Page 156 of Relationship Goals

“That’s because I’m just as bad as you are.”

“Know why I…what did you call it? Why I workshopped it?”

“Hmm? Why’s that?”

“Because your laugh is the best sound I’ve ever heard.”

I beam at him. My cheeks get hot, and I fan myself. “Careful, or you’re going to make Yo-Yo Ma jealous.”

“That would be a real shame, considering we’ve got backstage passes to meet him.”

“Yeah, we certainly can’t let him know how you’re falling so hard for me. It will make him sad.”

He swallows audibly, and I cringe.

“I didn’t mean to put words in your mouth—”

“Abigail, there’s no falling. None at all.”

“I am so sorry, I know we’re taking it slower this time—”

“There’s no falling because I’m already there. Fallen. Hard. The minute you joked about anaphylactic shock, I should have known I was a goner.”

“Luke,” I whisper, and tears sting behind my eyes. “If you make me cry and mess up my makeup I’m going to be so mad.”

“We can’t have you being mad. I won’t get to see Uranus if you’re upset.” His voice is low and steady, so bland that if I didn’t know him better, I’d think he were completely serious.

“I love you,” I tell him, the words rushing out of me. “I know we said we’d take it slow, and my therapist is probably going to do a sigh so heavy that the floor collapses under her when I tell her, but I love you, Luke Wolfe.”

“Good,” he says, flashing that delicious grin at me. “I’m glad we’ve got that settled.”

I awkwardly scooch closer to him, planting a kiss on his cheek. “You are so getting lucky tonight,” I say.

“Okay, butcellois my safe word.”

I cackle. “You got it.Celloit is.”

He pulls into the valet parking area of the Staples Center, and I rub my hand over the rhinestone clutch I bought just for the occasion.

It’s a bit weird, a bit quirky, but it looks cute with my cream-colored dress.

Nothing says fashion like a purse shaped like a shrimp, after all.

Nothing says happiness like the ache in my cheeks from smiling, either.

Epilogue

Abigail

My entire lifeseems to revolve around packing and unpacking at the moment, everything I need condensed to a suitcase that’s never empty for long.

Well, everything I need that can be packed, that is.

After the Aces made it to the last game of the finals, only to lose during an overtime shoot-out when Gold made an ill-timed mistake, Luke had his pick of teams.

Of course he picked Seattle.

Good thing I’ve always loved the Pacific Northwest. The seemingly endless emerald forests shrouded in morning mist, the rocky coastline and quaint small towns and quirkier larger cities.

---