Page 33 of Rumor Has It

“Ellie, stop. With or without you, that’s done.” He nods as if to solidify his point.

My shoulders relax a fraction, because I’m far too anxious in general to let it completely go. I’ll be thinking about it for a week before I don’t let it bother me anymore. But I’ve always trusted Theo. And if he says they’re done, then they are. Even if my mind doesn’t totally believe it yet, my heart does.

“That’s not all,” he says, a slight hesitation in his voice.

“Oh? What else?”

Theo leans back in his chair, letting go of my hand as he cracks his knuckles. He only does that when he’s really nervous, which only serves to send my shoulders back into tense panic mode.

“She asked me if I love you,” he says.

Holy fuck. Do. Not. Move. “What did you say?”

“I told her the truth,” he says, a peculiar smile playing over his mouth as he picks up his menu. “Now let’s eat.”

* * *

I didn’t know for sure if our ease with each other would translate once romance was mixed in. But like so many times before, we fell into easy conversation over dinner.

Occasionally, Theo would reach across and hold my hand. And more than once, brushed his lips against my knuckles, which made my toes curl.

On our way home, we didn’t say much. But he ran his thumb over my thigh the entire time, so I definitely didn’t mind.

It was right around when we were standing on my porch that I wondered if he was going to kiss me goodnight and leave or come in for another round of the deliciousness that happened yesterday.

But here we are, two hours later, panting and sweating and holding each other, and I’m not complaining about that either. It was just as good, if not better, than the first time, which makes me wonder if it’s just always this goddamn good with him. I wouldn’t be surprised.

“Don’t be mad, but I brought a bag with me, just in case this happened,” he says with a laugh. “So I could spend the night if you want me to.”

“Of course I want you to,” I say, rolling my eyes at his ridiculousness.

Theo sits up, no doubt searching for his pants so he can run out to his car and retrieve said bag. And despite everything, I just can’t help myself.

“Theo,” I say, getting his attention so he’ll turn back to me. “What is the truth? What did you tell Lindy?”

Theo’s eyes lock with mine, his hooded eyes growing suddenly intense. Maybe I don’t want to know the answer.

“I told her that I think I always have,” he says, his fingertips coming up to caress my jaw.

SHUT. UP.My insides feel like they might fall out for a moment. The ringing in my ears is back. Did I just hear him correctly? Is he saying he loves me? Like, beyond the friend love that’s always been between us?

In true Theo fashion, he must know exactly what I’m thinking, because his hands come to rest on either side of my face as his gaze practically penetrates to my soul.

“Yes, Ellie. I am in love with you. And I don’t know if it’s always been there deep down or if the realization is more like a light switch turned on in a room I thought was always meant to be dark, but I can’t deny it to myself. I love you,” he says before swallowing hard.

Are my arms still attached to my body, because I can’t feel them anymore? Because here is this man, this perfect man, who’s been here all along and I couldn’t see it. For whatever reason, I couldn’t see it right in front of my face. And now, there’s no unseeing it.

“I love you, too,” I say, and gulp down the lump in my throat.

Theo seems both surprised and elated as his face lights up in the gentlest way.

“Good,” he says.

He leans in, capturing my mouth with his, but this is a different kind of kiss altogether. It’s equally intense, but with less frenzy. As it deepens, he parts my lips with his tongue as he exhales. And for the first time in a long time, it feels like everything is going to be alright.

The man I’ve been waiting for all my life was right next to me, in true rom-com fashion. And I could be mad we didn’t figure this out sooner, place too much attention on time wasted or other people we were with, but the truth is, I like to believe this is always how it was meant to be and when it was meant to be.

I don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow. I don’t know what it will be like when we’re faced with all our friends and the pressure they’ll put on us. But what I do know is that I have half a life’s worth of anecdotal proof that Theo and I can get through anything together.

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