Page 124 of Seven Days in June

“Of course I’m here—it’s Ken’s birthday! How could she invite you and not tell me?”

“Ken’s birthday? I’m here for the Peachtree Book Festival.”

“I’ve never heard of a Peachtree Book Festival.”

“Me either! But what do I know? I never do any of that shit, so Cece asked me…”

“Cece asked you to come to Atlanta? To this restaurant? At eight p.m. tonight?”

Slowly, they released their grip and stood there, lightly embracing.

Hesitantly, Shane said, “She said it was for a panelist dinner.”

“But you don’t like people! How were you going to get through dinner?”

“My AA sponsor told me to push my limits socially. This is me growing!”

They looked at each other and at the romantic table for two and realized that Cece had once again used her infinite powers to orchestrate this entire thing. Inside the restaurant, they overheard the hostess saying to a server, “Skip the drinks menu, Paul. Just seltzer. Neither one of them drink.”

Shane scratched the side of his jaw, chuckling. With a tickled sigh, Eva cast her eyes upward at the starry sky.

They’d been had.

The night stilled around them as they settled into the realization that they were alone together. After wanting it so badly. Eva took the gardenia still in her hand and waved it under her nose. She wanted to have a scent to accompany this memory.

“Would you have asked me to come to Louisiana?” asked Shane.

“Yes.” Eva’s gaze caught his. “Would you have come?”

“I had a bag packed. I was just waiting for the word.”

“I think we were wrong to end this.” Eva clutched the flower to her chest, where her heart was thundering.

Shane cupped her face in his hands. “It never ends, does it? Loving you never ends. Whether you’re Genevieve or Eva. Whether I lose you for years or wake up to your face every morning. I love you. You’re my home. And I want you forever.”

Eva blinked up at him, eyes dancing. “Forever?”

Shane nodded, his mouth curving upward, slow and assured.

“Oh,fine,” she whispered. “You can have me.”

Shane beamed and ran his hand up the back of her neck, into her hair. Gently, he fisted a handful and tilted her head back.

Crickets chirped in that lazy midsummer way, gardenias scented the air, and the delighted waitstaff hung back, giving the lovers their moment.

They kissed, and they restarted, right where they stood.

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