Page 50 of The Fangirl and the Crooner

Like I’d ever find someone as amazing and gorgeous and sweet as her.

“All that time apart would destroy us.”

“I disagree, but just for argument’s sake, what if it did?” I ask, then hold my breath.

Her spine snaps into a rigid rod as she looks at me with wide eyes. “I can’t bear the thought of losing you.”

“Why not?” I breathe.

Her tongue peeks out to wet her lips, and she takes a deep breath before blurting, “Because I’m falling in lovewith you, Bram. You’re the most precious thing in my life, and I was terrified this would tear us apart.”

My heart swells in my chest, warming me all over as I reach over to take her hands in mine. Brushing my thumbs across her knuckles, I blink against the sting in my own eyes as I dip my head and look at her from beneath my lashes.

“You’ll never lose me, Pressley.”

“You don’t know that for sure,” she argues, and I shake my head.

“Idoknow. I’m not going anywhere, because I’ve already fallen. I love you, Press.”

“You do?” she squeaks out with a fresh batch of tears.

“I do.”

Before she can respond to that, I lunge forward, taking her lips in a long, tender kiss. As I pull away, she stares at me with a tearful laugh, then furiously wipes at her cheeks and eyes.

“Sorry I’m such a blubbery mess,” she says with another laugh.

Wrapping my arm around her, I pull her as I lay back. She stretches out on the couch next to me, cuddled in my arms as my fingers comb through her hair. I kiss the top of her head, then turn my gaze up to the ceiling.

“Would you have told me you didn’t want me to go if I had accepted the deal?” I ask.

“Never,” she replies honestly. “I would’ve supported you until the bitter end.”

I think about that for a moment, examining the way her statement makes me feel. Of course, it’s great to have such unconditional support, but at the same time, I’dnever want her to discount her own feelings like that just to make me happy.

“Pressley, that’s not how this works,” I say, and she stiffens in my arms.

“What do you mean?” she asks, keeping her head firmly lodged against my chest.

“We’re partners in this thing. I want to make you just as happy as you make me, and if you don’t talk to me about things that are bothering you, I can’t do my job. We have to be open and honest, even when it’s hard. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

“I think so,” she says. “It’s just hard for me. And I didn’t want to be the reason you turned down such an amazing opportunity.”

“You know if I really wanted to do it, I’d force you to come with me, right? I’d miss you way too much to leave you here.”

“You would?” she asks, the surprise evident in her voice.

“Come on, Press,” I say. “I just told you I’m in love with you. I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you by my side while we both get everything we want in life. It just turns out that this, right here, is everything I’ve ever wanted.”

“Me, too,” she says, tightening her grip around me.

Then she lifts her head to kiss me, and we don’t speak any more words for a long, long time.

Epilogue

Pressley

Six Months Later…

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