Page 176 of Life of the Party

“I get it now, Riley. I get why you couldn’t be with me, why you had to leave me last summer. Like Charlie and I. I know you couldn’t help it.”

“I had to go. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done.” He confessed. His dark eyes swept over me, warm with affection. “I thought about you every day. I never stopped. Every time we fought, every time we went our separate ways. Every time I had to tell you no…it killed me.”

“It killed me too,” I admitted. “I get it now. Why it hurt so badly. Why I couldn’t let you go, why I couldn’t get over you.” I looked up at him, into his face, so handsome, so familiar. I felt tears well again, overcome, my heart bursting in my chest.

“I love you, Riley McIntyre.” I gazed up at him, into his eyes, so he could see that it was real, so he could see I meant every word with my whole, entire heart. “I love you.”

A surprised smile curved his lips.

“It’s not like Grey.” I continued, “It’s not more than Grey; it’s not less than Grey. I can’t even compare the two of you. It’s just different. But it’s the same, too. It’s, it’s deeper, because I know you so well, and you know me…” I gazed up into his warm, dark eyes, eyes I’d never been able to live without. “You know me better than anyone.” I grasped his hand. “You’re my breath. Riley, you saved my fucking life.”

Riley smiled then, like I was his greatest wish come true. His look said it all. His look took my breath away. He pulled me to him, into his warm, strong arms, and kissed me like our lives depended on it.

It felt so right, so natural. The spark from before ignited like I never thought possible, like I never could have imagined until—even despite being soaked from the rain—it felt like we might both start on fire.

“I love you so much,” I whispered. Every time I said it, the realization shook me. I ran my hands through his hair and stroked his smooth cheek and revelled in the warmth of his arms around me. Mine to discover. Mine forever.

“What about your flight?” I remembered then, eyeing the clock warily. “Is it too late to change your mind?”

He chuckled fondly, tucking a lock of long, wet hair behind my ear, his fingers lightly brushing my cheek. “I cancelled my flight already.”

“You did? But I hadn’t said anything…”

“It didn’t matter.” He shrugged. “I couldn’t leave you again.”

“Why was the car running? Where were you going?”

“To see you. Your mom invited me for dinner, you know.”

“Oh, right.” I could feel the delighted blush in my cheeks, the sweetness of his words warming me all over. I couldn’t be close enough to him. I took my hand and weaved it into his, lacing our fingers together. “If we hurry, we can make dessert.”

He grinned at me. “Let’s go then.”

“Can I smoke in here while we drive? For old time’s sake?” I batted my eyes.

“I thought you were going to quit?” He raised his eyebrows.

“I said I should quit. Not that I was going to.”

“Then go outside and smoke.”

“It’s raining!”

Riley sighed a moment, relenting, shaking his head as he rolled the window down a crack. “Oh, you’re a pain in the ass.” He lamented.

I grinned victoriously, “Yeah, but I’m yours.”

A smile broke over his face then, like he was delighted by the thought.

EPILOGUE

People say God doesn’t work miracles anymore. They long for the Bible days, desperate to witness God’s hand moving in obvious ways like he did back then: holding the sun in the sky, turning water to wine, raising people from the dead.

I know better. I know God works miracles. He worked one in me.

Once upon a time, I was lost. Lost, but blind to my aimlessness. Searching desperately, seeking always for something to satisfy my soul, for something to fill me up. Looking and striving and toiling in vain for the answer.

Who knew I would find what I was looking for the second I stopped searching.

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