Page 135 of Rewind It Back

He shakes his head, exhaling a defeated laugh. “I was trying to surprise you by making it home in time to take you to prom, but my flight got delayed.”

What?

“You were?”

“I bought an earlier plane ticket home.”

“That’s why you’ve been so distant the past few days?”

“I’m not a good liar, Hal. I didn’t want to risk ruining the surprise.” He doesn’t fully turn to face me, only giving me his right profile, but still his eyes slowly work their way up my body. “You look beautiful, baby.”

I take a step closer. “Thank you. But I wish I knew you were coming. I would’ve waited for you.”

“I only got here thirty minutes ago and telling you I was trying to make it would only disappoint you on your big night.”

I huff a laugh. “It wasn’t all that big. It was pretty uneventful, actually.”

I watch the outline of his jaw tic. “And your date?”

“Myfriend,” I correct. “I spent the whole time hyping him up to go ask the girl he’s been crushing on if she wanted to dance.”

His body moves in a silent laugh.

I step closer. “But the whole night, I was wishing I was with you.”

Finally, he turns my way, fully facing me and allowing the light from the moon to illuminate his entire face.

His veryswollenface. Particularly his left, which is already forming a bruise.

“What is... Is that from hockey?” I rush to him, kneeling to make myself eye level. Gripping his chin, I push his hood off so I can get a better look. “Did you take a hit in practice?”

His eyes drop to my lips. “No.”

I run a gentle thumb over a split area, and he flinches slightly.

“What the hell happened?”

“Luke.”

“What do you mean,Luke? He hit you?”

Rio shrugs like this is the most casual conversation. “Well, I let him, but yeah.”

“Why would you let him? And why would he do that?”

“I let him because I deserved it for lying to him for so long, and he hit me because he was furious after I told him I was in love with his sister.”

My eyes go impossibly wide. For multiple reasons.

I fall back to a sitting position, my yellow satin gown falling around me. “What?”

“I told him. I couldn’t hide it anymore, Hal. This year was fucking miserable without you, and I can’t do another that way. You were on my mind practically every minute of every day. I wanted to fly you out to Michigan so many times. I needed to see you, but I couldn’t because your family didn’t know. I wanted to—”

“You love me?”

“Well, yeah.” He softens with a smile. “Isn’t that obvious?”

“You don’t think you should’ve told me before you told my brother?”

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