“Well, well, well,” Dominic said, but I couldn’t comprehend anything else. My brain was full of what and how and all the things this could mean for Nolan. Steph would probably drop him. And then he’d be back to barely scraping by. What about his mom and—
“Bee!” Mom said for what didn’t sound like the first time. “Bee, it’s for you.”
I stood, my whole body feeling robotic as both my moms cleared a path for me to the door, where the porch was empty.
I looked to Mama Pam, who squeezed my fingers and nodded.
I stepped outside into the crisp and starry Texas night as Nolan Kowalczk stood there in my driveway in front of a—
“Is that a pizza delivery van?” I asked.
With a snort and a giggle, my moms shut the door behind me.
He tapped the hood of the van with a smile. “Indeed it is. She and I have become quite close over the last four days during our adventure out West.”
“Four da—did you drive from Kansas to California to Texas?”
He sauntered toward me. “Yeah, it’s my new tour schedule. Not as global as they used to be, but I made sure to hit all the highlights. By the way, did you know that Texas is mostly flat, endless nothing?”
“That’s rich coming from the guy from Kansas. We have windmills,” I said, helplessly taking a step closer. “And cows.”
“And second-tier barbeque.”
My mouth opened to fight the fake news coming out of his mouth, and I could already so easily feel us slipping back into how it had been between us. “Did you mean it?” The tears were still wet on my cheeks.
“I wouldn’t have driven to L.A. to sit down with Dominic Diamond, whose mere existence makes me want to stick myface in a blender, if I didn’t mean it.” He took my hands, his fingers sliding up my wrists.
I looked up at him, his lips just a breath from mine. “I love you too, Nolan. I love you in the dark. I love you in the light. I love you everywhere.”
He tilted his head up and yelled with all his might. “I love you, Bee Hobbes! I love you loud enough for the world to hear!” And then he turned his face down to me, nuzzling his nose against mine. “I love you so much that when you’re not near me, I feel like I’m missing an actual organ,” he whispered.
“That sounds like a medical emergency.” My voice was breathy and fine as our lips brushed.
“I think the only thing that might save me now is the boob defibrillator.”
“Doctor, I think we’re losing—”
He crushed his lips to mine, his tongue sliding into my mouth, like he was starving for me. And I felt it too as our bodies clicked together in a familiar way that could only be described ashome.
We devoured each other there in my moms’ driveway until a car pulled up behind us. Nolan held me close as I leaned against his chest.
A lanky kid covered in freckles stepped out of a tiny green car. “Anybody order some pizza?”
Chapter Thirty-One
Nolan
Steph (9:01 PM):Call me.
Steph (9:07 PM):Nolan Shaw!!! Call me right now!
Steph (9:08 PM):NOLAN
Steph (9:08 PM):FUCK
Steph (9:08 PM):fuck
Steph (10:03 PM):I’m taking a pill, and I’m calling you in the morning. You’d better pick up, or I swear to God.
