“You look beautiful,” I say as a greeting.
“You don’t look so bad yourself.” Lyra smiles, but there’s worry in her eyes. “Although I did like that velvet suit you wore for the fashion show.”
“Velvet suit. Got it.” I nod, ready to show Lyra I will do anything for her.
“The second part of your date was rained out,” Grayson begins and I start, because I was so focused on Lyra that I forgot he walked out beside me. “And Lyra wanted to finish it.”
“Sounds perfect to me.”
A single red rose lies on a small, high table beside Lyra. And a small box.
My heart clenches at the sight, then starts to beat double time. “What’s going on?” I ask her in a voice that no longer sounds like mine.
Lyra’s smile falls from her face. “Spencer. It’s time I ended this.”
43
Lyra
“W
hat?”Spencerstutters.
For a brief moment, I let myself enjoy the confusion on his face, because—come on, he kind of deserves it. Spencer has had years and countless opportunities with me and he’s refused to take advantage of it.
Then again, so have I.
Not anymore.
“I’m ending this,” I repeat. “This—whatever you call it. Thedoes he care, will he kiss me, thing we’ve had between us. The shared history that neither of us can move past, the best friends but more? Maybe more? I don’t know what to call it.”
Spencer steps forward, ready to take my hand, but I step back before he can touch me. “Lyra, there’s so much I never said to you the other day,” he begins.
“Oh, I know.” I smile slyly. “We were too busy kissing, which was nice, but that was our moment, and we missed it. So I created another one.”
I wave my hand to encompass me, the sunset. “I don’t want to miss this one, so let me speak,please.”
“But you want to end it.” He’s on the cusp of frantic, and I’ve never seen that side of Spencer.
I’ve seen him strong and confident. I’ve seen him so focused on his work that he’s forgotten to eat. There were times of sweetness and laughter, and comfort, but I’ve never seen him scared to lose me.
If that’s what it is.
I think it is. I hope it is.
“I want to endthat,” I say to put him out of his misery. “What I just said. I want to end the uncertainty. I want to start new. With you.”
I bite my lip, forgetting Alexa’s instructions not to mess up my lipstick. She spent so much time getting me ready this afternoon, and it was nice to see it pay off by the admiration in Spencer’s eyes.
I’ve spoken in public countless times, on videos posted on social media for my followers. I shouldn’t feel this nervous.
But it’s good that my dress is long because my knees are practically knocking together.
I’ve given speeches, introduced my father and other dignitaries. I’ve even presented an Oscar. But that was child’s play compared to this. I’ve never felt the weight as heavy as what I need to say to Spencer.
I force myself to take a deep breath. And then another. And then: “I love you.”
My voice breaks at the end and I steady it as the words float between us. “I’ve always loved you, and I’ve waited—maybe a little impatiently—for you to feel it. To say it, but you never did. So I’m saying it.”
