26. Chapter Twenty-Six
“Eves. Kels. I’m home,” I call out the moment I walk through the front door.
Evie runs out of the kitchen and hugs me. I crouch to return the embrace. Soft footsteps sound behind her. I look up, ready to pull Kelsey into my arms, but it isn’t Kelsey standing in my kitchen…it’s her roommate, Mallory.
My brows furrow. “Where’s Kelsey?”
Mallory grimaces. “She’s not here.”
“What do you mean she’s not here?” I pace across the living room. There’s no way Kelsey would have one of her friends watch Evie in her place without letting me know first. “Is she sick again?”
She shakes her head.
I cross my arms, a smile pulling at my lips when I realize what’s happening here. “Oh, I get it. She’s trying to bring back our prank war.”
Mallory reaches her hand out, stopping my pacing. “Maybe we should talk outside?” She tilts her head toward Evie, who is staring up at us curiously.
My stomach sinks, feeling like I swallowed a lead ton. “Sure.” I open the front door for Mallory and follow her outside.
She pulls at the sleeves of her magenta cardigan, looking uncomfortable.
“You can tell me whatever it is. I can handle it.”
Mallory sighs, looking at the ground. “Kelsey’s not coming back.”
“What do you mean?”
“Kelsey said she’d find you a new nanny. I can watch Evie in the meantime.”
“Where is she?” I start moving next door, determined to see her and make sure she’s okay.
“She doesn’t want to see you, Tyler.” Mallory’s words stop me dead in my tracks.
“Why?” I can’t wrap my mind around what’s happening. Everything seemed like it was going perfectly the last time I saw her at Evie’s dance recital. I haven’t heard from her since then, but I assumed she had a busy weekend with her friends. I’m not going to be a controlling non-boyfriend and text her a million times until she responds.
“Did I do or say something?” I grab fistfuls of my hair, trying to get a grasp on what’s happening. “I need to see her. I need to apologize for whatever I did to hurt her.”
“You didn’t do anything wrong.”
I blow out a long breath. “I find that hard to believe if she won’t see me.”
“She just needs some space. I swear, you didn’t do anything wrong.” Mallory shifts on her feet. “Alyssa, Shayna, and I are rooting for you.”
If her best friends are still cheering me on, maybe everything is okay. But then, why is Kelsey avoiding me?
She gestures next door. “I should get going.”
Mallory starts to walk home, but I call out after her. “Will you please tell Kelsey that I want to talk? That I just want to understand what’s going on so I can make things right?”
She nods. “I’ll let her know.”
When she’s gone, I pull my phone out to send a message to Kelsey. A text feels too impersonal, but I’m not sure she’d answer a phone call. I open our text conversation and click the button to record a voice message.
“Hey, Kelsey.” My voice sounds hoarse, threaded with heartache. “It’s Tyler.” I facepalm, biting back a groan at my idiocy. “You obviously already know that.” Clearing my throat, I continue. “Anyway, I’m calling—er, well, voice messaging—to check in and make sure everything’s okay. Mallory said you were going to find a new nanny, and I don’t understand what went wrong. I would love a chance to talk things through with you, so please call me, or knock on my door, or send a carrier pigeon. Anything. Just please talk to me. I lo—”
I cut myself off. I can’t tell her that I love her over a voice memo.
I can’t lose her. Not now. Not after I’ve fallen for her. Despite my best efforts not to, I’ve been falling for Kelsey all along. For her spunk and ambition. For the ridiculous nicknames that she calls me. For the way she cares about everyone around her and would do anything for her friends. And it was hearing her encourage Evie at her dance recital that sent me over the edge. After that, my heart was hers. Simply, I’ve fallen for everything she is. I only hope I have the opportunity to tell her.
“I hope to talk to you soon.” I press the stop button and hit send before I can second-guess myself. Even though I muddled my words, I want Kelsey to hear the emotion in my voice, to know that I care and want to work through whatever is pulling her away.
