I flick my eyes to the spot on her shoulder where her freckles match the constellations in the sky, and I smile. I get lost in her skin, sipping my drink and mapping the stars on her arm while everyone else talks and eats and laughs around me.

This is why I spent so long fighting my feelings for you. You don’t belong in my world. You’re too good for it. For me. I thought I was ready to be who you needed me to be, but I fell at the first hurdle.

He traces a line across my face with the tip of his finger, and a moment passes between us. Our eyes feast on one another as his finger continues its journey, carefully caressing my lips. My mouth parts slightly. Leaning down ever so slowly, he holds my gaze as he captures my lips.

No one can replace Logan in my heart. I have willingly given it to him, and nothing or no one will ever change my mind. Logan is all I’ll ever want.

In this moment there is no me, no him. Only us. One entity. One heart. One existence.

I want him when you’re done with him,” Rach pipes up, sending me a teasing grin.“You’ll be waiting a while,” I reply, accepting a glass of champagne from Ky. “Like eternity.

He smiled, and instead of the usual butterflies, it felt like a flock of pigeons were flapping in my tummy.

It feels like I’ve waited a lifetime to kiss you again.

My friends back in Chicago think I’m crazy when I talk about you. They keep telling me that I’m too young to feel this way. I’m not too young, Charley. I know with more certainty than I’ve ever had about anything in my life that you’re my future. I know that when we’re ready, after college or whatever, we’re going to get married and that you’re going to be the mother of my kids. I know that deep in my gut. --Jake

For a flicker of a moment our gazes held, sweet and tormented.