Page 108 of Once Upon a Boyband
“Ah. Yeah. Puppies make good alarm clocks.”
A chilly October wind lifts the leaves collecting at the edges of the lawn, and I tug down the sleeves of the thermal I’m wearing under my scrubs.
“Do you want to tell me why you were talking to my dad?” I ask.
He looks a little sheepish. “A couple of reasons.”
“Okay.”
“Patty mentioned he was kinda hard on you about the whole engagement thing.”
“You talked to Patty?” I ask.
“Just about vet records for the rescue. But then she brought up the engagement and…yeah. It’s hardnotto talk to Patty once she gets started.”
“Very true,” I say.
“I thought it might help if I explained to your dad how I actually feel about you. If he knew that I’m not playing games. And that even if we aren’t technically engagedyet,I think we both know that’s where this relationship is headed.”
I press my lips together. “You said all of that to him?”
He nods. “I also told him that I am really,reallyin love with you.”
I suck in a breath.
“I maybe should have saved that part so I could tell you first.”
I practically fly off the bench and throw myself into his arms. He chuckles as he catches me, stumbling a few steps backward as his arms come around me and I bury myself in his chest.
He smells so good. Manly and clean, like leather and soap and sandalwood and Adam and I don’t want to ever let him go.
I lean back, keeping my arms around him as I look into his impossibly blue eyes. “I love you too,” I say. “So much.”
He presses his lips to mine, and all of the doubt and worry that’s plagued me the past week fizzles away. There are so many things we still need to talk about. And I’m sure we eventually will. But right now, knowing that we love each other is enough.
I lift my hand to Adam’s jaw--hisvery smoothjaw.
Okay, maybe there’sonething we need to talk about right now.
I tap my thumb against his cheek. “So…can we talk about this?” I slide my other hand over the shoulder of hisvery softleather jacket. “And also your incredible wardrobe choices this morning?”
“Actually, that has to do with theotherreason I came to see your dad.”
“Yeah? How so?”
“I figured if I was taking you to New York with me, he’d need to know you weren’t coming into work today.”
I freeze. “New York?”
He nods. “Midnight Rush is doing an interview onThe Tonight Show. First one with all four of us present.”
It takes my brain a few extra seconds to process what he’s telling me.
“The Tonight Show,” I repeat. “Are you…does that mean…?”
“Yes, and yes,” he says, glancing at his watch. “I’m catching a plane in just a few hours.” He lifts his lips into a sly half grin. “Want to come?”
“You want me to go to New York with you?”