If she doesn’t feel the same way, I’m not sure I’ll ever get my heart back. Because I don’t think there’s another person in the world who can make me as happy—who can make me feel as much—as Kelsey Anderson.
The last two days have been the longest of my life. Kelsey didn’t respond to any of my messages, so I resorted to knocking on her front door. Her roommates took turns answering it. No matter who answered, they turned me away, although their faces at least looked pained doing so. That, or they just pity me. I mean, Shayna gave me a dozen chocolate chip cookies when she turned me away. If that doesn’t show how sorry they feel for me, I don’t know what does.
It only has me even more confused as to why Kelsey is avoiding me, though. If I’d done something to hurt her, I don’t think her friends would be looking at me like I’m a sad little puppy their parents won’t let them bring inside. They’d be slamming the door in my face and calling me names that I couldn’t repeat.
I take a deep breath, trying to shove my feelings down, before walking into Evie’s room. “You ready for bed?” I ask with a forced smile.
She nods, already snuggled under the covers.
I tuck her in. “Now you’re snug as a bug in a rug.” Evie giggles, and I lean down to hug her. “Goodnight, Eves. Sleep tight.”
Her face is crestfallen when I pull back.
“What’s wrong?”
“Will Ms. Kelsey be back soon?” She rubs her eyes. “I miss her.”
“I hope so, kiddo.” I rub her back. “I miss her too.”
I stay with Evie until her breathing slows. Once she’s asleep, I head to the kitchen and treat myself to the last two cookies Shayna gave me. Sweets aren’t usually part of my diet, but I’ve made an exception this week.
I stare at the crumbs on my plate, feeling like I’ve hit a wall. One that I can’t break through on my own. I need female advice. There’s no way I’m calling Aunt D or Nadine—they’d likely show up here in all-black outfits and insist we break into Kelsey’s house. All the girls next door haven’t told me what I can do to fix things, and I don’t usually talk to my parents about women. That only leaves one option: Tess.
She’ll never let me live this down, but she did say to call her if I needed help with a grand gesture. And I feel like a grand gesture is about the only thing that will help me get Kelsey’s attention right now.
I pull out my phone and do the unimaginable. I call my sister for dating advice.
It rings twice before Tess’s sleep-laden voice comes through the speaker. “Is Evie okay?”
I should’ve known that would be the first place my sister’s mind went when getting a call from me at this hour. “Yeah, she’s fine. Sorry.”
“Then why in the world are you calling me at…” She pauses. “Two in the morning?”
I press my lips into a firm line. “Ah, I completely forgot about the time difference. Sorry, I’ll let you get back to sleep.”
Tess sighs. “You already woke me up, so you may as well tell me why you’re calling, little bro.”
“I need your help,” I mumble.
“That’s like music to my ears.” She perks up. “Say it again.”
“Oh, big sister. I need your assistance winning over my neighbor and telling her I love her. In a Taylor Swift way, or whatever it is you said before.”
“I thought you’d never ask.” I can hear the wicked grin in her voice.
Tess is never going to let me hear the end of this, but I’m desperate at this point. I’ll do anything, even endure my sister saying she was right for the rest of eternity, if it means I might win Kelsey back.
It’s been pure torture waiting another day to put Operation: You Belong With Me into action. I still think the name is a bit much, but Tess insisted every grand gesture needs a name.
I already checked with Mallory that Kelsey would be home tonight. Now that Evie is in bed, it’s finally time for this operation to begin.
With each step toward my workout room, I try to convince myself that Kelsey loves me, but I’ll even settle for her just talking to me. I can’t think of any other outcome than that.
My heart races when I step into my exercise room. I already did a practice test this morning to ensure that my soundproofing job worked inside the house. It works like a charm, so Evie won’t wake up during this little operation. But Kelsey, on the other hand, is about to hear everything.
