“Are you okay, Fox?”
“Yeah, I will be.”
I wish I could see his eyes, but he’s holding me too tight.
The door explodes open.
“I knew I heard a sneaker!” Mum announces.
“Mum, I’m old enough-”
“Of course, you are, but this is the last night, and this is my house. Fox, go home. You can keep her tomorrow.”
Fox reluctantly pulls himself away from me. He moves slowly, trying his best puppy-dog expression to convince Mum to let him stay, but she absolutely ignores him.
He glances back at me, blows me a kiss and disappears. Mum pulls my door shut, leaving me alone in the room.
Again.
With an unsettled feeling in my gut like there is something wrong.
The rain is sudden and violent. I snatch up a coat and an umbrella and race down the stairs as quickly as I can. I burst outside and open it, rushing to him.
“Fox!”
He whirls, and I skid into him, stopping only when I’m pressed up against him, staring up at his startled expression. The rain on the umbrella thunders down, and it’s just him and me in a world all of our own.
I let out a nervous laugh.
“I miss you. I-” I let out a frustrated sound, stand on my tiptoes and press my mouth to his.
His arms band around me, and he kisses me back just as deep. With all the feelings I’m feeling. We kiss for a long time, devouring each other in the rain.
When he pulls away, he sighs, his hands gently stroking my face. “Little bird, your mother is on the porch.”
Of course, she is.
“I’ll see you tomorrow?” I ask uncertainly; if he says no, I won’t let him go. I swear. I’ll find a way to keep him here. My throat aches, and I’m suddenly staring up at him through tears.
“What’s this? My little bird, don’t cry. I wouldn’t miss it for the world. And tomorrow, we’ll never be apart again. It will be fine. Ilove you, don’t you know that? It’s going to be fine. Please don’t cry.”
I lean against his chest, weeping without really knowing why. Just this is hard, so hard, and everything, and I stuffed up. I should have told them the day I met them.
“I love you, too, Fox,” I say brokenly.
“Tomorrow is going to be the first day of the rest of our lives, I promise.”
His hand strokes my back, soothing my chaotic feelings.
That uneasy feeling fades, and I touch my lips to his once move before I shove the umbrella into his hand and dart back to my house. If I didn’t go then, I’m not sure I could have.
It’s not until I get back up to my room that I notice all the Lynn Marino books out. Or the open laptop with my book clearly on display. I don’t know if he saw or not, but tomorrow is the day.
I have no choice.
They are right. Forever can’t start on a lie.
Chapter 31
