Chapter 22
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Dallas
“Hello,” I say, a bit startled when the door flies open before I can knock.
“Dallas,” Josette breathes, and we just stand there, staring at each other for a few seconds.
Or an eternity. I have no idea which.
I snap out of it when Callie tugs her sister out of the doorway and says, “Come in, Dallas.”
I step inside, and Callie releases Josette before skirting around me, her keys dangling from her fingers. She says something about meeting Royal, then she’s gone, the door closing behind her. Josette and I stand there in silence for several beats, then she opens her mouth to speak. I raise a hand to stop her, and she snaps her mouth closed .
“Please, let me get this out,” I say, and she presses her lips together before giving me a shallow nod. “When you and I first interacted on Cackle, I was in a bad place. It was right after my ex broke things off. You remember me telling you about that?”
Her tongue darts out to wet her lips before she nods again.
“I was spouting off a bunch of stuff I didn’t really believe because I was hurt and angry. I’d been spinning out for days, and rage-posting made me feel…not better. Maybe vindicated? I wanted people on the internet to agree with me. To make me feel like my ex was the bad guy in the whole situation. Then, this guy named Joey ripped me a new one, telling me I’d only find my other half if I trolled the bayou for a bog monster.”
I smile with that, and her cheeks turn pink as her own lips twitch.
“Verbal sparring with you brought me back to life, Josette. Sure, I thought you were some dude with an almost unhealthy obsession with romcom movies, but then again, so was I. I set up my notifications to alert me whenever you posted something or replied to one of my posts. No one else. Just you.
“I started posting stuff I knew you’d react to just so I could get the reaction. Hell, you’re the only reason I’ve continued to post regularly on Cackle since that first day. Our beef was what got me through the breakup. It got me through seeing her move on and get married so quickly and my subsequent move to a new town where I knew no one until a customer service rep told me she lived across the hall from my new apartment.”
She swallows visibly, but remains silent, giving me the time I asked for to spit out everything that I’m feeling.
“After we met, JoeyB was no longer the most important person in my life. Josette was.” I bark out a laugh. “It’s like a God damn romcom. We went from anonymous enemies to friends to lovers, but now you know, Joey, we were never enemies. Not really. I need that feisty side of you. I also need the sweet, caring side I got to know in person. Your quirkiness, your humor, your trust. I need all of it, because, quite simply, you complete me. ”
“Shut up,” she says suddenly, startling me. “Just…shut up.”
I draw back, but there’s humor in her gaze before her gorgeous eyes start to fill with tears. I start to panic, thinking I’ve gone about this all wrong, then she smiles, and some of my anxiety starts to fade.
“ You had me at hello .”
My heart explodes in my chest as a laugh barks out of me. We lunge for each other simultaneously, wrapping our arms around each other tightly. She snuggles into my chest for a long moment before lifting her face toward mine. I feel her rise up on her tiptoes, and I bend to meet her halfway.
Our lips meet, and the sweetest feeling of relief courses through my veins. We kiss like that for a few seconds, our lips melding as the world rights itself for both of us .
When Josette pulls back, I loosen my grip but hold onto her so she can’t go too far. She twists her fists in the hem of my shirt, holding on tightly as she smiles up at me.
“How did you know I was here? I mean, how did you know where Callie lives?”
“Royal,” I say. “I was driving around, looking for your car like an idiot, and I ended up calling him. He told me you were here and gave me the address. You’re not upset with him, are you? I know you wanted some space, but I was going crazy when I couldn’t find you.”
“I’m not mad,” she says, her eyes shining brightly. “I was on my way to find you when you showed up.”
“Good,” I say, then cock my head. “I do have a question, though.”
“What is it?”
“I know you didn’t figure everything out until Sunday, so why didn’t you ever tell me to call you Joey like everyone else does? I’m the only person who calls you Josette, right?”
She blushes hotly, her eyes dipping down before lifting back up to meet my gaze. “I like the way you say my name.”
Pride and heat mingle in my chest, and I nod. “Then I’ll keep calling you Josette.”
“Good,” she says with a grin despite her cheeks burning even brighter. Then her expression grows serious. “I’m sorry I ran out on you. I was just freaking out. I thought that you wouldn’t want to be with me if you knew the truth about me being JoeyB. I was talking to Callie about it when it hit me. You’ve known for days, and you didn’t call me out. You gave me the time and space I needed without complaining or making me feel bad. You let me keep my secret until I was ready to talk about it.”
“Or until I lost my head with lust and called you ‘Joey’ like an idiot,” I cut in with a smile.
“The point is,” she says, grinning back at me, “you didn’t leave. My fear was baseless. And I was finally ready to be brave.”
“You’re always brave,” I say. “You face situations that make you uncomfortable every day, Josette. I’m in awe of you.”
“I…” she says, then swallows thickly. “I think I’m falling in love with you.”
Oh, yeah. She’s brave as hell.
“I love you, too,” I say. “I’ve been falling since the day we met, and finding out you’ve been JoeyB all along only sealed the deal. I love every part of you, Josette Barnes. Every. Single. Part.”
We kiss again, and this time, she parts her lips to invite me inside. My tongue slips through, brushing against hers in the most tender of ways, and a moan rumbles in her chest. I kiss her for a few moments more, then gently pull back.
“We should go home before this goes any further,” I whisper, then peck my lips against hers.
“That sounds like a great idea,” she whispers, kissing me back. “Let’s go, Jerry Maguire.”
I laugh at that, then hug her tightly against me before taking a step back so she can head for the door. I watch her go, and I bask in the hope that fills my chest. This is the beginning of a brilliant and glorious future. I can feel it.
Josette Ophelia Barnes is my person, and I’m hers. We love each other, respect and trust each other, and that’s all we’ll ever need.