Chapter 26
Sloane
Just then, a car door shut, derailing my train of thought.
Rhys stood in Lisa’s driveway, watching me with a curious expression, two large hydrangeas in the front seat.
Before I could decide for myself, my feet began moving in his direction. There were so many emotions swirling through my head, most of them making me a little lightheaded, but I ignored them all and closed the distance between us.
Did this mean what I think it means?
“Hey?”
I stopped a couple of feet away from him, tilting my chin to look him in the eyes. I swallowed the emotion building in my throat. “Did you break up with Chantel for me?”
Rhys’s cheeks flushed, his hand immediately going up to palm the back of his neck. “I mean—” He chuckled nervously. “I—Who told you that? That was like ten years ago.”
My eyes danced between his, searching for the answer he was so reluctant to give.
“Eleven. I know it was eleven years ago because prom was the most important thing to me at the time. I couldn’t wait to go.
I put up with Logan and his giraffe tongue just so I had someone to go with.
Did you break up with her to take me?” I pressed, taking another step in his direction.
He cleared his throat, both arms dropping to his side while he looked back at my mom, and then down at me again. Rhys sighed. “I did.”
I took a shaky breath, my heart swelling in my chest. How did I not know that? No wonder Chantel stared daggers at me the entire dance!
He held his hands up. “Now, Pip. Before you get mad—”
“Mad?” My voice was breathless, words spoken with a tone of surprise at his question.
How could I possibly be mad at that? Rhys had a crush on Chantel for months before he finally mustered up the courage to ask her out.
Not to mention the countless hours he spent gushing about her while we sat on the tire swing in my front yard.
I’d never talked to him about it or asked, but I was pretty sure he was in love with Chantel. The first person he’d ever loved.
But now my mom had me questioning everything. What if Rhys did love me? What if she was right and he had for years?
There were a hundred more questions that pushed to be asked, but I shoved them aside for the time being, my focus returning to Rhys.
He stared at me with wide eyes, worry lines forming on his forehead.
How could I possibly be mad?
I caught Rhys a little off guard by flinging myself against his body, latching onto him like a human-sized koala, but I couldn’t stop myself.
He grunted as he caught me, his hands reaching down to support my weight.
My hands moved to frame his face, stubble scratching against my palms, and Rhys looked thoroughly confused.
My lips met his in a bruising kiss, tension melting from his body when he realized I wasn’t upset.
It seemed almost silly, but the hopeless romantic in me was absolutely losing it. The teenager who spent months looking for the perfect prom dress and matching flowers was swooning.
I pulled away, resting my forehead against Rhys’s. “You did that for me?”
He smiled, gently pecking my lips before setting me on my feet. “I’d do anything for you.”
The butterflies in my stomach came to life at the conviction in his voice. Any words that I should’ve spoken were lost to the ether. Nothing felt good enough.
But before I could even attempt a response, Rhys stepped away, intertwining his fingers with mine and tugging me along. “Let’s go inside.”