Anna smiled knowingly. “Oh, he doesn’t. That’s why we’re always on time now.”
Luke shrugged, conceding with a grin, then looked at her like she was the best thing that had ever happened to him. “Hey, at least I’ve got you to keep me in line.”
When they were getting ready to leave, Anna hugged me as Luke turned to Topher. “Take care, Kathleen,” she whispered. “And take care of him too,” she added with a soft wink.
“I will,” I promised, squeezing her before she stepped back.
Luke and Anna slipped into the back of the car, the door clicking shut behind them. Their driver started the engine, and the headlights illuminated the driveway. Topher and I stood on the porch, side by side, waving as the car rolled away, disappearing down the road.
For a moment, the quiet settled in around us, and I felt a peaceful kind of warmth. I smiled, then turned toward the door, ready to head inside. But before I could even reach for the handle, I felt Topher’s hand grab mine, stopping me in my tracks. His grip was firm but gentle, and as I turned back, he didn’t let go. Instead, he pulled me back toward him, outside, right into his arms.
My heart thumped so loudly I swore he could hear it. I looked up at him, caught completely off guard. “What... what is this about?” My voice was barely above a whisper.
There was a sweet shyness in the way he looked down at me. He swallowed, his eyes searching mine, and in that moment, he seemed almost vulnerable.
“I want to take you on a date. A real date. No acting, no pretending. Because... what I’m feeling isn’t pretend.”
I blinked, my breath catching as his words sank in. He was still holding my hand, and I could feel the warmth of it.
“I need to know if this is real.” He spoke carefully, sounding almost shy. “I need to find out if I still feel the same when no one’s looking.” Then he cleared his throat, the hint of doubt appearing to fall away, and when he spoke again, there was a quiet certainty in his tone, like he had made up his mind. “But I’m not particularly worried. No one’s looking now, and I feel... everything.”
My heart swelled, and for a second, the world tilted on its axis. I could barely process the rush of emotions flooding through me. All I knew was that he was standing here, telling me exactly what I needed to hear.
I opened my mouth to respond, but the words didn’t come out right away. Instead, a soft laugh escaped my lips, filled with a mix of surprise and happiness. Inside, my heart was practically screaming,Yes, yes, yes! But I forced myself to stay cool. I bit back the smile threatening to give me away and nodded, trying to keep my voice steady.
“I think…” I whispered, my voice catching slightly, “I think I’d really like that.”
He smiled, a real, genuine smile that made my heart skip, and I felt a wave of happiness wash over me. “Good, because I’ve wanted this for a while. I just didn’t realize it until now.”
A warmth spread through me, and everything clicked. We were on the same page, stepping into something real. And as I looked up at him, I knew that this was just the beginning.
16
In all thepossible versions of a first date with Topher Brodie,thiswas not the one I imagined. There was no candlelit rooftop, no private chef, no tasteful jazz trio in the corner. Instead, there was a giant swan boat, two very uncoordinated adults, and a suspiciously judgmental duck watching from the shore.
Topher gripped the oversized handles of the swan boat, his brow furrowed in concentration. “I did not realize that pedaling a giant swan would be this complicated,” he said, shooting me a helpless look.
I burst out laughing, my legs struggling to reach the pedals. “We’ve been pedaling for what feels like forever, and I swear we’ve barely moved.”
Topher groaned, shaking his head. “We’ve got to be the least coordinated swan boat riders ever.”
I couldn’t stop laughing; the sheer ridiculousness of the situation made it impossible to take anything seriously. “Hey, I think we’ve officially lapped that same tree like three times. This is swan boat purgatory.”
“You’re not wrong,” he said, wiping his brow dramatically. “At this rate, we’ll be out here until next week.”
“You know, I’m kind of impressed with how bad we are at this.” I laughed as I tried to steer us back on course.
“You say ‘we,’ but I think you’re doing just fine.” Topher nudged me lightly. “I’m the one who keeps steering us straight into the shore.”
“I think we’ve redefined what counts as a romantic date,” I teased. “But you know what? I’m having a great time.”
Topher shot me a sideways glance, his smile softening. “Yeah? Even with the whole swan boat disaster?”
I nodded, still grinning. “Especiallywith the swan boat disaster. It’s the most fun I’ve had in a while.”
He looked at me for a long moment, his expression shifting from playful to something more serious, something I wasn’t quite expecting. “I’m glad we’re doing this.” He took a deep breath, as if he were choosing his words carefully. “Obviously, I didn’t think everything through when we got into this whole fake relationship thing. I wasn’t sure how it would play out. But it’s been different from what I expected. Better, honestly.”
My heart fluttered, and the air between us felt charged, like the whole mood had shifted into something deeper. “Better how?” I asked softly, trying to keep my voice steady, even though my pulse was racing.
