Track 45 You Are in Love
AUDREY
Iwasn’t sure whether to accept that my entire childhood was a lie or believe that my parents loved me so much that they couldn’t bear to let me see the truth.
From everything I’d read at this point, the only thing they ever agreed on was me. Their joint fiction was a way of creating an alternate reality where love actually meant something—a place where the lessons they preached to everyone else were what they wished they could believe in themselves.
Setting down another one of my dad’s letters, I turned on the coffee maker and checked my text messages.
Cecelia
Stuck in some crazy-ass traffic. Still on my way!
Jordan (Neighbor Down the Street)
Don’t forget you owe me a coffee date today
Shit. I totally forgot.
I didn’t forget! Whimstery Cafe in15?
Jordan
I’ll be there
I unplugged the coffee maker and exchanged my pajamas for jeans and a purple sweatshirt.
My phone flashed a 1 percent charge warning as I started to text Cecelia.
Sighing, I grabbed my charger and left a note on the door for her:
At the coffee café in town for a date with Jordan. Come save me if I’m not back when you see this!
The baristas behind the counter blushed and laughed as I stepped into the café. Following their eyes, I saw Jordan sitting in a corner booth.
His deep green eyes gleamed under the low lights, and from here I could see exactly why he was the center of everyone’s attention.
“You look beautiful as hell today.” He smiled as I approached him.
“Thank you. You too.”
“Caramel latte with cinnamon?” He extended a cup.
“I appreciate it.” I took a long sip. “So, how have you been?”
“I’ve been wondering why you haven’t called me back.”
“I talked to you on the phone four days ago.”
“Don’t you think that’s kind of a long time to go without talking to someone you like?”
“I…” I took another sip, and he laughed.
“Sorry if I’m coming off strong,” he said. “I just really like you, and I think we have a shit ton in common. You’re literally the most beautiful woman I’ve ever met.”
“That’s very sweet of you to say.”
“It’s the truth.” He wrapped his arm around my shoulder. “Let me guess, you’re still getting over your last boyfriend?”
“No.” I shook my head. “He wasn’t my boyfriend.”
“Good to know,” he said. “If you don’t mind me asking… what was he, then?”
“At this point, I honestly don’t know.” I cleared my throat, desperate to change the subject. “Do you want to hang out tonight?”
“Yeah, I was about to ask if—”
“Get your hands off my girlfriend.”
Taylor’s deep voice made the entire café fall silent.
I looked up—and every beat in my chest tripped over the next.
“Who the hell are you?” Jordan scoffed.
“Someone who’s not interested in repeating himself.” Taylor glared at him. “Get your goddamn hands off her. She’s taken.”
“Funny.” Jordan tightened his grip around me. “She’s never mentioned anything about that to me.”
“Because she knew I would tell you.”
“Taylor…” I shook my head. “Taylor, please don’t—”
“What?” His eyes met mine. “Tell him the truth?”
I swallowed as Jordan glanced between us, but he didn’t let go.
“A few weeks ago, she was in my bed and in my arms,” Taylor said, his voice low. “And years before that—ever since we were in middle school—she’s been mine. So feel free to bow out of a losing game whenever you realize you’re temporary and I’m permanent.”
“I thought you said you didn’t have a boyfriend, Audrey.” Jordan glared at me. “What the hell is this asshole talking about?”
“I…” I looked at Taylor, then back at Jordan. “I can explain.”
“Then hurry the fuck up.” He moved his arm away. “Have you been leading me on since we met? Using me to make him jealous or something?”
“No.” I shook my head. “It’s—”
“I hope you haven’t been wasting my goddamn time.” He glared. “Because if you have—”
“You won’t do shit.” Taylor stepped between us. “You can leave now.”
“Fuck you, Audrey.” Jordan hissed, stepping back. “Delete my fucking number.”
He stormed off as the patrons watched in silence. Some pulled out their phones, and I could tell they recognized who he was—that we were seconds away from being on TMZ Sports and every gossip blog in the country.
Not wanting to give them any more of a show, I whispered to Taylor, “Can we talk outside?”
“Depends. Can we start over?” he asked, his voice hoarse. “Can we please fucking start over?”
Not giving me a chance to respond, he moved closer, cupping my face in his hands.
“I’m Taylor Wolff,” he said. “I’ve loved you for as long as I can remember, and I can’t live without you. I need you to take me back.”
My world shifted on its axis. The ground tilted under my feet.
He kissed me again, gripping my waist a little tighter. “What else do you need me to say?”
“You should’ve told me about the affair…”
“I didn’t tell you because I thought you’d leave me,” he said. “And you did.”
“If you could do it over…” Tears fell past my cheeks, landing on his fingertips as he wiped them away. “Would you tell me?”
“No.” He shook his head. “I know that sounds selfish, but it’s true. I wouldn’t. But I promise I’ll never hold anything back from you again.”
“I wrote you a letter… It should probably get there today.”
“I didn’t forward my address, so I doubt I’ll get it,” he said. “Does it say anything about us?”
“It says I hate you, and I don’t want to see you for a while.”
“Does it have your real return address?”
“Yes.”
“So most of the words in the letter are things you don’t even mean?”
“Exactly.”
His lips curved into a smile, and he pressed his lips against mine—kissing me so hard and deep that I forgot we were in public.
He rubbed his hands along my sides as he slowly pulled away, letting me breathe.
“How many drafts did it take you to write this speech?” Tears kept falling down my cheeks.
“More than I’ve written in my entire life.” He clasped my hands. “Do you think it could’ve used another rewrite?”
“No, it was perfect.”
“The two years when you stopped talking to me were the worst years of my life,” he said softly, his voice raw. “I could barely function, Audrey. I’ll spend the rest of my life proving you were never a mistake.”
“Can we please fucking start over, once and for all, Audrey Parker?”
“I would love that, Taylor Wolff.”
“Me too...” His lips crashed against mine, and everything that had ever gone wrong between us fell away.
This time, the story didn’t end—it finally began.