Page 86 of The Five Stages of Courting Dalisay Ramos

“A couple weeks ago. He apologized for what he did at the church, tricking me about ringing that bell at Mass and all, and I told him it was no big deal. Water under the bridge. He was the one who helped me practice for the serenade, telling me your favorite song. I admit, I was suspicious at first. I thought it was going to be another practical joke, but he was right, I think. Turned out good in the end.”

Dalisay can’t believe her brother’s been going behind her back to make things right and she didn’t even notice. He’s clearly improved his poker face.

“Those are my favorite kinds of endings,” Dalisay says slowly. “The good ones.”

Evan looks back at her, his eyes so hopeful it hurts. “Yeah?”

“Yeah,” Dalisay whispers.

“God, I’ve missed you,” he says.

Dalisay’s heart nearly stops. Hearing him say it is everything she’s wanted. She lets out a small breath. “Me too,” she says.

Evan turns to face her squarely, leaning on the railing. “I’ve been thinking about you. Nonstop. You’re the only person I want to be with. I’m sorry. I am so sorry. I never want to make you feel like that again.”

“I’m sorry too.” She pauses, wanting to say more, but not finding the words.

Evan’s eyes dance between hers, hope blooming there. He opens his mouth. “Dalisay, I—DUCK!”

Dalisay has just enough time to get down before the seagull dive-bombs for Evan’s ice cream. It’s a flurry of feathers and wings and Evan stumbles back, losing his footing, and falls to the boardwalk. The seagull screams in victory as it takes off across the water with its prize.

Passersby stare, dumbstruck, at what just unfolded in front of them. Evan sits on the pier, dazed, as if he’s not sure that just happened either.

“Oh my God! Are you okay?” Dalisay asks, rushing to Evan. She grabs his hand and hauls him back to his feet.

His curls stand up every which way and he looks shocked. “I can’t believe—Did you see that?”

Dalisay starts laughing, and eventually Evan joins in. His hand squeezes around hers. With a jolt, Dalisay realizes they’re still holding hands. Reflexively, she lets go and the second she does, she admonishes herself. She wants to hold his hand, she wantsthis, what they have right now. She tucks her hair behind her ear and ducks her head, hiding the blush creeping up her cheeks. Are they official? Is this stage five? Holding hands in public? Are they a couple again? But she wants to be sure, without any doubts, that Evan wants it too.

Evan smooths his hair back down, eyes skyward, and his laugh eases out. When he looks at her, his eyes are clear and steadfast.

“When I was in Rome, I couldn’t stop thinking about you,” he says. “Everywhere I went, I would have this urge to point things out to you, but you weren’t there and that—that was the worst feeling. I don’t want to be apart from you. Not for another moment.”

A lump forms in Dalisay’s throat and she nods. “I’m sorry too. I handled everything so poorly, I—” He’s looking at her so earnestly, she drops her gaze to his chin. “When you said you thought about our future kids … it made me realize that you were already building a future with us in your mind, that you were serious about us, and I was so afraid of losing it that I panicked. I’m always worried that something horrible will happen that will take everything I care about away. Like what happened with my dad … I don’t let myself get what I want because I don’t want to lose it like I did him. And I ended up hurting you.”

Evan reaches out and brushes his thumb against her cheek, and only then does she realize she’s crying. His gentleness only makes more tears flow. She missed the way he touched her, and the way he could hold her and remind her everything was going to be okay. Slowly, she lifts her gaze to meet his eyes.

“Can we start over?” he asks.

Looking into those deep, dark eyes, she could fall straight into them. And when she nods, his chest rises and falls, like he’s finally able to breathe, and his shoulders drop with relief.

He brings her hand up to his mouth and kisses her knuckles.

“Remember what happened after the last time we first held hands in public?” she asks, her lips curling into an amused and naughty grin, despite her tears.

“They’ve got some pretty nice public restrooms here,” he says with a wink.

She shakes her head and snorts when she laughs too. This time they kiss in the sun.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Six Months Later …

“To the brides!” Dalisay says, finishing her toast as she holds her champagne glass high.

“To the brides!” echo two hundred voices just as the music rises on the speakers in the reception hall. Nicole and Claire can’t stop smiling, and they kiss to roars of applause. Dalisay smiles at them, tears in her eyes, as she takes a sip of her drink.

Across the hall, she spots Evan—looking dashing in his suit and tie—clapping from a nearby table. He catches her eye and winks. She winks back at him, heart warm in her chest.

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