“Sure,” Mia says sweetly. “If the good hair day also comes with pancakes and an overnight bag.”
I freeze.
Mia gasps. “He was there!”
Laura leans on the counter, eyes gleaming. “You spent the night with Elijah?”
I clear my throat. “It’s not what you think.”
“Oh, come on,” Laura says. “You’ve been pining over him for, like, a decade. Did he finally kiss you in the rain? Wait—don’t tell me. It was a post-panic attack comfort kiss. Or maybe—”
“He kissed me in the bookstore,” I admit, cheeks heating. “In front of everyone. And it's not a decade… just… four years.” I say biting my lower lip
Both of them squeal.
“You’re kidding.” Laura clutches her chest. “Like—claimed you?”
“Full-on, no-one-else-exists-in-the-room kind of kiss,” I mutter, unable to stop the grin tugging at my mouth.
“FINALLY,” Laura says, spinning in place.
I laugh, feeling a little breathless. “It’s scary, you know. Letting him in.”
“Of course it is,” Laura says gently. “But that man has been looking at you like you hung the stars since the minute he walked into your life. If anyone’s earned the right to be let in, it’s him.”
Mia nods. “And if he ever breaks your heart, we know where he works and we know how to set things on fire.”
I snort. “Noted.”
“Okay so, tonight is girls night to celebrate.” Mia says, staring at me with her.Don't you dare say no.And I just nod.
But deep down, I know they’re right. Elijah isn’t just someone I like. He’s someone who sees me—even the broken, raw pieces I usually hide.
And maybe, just maybe, I’m ready to let myself be seen.
I stare at my reflection, swipe on one last coat of lip gloss, and try not to overthink this top. It’s not revealing… but it is flattering. Maybe even a little flirty. Mia picked it out with zero subtlety and a wink and screamed, “Elijah will suffer if he sees you in this.”
But tonight’s not about him. It’s about me and my girls. About finally breathing without feeling like the weight of the world is pressing against my chest.
Still, I grab my phone and text him.
Me: Going out with Mia & Laura. Girls night. I’ll try not to miss you the whole time ??
The typing bubbles pop up, disappear, then come back again.
Elijah_Babe:You better. But if you don’t, I won’t be mad. Be safe, Baby Girl.
I grin like an idiot. God, I’m in trouble with this man.
Two hours later, the bar is loud, the lights are low, and Mia is three cocktails deep into her mission to get us all dancing. I’m laughing more than I have in weeks, my cheeks hurt, and Laura just talked me into doing a tequila shot with her.
That’s when I feel it. A shift.
You know how sometimes the air changes? Like your body knows who just walked into the room before your eyes even register it?
I turn toward the entrance and—yeah. There he is. Elijah.
Standing just inside the bar, laughing at something Asher says, wearing that black fitted shirt that should be illegal. His eyes sweep the room—and then land right on me.
