Page 45 of Begin Again

Celeste hums in approval. “Hot and sweet? Go on.”

I exhale, fiddling with the nail polish brush. “He’s the type to wear his heart on his sleeve, but not in a needy way. He just… feels things deeply, you know? And he’s always taking care of everyone. If someone’s had a bad day, he’ll magically have their favorite drink waiting. He works ridiculous hours at the cafe, but if someone needs help moving furniture, suddenly he’s got all the time in the world.” I pause, swallowing. “And he’s a menace.”

Celeste perks up. “Oh?”

I nod, grinning despite myself, remembering the time he switched the sugar and salt at the cafe just to mess with his employees. “He’s a prankster. The harmless, goofy kind—like putting googly eyes on everything in the fridge or swapping people’s ringtones when they leave their phones unattended. He’s chaos, but the good kind. The kind that makes everything feel a little brighter.”

Celeste sighs dreamily. “Selene, you’re so far gone.”

Groaning, I shove my hands over my face.

Am I?

Yeah. I am.

I peek at her through my fingers. “Yeah. We’ve talked a few times, we hung out at the lake a week or so ago, and he let me sketch him. We then went on a really thoughtful date at his house the next day. His aunt, Aubrey, actually wrote his number on a napkin for me because somehow in all of that, I never got it from him.”

Celeste gasps, bolting upright so fast she nearly knocks over a bottle of nail polish. “Wait, wait, wait. Back up. He let you sketch him?!”

I nod, my face heating. “Yeah, he was really patient about it. Didn’t even fidget too much.”

Celeste’s eyes are practically sparkling. “Do you still have it? I need to see.”

I hesitate for a second before leaving to go grab my sketchbook, flipping to the page. Celeste snatches it the moment it’s in sight and gasps dramatically. “Selene. This is gorgeous—oh my God, look at his jawline. And the way you shaded his eyes?” She fans herself. “Girl, you are in it.”

I groan. “Stop.”

Celeste wiggles her eyebrows, grinning like the Cheshire Cat. “Nope, you’re done for.”

I snatch my sketchbook back before she can make it worse. Celeste sighs, flopping back against the couch. “Alright, alright. So, what did he say when you texted him?”

I freeze. Silence stretches between us.

Celeste narrows her eyes. “You did text him, right?”

My face betrays me before I can even think of lying. I feel the heat creeping up my neck, burning like I’ve just been caught red-handed in a crime I didn’t even know I was committing.

Celeste shrieks. “You haven’t texted him yet? Selene!”

“I’m scared!” The words burst out of me before I could stop them. My voice pitches higher, full-on panic mode activated. “What if he thinks I’m weird because I got his number from his aunt? Or desperate?”

Celeste blinks at me, her green eyes wide like I just told her I believe in Bigfoot. Then she leans forward, voice sweet but firm. “First of all, he already knows you’re weird. That ship has sailed, sunk, and been turned into an artificial reef. And second, his aunt gave you his number. That’s like the universe personally handing you a cheat code. Clearly, he’s into it.”

I hesitate, chewing on my bottom lip. “What would I even say?”

Celeste, bless her soul, snatches my phone out of my hand before I can react. “Don’t worry, I’ve got this.”

I immediately start to worry.

She scrolls through my contacts with laser focus like this is the most important mission of her life. Then, her entire face lights up. Oh no.

“How about…” She pauses for dramatic effect, then grins wickedly. “‘Are you French? Because Eiffel for you.’”

I groan, grabbing a couch cushion and smothering my face with it. “Celeste, no.”

“Come on!” She sings songs, waving my phone in front of me like a carrot on a stick. “It’s cheesy, it’s adorable, and it’ll totally break the ice.”

I reach for the phone, but she jerks it out of my grasp, her expression innocent despite the fact that she’s actively holding my social life hostage.

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