“Speaking of Mum, I want to tell my parents we’re seeing each other. Is that okay? We don’t need to do a formal meet-the-parents thing. They already know and love you.”
Jett stares straight ahead for a few seconds. “Why wouldn’t it be okay?”
“Because I’d be outing you to them. I’m not going to say anything to them unless you’re one hundred per cent happy with it.”
Jett scratches his jaw. “What are the odds of Rufus keeping his mouth shut? Or even Halle? Unless Rufus says something to her, she’s not going to know I’m not out.”
“We can talk to Rufus and ask him not to say anything if that’s what you want. He’ll pass the message on to Halle. She seems really nice. I don’t think she’d have a problem with keeping us quiet.”
“I’m okay with your parents knowing, but I think we should tell them we’re seeing each other in person.”
“Perfect. I’ll ask Rufus not to say anything tomorrow. Just let me know when you’re ready, okay?”
“I will.” Jett tugs me to a halt, turns me to face him, and puts his hands on my hips. “I’m proud to be your boyfriend, Kian. I—” As he looks at me, his eyes become unfocused.
My stomach flutters. At the same time, bubbles rise through my chest, threatening to burst out of me as a giddy laugh. I feel light-headed too, all because of the way he’s looking at me right now. Huh. Maybe the centre of Leeds is the perfect place to admit what’s in my heart. Maybe this is the perfect moment.
“Jett.”
“Yeah?”
“I, uh, I think my crush on you has become something a lot more serious.”
“More serious?”
“Yes.”
He swallows. “How so?”
“I think I’ve fallen in love with you.”
Chapter21
Jett
Kian has fallen in love with me?
“Are you freaking out?” Kian asks after I’ve been silent for, well, I don’t know how long. A while. Too long. He puts his hand over my heart, which is thrashing around like an overexcited puppy. “Don’t freak out.”
Easier said than done.
“You don’t have to say anything,” he says.
Don’t I? It feels wrong to stand here saying nothing when he’s laid his heart on the line like that. But I can’t make my tongue or lips work either.
Do I love him?
I thought I loved Erica, but look how that turned out. Not that Kian is Erica. I’ve known him for years. I know he is who he says he is. I know everything he does is genuine and earnest. I know how amazing and beautiful he is, and I know that just being around him makes me happy. But does that mean I love him?
Three words.
I said them easily once. Erica made my heart flutter, so I told her over and over I loved her. And then she left, taking everything and leaving me with nothing, and I swore I’d never be stupid enough to fall in love again.
And then here is Kian. The guy who has turned my world upside down, who has given me the confidence to explore a side of myself I’d repressed for a long time, and who I can’t stand the thought of losing. Is that love?
The truth is, I don’t know. I thought I knew what love felt like, but now I’m not so sure. Because everything I have with Kian, every thought, every emotion, feels worlds apart from what I had with Erica. And now I don’t know what love is or what it feels like or if I’m capable of it. My heart hurts like a boulder sits in my chest, heavy and suffocating.
And Kian, who has to be the most patient man alive, is standing in front of me, smiling as though my silence is the right response to what he said, even though he has to know it’s not. Is his smile hiding pain? Is he upset that I can’t return the sentiment?
