Julia
“Are you ready for this?” I whispered to Lachlan as we stepped off the elevator and made our way to the rooftop area of Skyline Park, the afternoon sun warming my skin.
He tightened his hold on my hand. “I’ve been waiting for this since you agreed to be my girl. Okay, maybe not this scenario…”
He gestured at the carnival-like surroundings, complete with miniature golf course, carnival games, a handful of rides, and plenty of food. It was like an upscale version of the county fairs of my youth. Some of the scents were even the same. Hot dogs. Popcorn. Barbecue. And my personal favorite, funnel cakes.
Lachlan cupped my cheek, bringing my gaze back to his. “But I want people to see us together. See how happy you make me.”
I placed my hands on his chest, snuggling into his embrace. “So do I. I’m sorry I made you wait so long.”
“If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that you will always be worth the wait, love.” He gradually lowered his lips, touching his mouth to mine in a sweet kiss. “Always.”
I closed my eyes, losing myself in him as I tuned out the rest of the world. There was no Nick. No Dax. No dead girls. Just Lachlan, me, and this love I didn’t think existed.
Just as I started to deepen the exchange, excited squeals cut through. I tore away, watching as a group of Imogene’s teammates ran toward her.
It would have been an understatement to say she was excited when I informed her that not only could she go to Skyline Park, but that Lachlan had rented it out. I’d lost count of the number of times she hugged both of us, thanking us for making this happen.
But I didn’t have much to do with it. It was all Lachlan. All I did was agree.
“Oh, my god, Mo! This is, like, the coolest thing ever!” Mia exclaimed.
“How did your mom’s boyfriend pull off something like this?” Abby asked, expression alight with curiosity.
“He must be, like, super loaded,” Layla interjected before Imogene could answer, “especially to rent out this place right before they opened.”
“He’s, well…,” Imogene began nervously.
Lachlan sidled up next to her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. “I don’t know if I’d consider myself super loaded, but I do fairly well for myself.”
Imogene looked up at him, then back at her friends, beaming proudly.
“Mia, Abby, Layla, I’d like you to meet—”
“Lachlan fucking Hale!” Mia shrieked.
Lachlan chuckled, looking over his shoulder at me. “I’m beginning to think I should legally change my name to that.”
I approached, leaning toward him. “It is a great descriptor for you.”
“Your… Your mom’s dating Lachlan Hale?” Abby asked, mouth agape as she watched Lachlan wrap his other arm around me and kiss my cheek.
Imogene beamed even brighter. “She sure is. And you should see his house. It has a baseball diamond. Batting cages. A pool table. And the pool? It’s to die for!”
“You’ve been to Lachlan Hale’s house?” they all asked at the same time, as if he weren’t standing mere inches away.
As if he were this untouchable idol.
In their minds, he probably was.
“We’re staying with him right now. So I guess you can say I’m actually living in his house.”
Her three friends looked at each other, completely taken aback. Then they all screamed in excitement, as if they were meeting the latest teenage heartthrob.
Then again, he’d amassed quite the following and fan base…including teenage girls who swooned over how cute he was, even going so far as to hang his poster on their wall.
“What’s going on?” a deeper voice asked.