I unlock the window, slide it open, and make sure everything I need is within reach before I play “You Belong With Me (Taylor’s Version)”—because Tess told me it’s crucial to listen to her version—at full blast through my speaker system.
I hold up the giant poster board where I wrote You ok? exactly like Tess told me to. I guess this happens during the music video for this song. I’m just hoping it has the same effect on Kelsey today. That maybe she’ll finally see that she belongs with me.
The chorus hits, and there’s still been no sign of Kelsey. My heart sinks. This was a stupid idea. I don’t know why I thought—
Kelsey’s head pops out around her curtain. I can’t read her expression from this far away, but she pauses. The seconds I wait to see how she responds feel like an eternity. My breath catches. My heart pounds. But I can finally breathe again when she slides her window open.
Her voice carries across the wind like a whisper. “What are you doing?”
I point to my sign in response.
She hesitates, but only for a second this time, before holding up a finger and disappearing from view. Thankfully, Tess gave me the idea to supply Mallory with a marker and some poster boards to put outside Kelsey’s door. Now, all I can do is hope that she’ll actually play along.
When she returns a minute later, I feel like a weight has been lifted off my chest. Instead of feeling like I’m giving an elephant a piggyback ride, hope blossoms inside once more.
Kelsey writes for a few seconds before holding up a sign that reads Not really in bubbly handwriting that doesn’t match the tone of her message.
I hold up one of my premade signs that says Sorry followed by another one that could make or break how this night goes. Meet me out front?
She looks away for another minute before holding up a sign with only one word. One so simple that it doesn’t mean much by itself. But to me, right now, it means everything.
My mouth tilts into my first genuine smile all week as I reread the sign— Okay .
I shut off the music, now that it’s done its job, and rush outside, nearly falling down the stairs with the nervous energy coursing through my body.
Kelsey stands between our lawns with her arms crossed. I slow my pace, not wanting to scare her away.
Once I’m standing beside her, she tilts her head back, looking at the clear night sky above. “It’s beautiful tonight, isn’t it?”
I’m sure the stars look amazing tonight, but I only have eyes for her. “It really is.”
She hangs her head, avoiding eye contact. I gently touch her chin, trying to get her to meet my face. She flinches, and I immediately drop my hand.
“What’s wrong, Kelsey?” My voice breaks. “What happened?”
“I— It was my mom.”
“Is she okay?”
“She’s not hurt if that’s what you mean.” Kelsey inhales a deep breath. “She was here, waiting on my porch, when we returned from Evie’s dance recital.”
My stomach sinks. I wish I could’ve been there for her, holding her hand during whatever her mother did or said. “What did she want this time?”
“Her most recent boyfriend broke up with her. She ran out of the money she got from my dad in the divorce settlement a long time ago, so she showed up looking for a place to stay.”
I reach into my back pocket, pulling out my wallet. “I can help put her up in a hotel or something.”
She puts her hand on mine, stopping me. The feel of her soft skin on mine is like a jolt of electricity. My attraction for her pulses through me, but now isn’t the time to act on that.
“I don’t want you to use the money that you’re saving to open the dog rescue.” I look at her earnestly. “Please, let me help.”
A single tear falls down her cheek. “My friends already gave her money for a room. I’m sure she’s long gone now.”
I put my wallet back in my pocket as her gaze finally meets my eyes. She looks as distant and heartbroken as I feel. “Why are you being nice to me? I’ve been avoiding you.”
This is the answer I need. One that will help me know if I still have a shot with her. “Why have you been avoiding me?”
She flings her arms down, looking exhausted and exasperated all at once. “I can’t be like my parents. They stayed together even after the love faded, and I was their casualty. I won’t let that happen to me. I can take care of myself. I won’t let anything or anyone stand in the way of my dreams.”
“True love doesn’t stand in the way of your dreams. It helps you reach them. It helps you surpass them.”
“What does love have to do with it?”
