“Didyou mean what you said before?” I whisper. “That you always thoughtwe were meant to be?”
He presses hislips to my forehead before taking a step back. He maintains ourconnection by gripping the lapels of the suit jacket around myshoulders and pulling the material around me tighter. His tie andthe shoulders of his white dress shirt are wrinkled from where myfingers gripped and tugged. The sight is way sexier than it shouldbe.
“Ialways expected we’d get together as teens,” Wesley says. “Even ifit was just to hook up. I know that’s the opposite of romantic, butwhen it first hit me that I liked you as more than a friend, I letmy hormonal teenage brain convince me it was purely physicalattraction. By the time I accepted it was more than that, I wasgetting ready to head off to university, and I didn’t want to startsomething with an expiration date. You meant way too much to me forthat, plus I was terrified it would screw up our friendship. Icouldn’t risk that.”
I nod slowly,processing his words. “And then you decided to stay in Ottawainstead of moving back to Bellevue.”
“Right.Besides the fact I was offered an amazing job straight out ofschool, part of me thought it might be better to keep the physicaldistance between us. We were still good friends, we still talkedoften and saw each other occasionally, but it was…I can’t say itwas easier, because it hurt like hell to be away from you, but itwas…safer?”
“I wasalways secretly mad at you for staying in Ottawa, but I thinkyou’re right about it being safer. I wanted to tell you about myfeelings so many times, but I was scared of screwing up ourfriendship too. In hindsight, I can see I wasn’t ready for anythingserious in my teens or twenties anyway, and if things had endedbadly between us, I would have been crushed.”
“Samehere.” Wesley releases the front of his jacket and trails his handsdown my arms until his fingers meet and lace with mine. “Andnow?”
“Now…Ineed to know what you’ve been keeping from me this week. Don’t bemad at Stella, but she told me about your breakup and the jobinterview you had yesterday. If you’re staying in Ottawa, I don’tknow how this could work. It may only be three hours away, butwe’re both busy people, and navigating a long-distance relationshipfrom the beginning seems like a disaster waiting tohappen.”
“Iagree,” he says, causing both my heart and stomach to plummet indisappointment. “Which is why it’s a good thing that as of today,I’m officially a Bellevue resident once more.”
Confusion has mesputtering out a laugh. “Wh-what?”
The front dooropens behind us and Wesley and I spring apart as an older couplestep outside. They pause to shake my hand and share their wellwishes for a wonderful year ahead. My exasperation at beinginterrupted yet again wars with a giddiness that’s making my bodyfeel all shimmery and light. I’m starting to believe this really isgoing to be a wonderful year.
The whole exchangeonly lasts a couple of minutes, although it feels like an eternityuntil the couple say good night. The second they head down thestairs, I grab Wesley’s hand and pull him into the house. With myhead down so no one can catch my eye or distract me from mymission, I yank him along behind me to the staircase, where Ipractically break into a run and don’t stop until we reach my oldbedroom.
Wesley lets out abreathless laugh as I shove the door closed behind us. “That wasimpressive. You should join a sports team in a defensive position.”When my only response is a wry smile paired with an eye roll, hesays, “Do you want the long version or the shortversion?”
“Longversion later, short version now. We likely have less than fiveminutes before someone tracks us down. If we’re going to hide outin my room, I’d like to spend at least part of that time kissingyou.”
Wesley’s eyes geta wicked gleam in them that causes a full-body shiver to rollthrough me. He advances toward me, hands reaching for my hips, butI plant my palm in the center of his chest, halting hisprogress.
“Right.Details now, kissing after,” he says, and I nod, biting my lip tohold in a laugh. His eyes dip to my mouth, so I let my lip springfree from my teeth and attempt to keep a straight face.
Wesley takes astep back, sliding his hands into his trouser pockets. After theway he reached for me a second ago, I’d like to think it’s his wayof ensuring he keeps his hands to himself. I’m also hoping he won’tkeep them to himself later.
“Okay.The short version is this: for a long time, I tried hard not to getserious with anyone because I hoped the timing would eventually beright for you and me. But then I met Ashleigh, and…well, we madeeach other happy. We built a life together, and I thought we wereon the same page and wanted the same things.
“Alittle over a month ago, my boss came to me with a proposition. Mycompany has been working with the MacKinnon Group this year, and anadvanced position was about to open in Bellevue. She knew I wasfrom here and still have family here, so she suggested I apply.When I told Ashleigh, I thought we would have a discussion, weighour options, and see if it was even a possibility. Instead, shetold me she wanted to break up.”
“What?Why?”
“Iguess she’d been looking for an out for a while and this was it forher,” Wesley says, frown lines appearing between his brows. “I havea feeling there was someone else, but she’s never confirmed it.Anyway…” He shakes his head and makes a waving motion in front ofhis face as if he’s trying to bat away unwanted thoughts. “I stillwaffled about the job. I’ve lived in Ottawa for almost two decadesnow, and a move like that wasn’t something I could just decide onthe spur of the moment. Or so I thought. Being back in Bellevue andseeing you again made all my questions and hesitations disappear.My boss arranged for me to meet with Hugh MacKinnon yesterday, andhe offered me the job.”
I can’t breathe.Somehow I manage to ask, “So why did you go back to Ottawa lastnight?”
“Myonly lingering issue was the townhouse Ashleigh and I boughttogether last year. Right before I left Ottawa last week, she toldme she’d buy me out if I could get my stuff out as quickly aspossible. I spent half the week hashing out details with her overthe phone, and then after my interview yesterday, I jumped in mycar and drove to Ottawa. I spent the night at a friend’s place,then went to the house this morning to pack my things and sign thepaperwork Ashleigh had left.”
I let out abreathless laugh. “Wow.”
“Yeah.I knew it was nuts to do it all so quickly, and on today of alldays when it might mean missing your party. I didn’t want to moveforward with you until I’d cut all ties and knew for sure I’d bemoving back here.”
“Soyou’re moving back to Bellevue. And you’re single.”
“I am.And I promise you, this isn’t some rebound thing. Ashleigh and Iended things pretty amicably, even though she sprang the breakup onme. I probably shouldn’t admit this, but I kept waiting forheartache to settle in. I was disappointed and sad, but a biggerpart of me was excited at the prospect of moving back to Bellevueand maybefinallyhaving a chance with you. If…if that’s what youwant?”
I’m not sure howhe could even ask that. I intend for that to be my next question,but what comes out instead is, “Where will you beliving?”
“Well,I was hoping I could move in with you.”
My mouth dropsopen. I’m stammering out sounds that aren’t actual words when I seethe telltale twitching of Wesley’s lips. “You’re a jerk!” I shovehim in the chest, although I can’t help the laughter that spillsout of me.
