Page 58 of Me and Mr. Just Right

“Stand on the chair, you doofus,” Rosie said, trying to manhandle him up onto his seat. And he’d learned long ago that one did not ignore Rosie Forrester. So he stood on the chair and felt the moment Lia’s eyes met his across the floor.

Everyone else saw it too, because their chanting for him erupted into wild screams and whistles.

“Well,” she said into the mic, a small smile playing at the corner of her lips. “If it isn’t Haydn Forrester.”

Hearing his name come from her mouth made his heart race. He knew she’d never hear anything he said, so he waved like a windshield wiper clearing gunk of the glass.

“Hi, Haydn.” She laughed, and her eyes sparkled like she might be as excited to see him as he was to see her. A tightness in his chest unfurled.

“You are so awkward,” Rosie hissed. “Do something!”

“Like what?” he hissed back.

“Anything!”

So he made a heart with his hands.

Rosie shrieked and pulled his arm down. “Anything but that. This is so embarrassing.”

But all around them, other people were making hearts with their hands as well, and the cheers were rising again. Lia grinned widely and put her earpiece back in. “Haydn, this one’s for you.”

She began to play another song, this one about a girl who wants more than a summer fling with a boy who finally sees her for her.

Everyone started nudging him to go forward, and Haydn felt his adventurous spirit spark.

“This is yourNever Been Kissedmoment! Go!” Bennett said, pushing his back.

Haydn started to walk down the aisle, toward the stage, and security let him through when Lia waved him up. He went up the stairs and to her side as she finished the song. The final lyric was, “Could he love me too?”

He saw her reach down and turn her mic off.

Haydn couldn’t wait a moment longer. He stepped close to Lia, and she closed the gap, crushing her lips to his in the kind of kiss that only happened once in a lifetime. The crowd around them lost their minds, but the sound disappeared until it was only him and Lia on the stage.

He pressed his hands to her back to pull her closer, and her arms went around his neck, her fingers spearing into his hair.

“You taste like sunshine,” she murmured against his mouth, sending tingles through his entire body. “I don’t know how that’s possible.”

“I love you,” he whispered close to her ear. “Can you forgive me?”

“For what?” She pulled back to take him in.

“Everything. Being so awful when I found out who you are. Giving my editor your photo and accidentally outing that you were in Alaska. Commenting on your fan pages to try to get your attention. The Instagram followers thing. I would never use you to get ahead.”

She placed finger over his lips, and he kissed it. “You’ve been busy.” She shook her head. “I don’t know half of what you’re talking about. But I know you. And I trust you.”

“I trust you too.”

“What about … not having space for more people in your life?”

He hated how vulnerable she sounded. That he’d been the one to make her feel that way. “I will always have space for you. You have all the space. It’s yours.” He rubbed at his heart, knowing he’d never said anything truer.

Her eyes glistened with tears, and she blinked. “Don’t make me cry. I still have to sing for another hour.”

He pressed his forehead to hers. “I love your new songs. They’re my favorites.”

“Mine too. That island, Haydn. It was magical. Being with you, your family, in that space. It’s changed my life.” She paused and cocked her head to the side. “I think they’re chanting ‘kiss again.’”

“It’s like they can read my mind.” He wanted nothing more than to kiss her again, forever and ever, but he wanted to make sure she wanted this too.

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