I hold her face with both hands, needing her to see the sincerity in my eyes. Gently, I wipe away the rogue tear from her cheek. “I thought it was obvious?”
“What’s obvious?” Kelsey’s voice is breathless, her eyes trained on my lips.
“That I love you.”
Kelsey’s eyes dart to mine. “You… what ?”
“I love you, Kelsey Anderson.”
“You can’t love me.”
“Why not?” I whisper, running my hands through her hair.
“You might think you do now, but it won’t last. It never does.” She shakes her head, moving my hand with the motion.
“Just because your parents’ relationship didn’t last doesn’t mean all love ends.” I slide my hands down her arms and take her hands in mine. “Real love—unconditional love—is never-ending. It’s accepting someone for who they are, down to their core. It doesn’t have any strings attached.” I squeeze her hand. “It’s loving someone without expecting anything in return. That’s how I love you. Beyond all reason. With every fiber of my being. If you can tell me you don’t love me, that you don’t want me, I’ll leave you alone. It will be the worst pain I’ve ever gone through, but I’d step away because that’s how much I love you.”
I step closer to her. “But if there’s the smallest shred in you that thinks you could return my feelings, then please believe. Believe that love is so much more than the cheap version you saw between your parents. Believe that my love for you isn’t conditional and will fade away when life gets hard. Believe that I’m going to push you to achieve your greatest dreams and support you as you chase them. Believe that I love you and am never going to stop.”
“But what about when life gets hard and you don’t feel like this? When you don’t love me anymore.” Kelsey’s head falls, more tears trickling down her cheeks.
I tilt her chin up, brushing a feather-light kiss to her forehead. “Love may start as a feeling. Something all-consuming and so happy you could never imagine feeling differently. But staying together is a choice, Kels. Feelings fade just like the sun disappears below the horizon every evening. But we must consciously choose to be together—to love each other—just as faithfully as the sun rises again each morning.”
She wipes the tears from her eyes, and a small smile tugs at her lips. “You really are a romantic, aren’t you?”
“Through and through.” I kiss her temple.
“I love you, too,” she says so whisper-soft, I’m not sure I heard correctly.
Pulling my head back, I search her eyes. “Did you just say that you love me?”
She nods. “I’m scared, Tyler.”
“It wouldn’t be called falling in love if it wasn’t scary. It’s a leap of faith.” I wrap my arms around her waist. “But I’m always going to catch you. You don’t have to need me, Kels. You just have to choose me.” I pull her against me, our bodies pressed together, and rest my forehead against hers. “I can’t promise that I’ll never hurt you. That’s part of being human; I’ll never be perfect. But I can promise that I’ll choose you every day. I’ll apologize when I’m wrong. I’ll support you and cherish you and love you like you deserve. You just have to let me.”
Kelsey tilts her head back. When she looks into my eyes, gone is the distance and heartbreak. Instead, her beautiful hazel eyes reflect something I only hoped I’d see: trust. She wraps her arms around my neck and presses her lips to mine. It’s different than any kiss we’ve shared because it’s filled with a promise.
Of love.
Of hope.
Of a future.
Together .
I don’t even realize I’m crying until Kelsey pulls back. She wipes the tears from my cheeks.
When we’ve both caught our breath, I ask, “What convinced you to talk to me?”
“Your persistence, for one thing.” She laughs. “But how could I refuse when you went to the trouble of playing a Taylor song and holding up that sign just like the music video.” She sighs. “That’s every girl’s dream.”
“You can thank my brilliant sister for that idea.” I smile.
“I love her already.” She kisses my jaw, making me inhale sharply. “But not as much as I love you.”
I’m about to show her just how much I love her, when my front door opens and little feet crunch on the grass.
“Ms. Kelsey, you’re back!” Evie squeals, hugging both of our legs. “Please tell me you’re never leaving again.”
“I’m not, Evie girl.” Kelsey looks right at me, her smile filled with the same joy and certainty I feel in my heart. “I’m home.”