Killed it?
No.
She obliterated it.
I can't even speak. I'm clapping like a man possessed, grinning like an idiot, and I know — I justknow— this moment is burning itself into me for good.
Because this is Caroline's night.
And watching her shine this bright?
Yeah.
It's my favorite thing in the world to watch.
CHAPTER fifty-six
CAROLINE
Zach's bed is warm, his arms are warmer, and I'm basically draped over him like a clingy cat who has zero shame. My hair is down, and I'm wearing my little white floral sleep set — which he has already looked at like six times even though he's trying to pretend he hasn't.
He's shirtless, in his blue sweatpants, lying back against his pillows with that stupidly soft, tired, happy smile he only gets around me. I'm lying on top of him — chest to chest, legs tangled, my hand resting on his shoulder as I stare down at him.
Somewhere behind us on his dresser are two massive bouquets — one from Zach, overflowing with pastel hydrangeas and roses, and another from my parents, all soft pink blooms wrapped beautifully.
They look absolutely ridiculous in a hockey boy's dorm room, but somehow... perfect here.
We'd just come from the dinner my parents put together — a small, private celebration downtown with my family and Zach's. I loved every second of it. Getting to celebrate one of the biggest moments of my life with my favorite people? Yeah... it felt really, really good.
After dinner, Zach decided he wasn't ready to let me go yet. Not after the last two weeks we'd had. Not after barely seeing each other thanks to our chaos-level schedules.
And now that hockey is on break until January and my showcase is officially behind me, he said he wanted us to make up for lost time.
Which — let's be honest — took absolutely zero convincing. He could've just pointed in the direction of his dorm and Iwould've followed him with the determination of a Roomba chasing a piece of dust.
So now we're here, tangled up on his bed.
He tucks a loose strand of hair behind my ear, thumb grazing my cheek before it drifts away.
"So," I say, tracing a circle on his collarbone. "Be honest. How was the show? And don't give me the fake supportive-boyfriend answer. I want the real one."
Zach snorts. "Fake supportive boyfriend? Babe. You do know I have actual eyes, right? And I'm not exactly biased."
I roll mine.
"I'm serious." He chuckles. "It was amazing. You were amazing."
His fingers brush down my spine, slow and lazy. "I don't know much about theater, but even I was like... holy shit."
"Yeah?" I tease, trying to sound casual even though my heart is doing parkour.
"Seriously," he says, voice dipping softer. "You were... God, Care. You were just so good. The whole time I was sitting there thinking,Yep. That's my girl."
My cheeks heat instantly.
And instead of melting like a normal human being, I bonk my forehead against his chest.
He laughs. "What is that? Why do you do violence when you're flustered?"
