Because he does belong here. And I belong with him.
“You’re staring,” he says without looking up, a smile tugging at his lips.
“I’m admiring,” I tease. “There’s a difference.”
“Consistent and admirable.” He finally looks at me, eyes teasing. “You’re really working the positive spin tonight.”
“I learned from the best,” I point out. “You fake-dated me so well I actually fell in love with you. That’s some premium-level acting.”
His expression softens, phone forgotten in his hand. “Sweetheart, I stopped acting about two weeks in. Everything after that? That was just me hoping you’d eventually catch up.”
My heart does that stupid fluttery thing it always does when he says things like this—casual devastating honesty delivered like it’s nothing but a simple truth.
“Well,” I manage, my voice embarrassingly thick, “I caught up.”
“Yeah.” He sets his phone down and maneuvers me until I’m draped across his body. “You really did.”
We may have started off fake, but like this—lying here in my apartment with Cameron’s arms around my waist, gluten-free pizza on the way, and my favorite show cued up on the TV—I’ve never felt anything more real in my entire life.
epilogue
CAMERON
“What’s the Caplan Prophecy?”
I’m not sure if I should be scared or intrigued.
Based on the looks Kennedy’s sisters are giving me, a mixture of mischief and dead-serious conviction, I’d say both.
“Let me explain.” Amelia leans forward with the enthusiasm of a woman about to explain a conspiracy theory she absolutely believes in. “You know how we all share a birthday with a historical figure?”
I nod. Kennedy’s sisters share birthdays with Amelia Earhart and Frank Sinatra, respectively.
“All Caplan women fall for someone whoalsoshares a birthday with a historical figure,” she continues.Ah. I see exactly where this is going.“Leo was born on April fifteenth—Leonardo da Vinci’s birthday.”
“Oh dear God,” Kennedy mutters, dropping her face into her hand.
“And my fiancé Austin shares a birthday with Jane Austen,” Frankie adds with a small smile.
I side-eye Kennedy, who’s still got her face buried, yet is peering over at her sisters, clearly mortified but also not entirely dismissive of this ridiculousness.
“Who do I share a birthday with?” I ask.
“James Cameron,” Amelia says, nearly vibrating in her seat.
A grin creeps over my lips. “So what you’re saying is that Kennedy and I were destined to be together because we both share a birthday with someone who has the same name as us?”
“When you say it like that, you make it sound ridiculous,” Amelia says with a sniff.
“And it’s not just any name, but someoneimportant,” Frankie adds. “Unless you don’t thinkAvatar, The Titanic, andThe Terminatorare movies that had a cultural impact and?—”
“You’re being ridiculous,” Kennedy says, dropping her hand from her face.
“It’s not ridiculous when it’s three for three,” Amelia counters, holding up three perfectly manicured fingers. “That’s not a coincidence. That’s destiny.”
“It’s officially a pattern,” Amelia agrees. “That’s how prophecies work.”
Groaning, Kennedy shakes her head. “Please ignore them. They’ve had too much wine.”
