating to the beat of my song,

You made the most of my love.

I hear your heart beating to the beat of my song,

You made me fall harder than anyone.

I hear your heart beating to the beat of my song,

I’ll never let you leave; you’re my one.

You, baby, are perfectly mine….”

I grin at his words, shaking my head.

“He loves you, you know,” the voice speaks again, and I look to see their manager, Joel, looking intently at me, his blue-green eyes full of concern and a little guilt.

I give him a nod and admit, “I know, but sometimes it’s not enough.”

He sighs. “I’m sorry.” I frown, and he gives me a boyish smile, the star tattoo on his cheek stretching, and he rasps, “Loads of women claimed to be pregnant by one of the boys on a daily basis.” My brows hit my hairline, and he nods. “It's never true. A court-ordered pregnancy test always confirms it, and if they were pregnant, normally, the boys weren’t even in the state at the time of conception, and when you called saying you were, indeed, pregnant and with Noah’s kid, no less, I thought you were lying. I knew for a fact he hadn’t gotten anyone pregnant, but I guess I didn’t count for the love of his life to be on the other end of the line.” He shakes his head and looks toward the boys, and I follow his gaze to see Noah singing his heart out, and he says, “I knew he had a girl back home, a girl he was in love with. The boys mentioned the photo, and how they knew he made a mistake but had convinced himself the photo must be true, too scared of his feelings…. Like I said, I’m sorry….”

I nod, keeping my eyes on Noah, and whisper, “You’re forgiven….”

Because he is. Things can’t be changed at the end of the day, and I’ve swallowed too much bitterness over the past two years.

Noah sings the chorus again, and I can’t help the smile that forms as he looks my way and sings….

“I hear your heart beating to the beat of my song,

You made the most of my love.

I hear your heart beating to the beat of the song,

You made me fall harder than anyone.

I hear your heart beating to the beat of my song,

I’ll never let you leave; you’re my one.

Oooh, oh, oh, baby, I hear your heartbeat, oh, oh, your heart beating to the beat of my song.

The-the beat of my song. Baby, I’ll never…. Oh, never let you leave….

Oh, you’re my one, my perfect one….”

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