Page 70 of Someone Just Like You

I pressed my lips together. “AnAmerican Idolfolder is gloat-worthy. Knee surgery, not so much. And it wasn’t a prank.”

He scrubbed a hand down his face. “The point is I was mad, Mole. That accident changed the trajectory of my life.”

Shame burned through me, and I stared down at my toes. “I’ve never been more sorry about anything in my entire life.”

He joined me on the edge of the bed. “I know, but I needed a minute. Then I saw you at Hillstone, and my first instinct was to run after you to kiss and make up.”

I looked up. “It was? I couldn’t read you.”

“Poker face,” he said, pointing at his own face. “The more I thought about it, the more I realized it was bound to happen. Our history of pulling pranks…it’s a wonder no one ever got physically hurt before.”

“It wasn’t even a prank,” I said for what felt like the trillionth time despite a strong sense of relief he didn’t seem to hate me. “My gags were always meticulously planned. This? This was me losing my freaking mind and just going to town.”

Jude let out a stifled laugh. “So not like you.”

“Sonot like me!”

We laughed again, this time freely. And it felt like a Swedish massage of my soul.

His eyes roamed my face. “The bottom line is I know you never meant to hurt me…physically, at least.”

“What does this mean for us?” I held my breath.

“It means I’m following my heart.”

“What does your heart say?” My voice was a whisper.

“It says I’m overit, but I’m not overyou.” He drank me in. “I didn’t know for sure what I was going to do, but then Eris ratted you out for breaking a plate and you looked so…” He chuckled. “Beautifully pathetic in the kitchen. I figured this was killing you, and Molly Girl, for better or worse, I like your face too much to see you hurt, especially when I have the power to ease your pain.”

I sucked in a breath. “Let me get this straight. You forgive meandyou still like my face?” His use ofpatheticthrew me, but I could work with beautiful.

His eyes twinkled. “I’mwaybetter at streamlining than you and can answer your two questions with one word. Yes.”

“Thank God.” I grabbed on to his shirt collar and smashed my lips against his, deepening the kiss immediately. I wanted to swallow him whole. Then I wrapped my arms tight around him before he changed his mind.

Eventually, he wrestled out of my grasp and motioned at my bedroom door. “As much as I’d like to do grown-up things in your twin-size bed, we’d better go downstairs before your mom sends spies on us.” He stood and pulled me up with him.

I pressed my palms against his chest, enjoying the physical closeness after what felt like forever. “Can I ask you something first?”

He stepped back and leaned against my bookshelf. “How to replace a flat tire in minutes in case you ever fly off the handle again?”

“Jude!”

“I couldn’t resist,” he said, chuckling. “What?”

“Are you happy?” I bit down on my lip. “Professionally?”In other words, did I ruin your life when I indirectly ended your baseball career?

He sighed. “Yes, Molly. I’m happy. You didnotruin my life by letting the air out of my tires.Tire. My knee is a different story.” His lips spread into a slow smile. “But it’s a built-in excuse to get out of running the Corporate Challenge with the rest of the restaurant staff. So…thank you?” He laughed.

I snorted. “Be serious for a minute.” I peered into his eyes, wondering how it had taken me so long to notice the rare shade of hazel. “You sure?”

“No regrets. I swear. But if you must know, I do have bigger dreams.”

“Do tell!”

He blushed as if sharing his dream was outside his comfort zone. Yet he was choosing to share it with me. “I want to open my own pub, where upscale food meshes with a laid-back atmosphere and reasonable cost. Michelin star for the working class.”

“That sounds amazing, Jude!” My brain raced with questions. “When do you want to do this? Where? Here…in Manhattan?”

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