Page 173 of Releasing 10
“Oh?”
“It’s about us.”
“What about us?”
He was quiet for a long time before he said, “I’m having a bit of trouble being around you lately.”
My heart sank. “Do you want me to go?”
“What? No, Liz!” He tightened his arm around me. “I would never want that.” I felt his nose brush against the back of my head before he whispered, “You know I love you, right?”
“Right.”
“I’m just…I’m having a bit of a problem with loving youtoomuch.”
My heart skipped. “Too much?”
I felt him nod behind me. “It’s okay, I’ll figure it out, but I just wanted to let you know if I seem a bit off, it’s nothing you’ve done, okay? I’m just, uh, it’s just a bit confusing for me right now.”
“You know I love you, too, right?” came my whispered reply as I clenched my eyes shut and forced myself to be brave. “Too much.”
He was quiet for the longest time, so long that I was beginning to think the conversation, at least for him, was over, but then his trembling hand moved to cover mine.
Excitement sparked to life inside of me and I was certain I had never grabbed a hand as quickly as I grabbed this particular boy’s hand.
In fact, not only was I holding on to Hugh’s hand for dear life, but I was also squeezing the hell out of it.
Withbothhands.
“Okay then.” A low, nervous chuckle escaped him. “I’m glad I’m not alone in this.”
“You’re definitely not alone in this,” I replied, shivering all over.
“Hey, Liz?”
“Yeah, Hugh?”
“Can I ask you a question?”
“Of course.”
“Do you think it would be all right”—his voice was low and full of uncertainty—“if I held your hand?”
“You always hold my hand, silly.”
“Yeah, but do you think it would be okay if I was theonlyboy who got to hold your hand?”
“Yeah.” A delicious ripple of excitement racked through me. “That would be more than okay.”
“Okay.” I felt his chest move behind me when he exhaled a relieved breath. “That’s good to know.”
There was a long stretch of silence before I worked up the courage to whisper, “Remember that time in my room when you kissed me on the wrist?”
“I remember.”
“I liked it.”
“Yeah.” He sighed. “Me, too.”
