Page 87 of One Short Summer

“Sorry.” She brushes the hair away from her face and brings her hands up to mine instead, gently tracing the outline of my jaw before going up to my cheeks.

Definitely skipping heartbeats now.

She seems to be at war with herself, her mouth opening and closing several times before she drops her hands. “It doesn’t matter anymore. Never mind.”

Wait. What?

A wave of nausea overcomes me, but I push it away. Not right now.

“What are you talking about?”

The look she gives me then breaks my heart a little.

“I’ve missed you way more than I ever thought I could miss anyone. I’ve been miserable these last few weeks without you. Everything is less fun when I can’t experience it with you.” Deep breath. “The first time I realized what was going on was the day before I left Brooksville. I was going to tell you, but then I heard you on the phone with Hudson.”

She pauses while my brain does the fastest memory search in all of history, pulling up short.

“You two were talking about me. You...you said you didn’t want me to stay when I was about to tell you that I...that I—”

Understanding infiltrates my whole system, knowing exactly what she’s talking about. I want to shake her to get her to say the rest of her sentence, while I’m also frustrated how a stupid misunderstanding could come in the way of this. Ofus. I don’t blame her though; it did make me look bad.

When it doesn’t seem like she’s going to say another word, I put my finger under her chin to gently lift it. Her soft gaze meets mine and my limbs tingle with hope, a lighthearted floating sensation overtaking me.

The conviction of being able to fix this makes me want to fist-pump the air.

“Finish that sentence, so I can say it back.”

Her eyes widen as her gasp echoes through the room.

A sudden fire flares in her eyes, and she clears her throat. “I’m in love with you and probably have been for way longer than I realized. I was so focused on my misery and then the dancing, that I put up my blinders, but I love you so much. I’m going to prove to you that dance isn’t the most important, or only, thing in my life. You’re right there at the very top of the list too, and I could never forgive myself for missing my chance with you.”

My brain is stuck on one thing, and one thing only. “Say that again.”

The corners of her mouth lift up the tiniest bit, but it’s enough for me to see the sass slowly returning. “What exactly do you want me to say again?”

Closing my eyes for a moment, I shake my head.

“You know what.” I tilt my head and lock my eyes with hers, equally challenging and begging her.

Monica wouldn’t be Monica though if she didn’t do the unexpected. Instead of more sass, she leans in and stops a mere breath from my face, her hands balancing on my upper thighs. “I love you, Gabe. I love everything about you, and life is immensely less fun without you.”

The second the words are out of her mouth, I grip her by the arms and crush her to me. I fall back, her body landing on mine, fast and hard, every delicious curve of her molding perfectly to mine. My lips are on hers, and I’m not sure where I end and she begins.

We blend together, and despite our differences, we complement each other, knowing on a very deep elemental level what the other one needs.

After what feels like hours, I pull back, both of us breathing hard. Monica doesn’t go far though, her forehead leaning against mine, our noses almost touching. I bend toward her again, needing to feel her soft lips once more. Then I push her back tenderly because I need to see her eyes for those next few words. “The phone conversation with Hudson was about me not wanting to hold you back. I wanted you to live your dream, but I’ve waited for as long as I could to come for what’s mine, because I love you too.”

This time, it’s Monica who tackles me for more kisses, wrapping her arms tightly around my neck like she never wants to let me go again.

Reality and the conviction of having this woman in my life for good—forever, if it’s up to me—is slowly sinking in, my heart doing somersaults on end. “We’ll figure things out. The best thing about my job is that I can write anywhere. So, if you want me, I’ll be by your side. What you did out there tonight, your performance, it was...there are no actual words to do it justice. It was almost otherworldly, absolutely phenomenal, like you, and I can’t wait to watch you stun the world with your beautiful talent over and over again.”

The happy squeal that comes out of Monica as she tries to squeeze the life out of me is answer enough as I hug her back, fully intending on following this woman anywhere, if that means we can be together.

I nudge her throat with my nose. “You and me, Princess?”

“You and me. A princess needs her Prince Charming, after all.”

Chapter Thirty-Four

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