Page 102 of It's in the Contract
The chill makes goosebumps rise on my bare arms, or maybe the shivers are because Zeke is holding my hand as we cross the parking lot.Zeke is holding my hand!When we arrive at Zeke’s car, he hurries forward to open my door and gestures for me to sit, that devastatingly handsome smile on his face.
Zeke sits behind the wheel and backs up the car.
“Where to?” I ask.
He smiles. “I know just the place.”
I reach across the distance between us and take his hand. His fingers are smooth and warm in mine, and he looks over at me and smiles. My heart flutters in my chest.
A short while later we pull up to Salty’s.
I gasp. “You remembered my favorite restaurant?”
Zeke gives me a long, appraising look, lingering on my lips. “I remember everything about you, Callie.”
We enter the restaurant arm in arm, and the place is quiet, with warm lighting overhead and soft music playing. The hostess seats us at a table overlooking the bay. The walls are glass, so we can clearly see the waves crashing against the rocks below, and it’s absolutely perfect. Moonlight makes the water sparkle. A few other couples and groups chat around us, but for the most part it feels like Zeke and I are in our own little bubble together.
I peruse the menu, though I already know what I want. “It’s so expensive here. Are you sure?”
Zeke smiles. “You’re worth it.”
I flush and beam all at once. Is this really happening?
After ordering the lobster and prawn bucatini for me and the glazed Alaskan sablefish for Zeke, I reach across the table and place a hand on top of his. Our fingers interlace like they were meant to go together.
“Zeke, I’m . . . I’m so sorry,” I say. “I don’t know how to tell you how sorry I am. I made a huge mistake.”
Zeke looks at me and smiles. “Almost. Youalmostmade a huge mistake.”
He strokes the back of my hand with his thumb, and a pleasant heat goes through me. “I liked you since the Space Needle.” My face heats. “But I . . . I didn’t know what to do with it. I was scared. And when you asked me to Homecoming, I know what a big deal that was for you.”
Zeke’s eyes, warm and melty like dark chocolate, meet mine.
“And I rejected you.” I swallow. “I know how badly that must’ve hurt. I am so, so sorry.”
“I sprang that on you with no warning.” Zeke gives my hand a squeeze. “I started liking you right from the beginning, Callie. And the more I got to know you, the stronger my feelings became.”
My face flushes even warmer, and I give him a small smile. The waiter stops by with a basket of hot fluffy dinner rolls and adish of butter, and Zeke and I let go so we can butter our rolls. I miss holding his hand, but the warm bread is delicious.
Zeke sets his half-eaten roll on his plate. “I liked you for how smart and how kind you were. I liked how you lit up showing me all your favorite places around Seattle. I liked how you looked after Mia, even though she made you nervous.”
I laugh.
“I love the look of concentration you get on your face when you’re playing Zelda.”
“I do not?—”
“I love the joy you get from whipping up sugar cookies in the kitchen, even when Mia is making an enormous mess with the powdered sugar. You’re funny. You’re fun to be with. And you’re so, so beautiful.” Zeke reaches across the table to tuck a curl behind my ear. His fingers brush my cheek. “I didn’t stand a chance. I’ve fallen for you so hard, Callie.”
My heart leaps, and tears of joy fill my eyes. Zeke sees me. He knows me, therealme. And he likes me. “Does this mean we . . . us . . . can we make this work? Are you willing to try?” I stare into Zeke’s warm brown eyes, hoping desperately that this boy who has so much power to hurt me will choose not to.
Zeke takes my hand across the table. My roll sits on my plate, forgotten. “I won’t lie,” he says. His thumb continues stroking the back of my hand. “I’m scared of how strongly I feel for you. With me moving in a few months, I . . .” Zeke trails off and looks down. “I can’t deny that I’m still afraid you’ll forget about me.”
I squeeze his hand. “I will never forget about you. I won’t leave you behind. I promise.”
Zeke looks up at me with hope in his eyes. “So we’re going to try to make this work? Boyfriend and girlfriend?”
Elation, pure and sweet, floods me. “Yes. Yes, that’s what I want.”
