Page 110 of Until You

“You pulled me in!” Celesta shouted.

“Have you lost your mind?” Lanie asked as she tried to get to her feet. “You’re the one who pushed me in.”

Tyler stood at the edge of the fountain. “Lanie, are you okay?”

“I’m fine. My pride is bruised more than my butt.”

“Why are you asking about her?” Celesta shouted. “Why aren’t you asking about me?” She got to her feet, making a production of her wet skirt clinging to her legs.

Tyler reached out a hand to help Lanie out of the water, but Celesta shoved Lanie’s hand out of the way and grabbed Tyler’s hand instead.

“Celesta, what are you doing?” Britt asked in shock.

A look of determination covered Celesta’s face. “I’m claiming what’s mine.”

Tyler tried to pull his hand free, but Celesta held tight and jerked, causing Tyler to lose his balance. As he fell forward, he lifted one foot to the ledge to gain some balance. While he tried to right himself, Celesta refused to release his hand, and he fell into the fountain, landing on top of her.

Suddenly, the entire group was shouting and moving in to help. Lanie sloshed over to Tyler and reached him first. He’d landed face-forward, with his face buried in Celesta’s chest.

“Tyler!”

He jerked up and turned to Lanie in horror. “That was an accident. I didn’t mean to do that.”

Celesta had released his hand, so Lanie helped him to his feet while Celesta floundered around in the two-foot-deep water as though she were drowning.

“Are you okay?” Lanie asked. She was relieved he hadn’t pulled away from her.

He grinned. “My pride hurts more than my shins.”

The sight of him smiling at her brought tears to her eyes.

“Are you hurt?” he asked, worry replacing his amusement.

“No. I was just scared,” she whispered. “You said…”

“I was an idiot,” he said, dropping her hand.

She missed him, even though he was standing a foot away. She didn’t want to hide this anymore. She wanted to touch him anytime she wanted. She turned to the group.

“Tyler and I are together,” Lanie said. “We’ve been sleeping together since the night I tried to kill him.”

Brittany’s mouth dropped. “What? I thought you were with Aiden?”

“Two men!” Celesta shouted. “She has no shame!”

Brittany started shouting that it wasn’t any of Celesta’s business how many men Lanie slept with at one time, then Celesta started shouting at Randy for marrying a bitch.

Tyler stared down at Lanie in amazement. “I can’t believe you did that.”

She grinned and lifted her shoulder in a nonchalant shrug. “I was tired of Celesta trying to take my man.”

He laughed. “Your man?”

She scrunched up her nose. “That sounds so wrong. I hope you enjoyed that, because I doubt I’ll ever call you ‘my man’ again.”

He laughed. “I can live with that, I think.”

She rested her hands on his shoulders while the shouting continued behind her. “I’m sorry I’ve been so stubborn. I love you. I was just too stupid to admit it.”

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