“Tonight!” the word shrieks with glee from behind me and I look over my shoulder to see Lauren barely being held back by James. She covers her mouth with both hands and I have to laugh at her antics. She’s always said we were meant to be together, that even a thousand miles wouldn’t keep us apart.
“Not tonight,” I say mostly to get that thought out of Lauren’s head before looking back at Michael. “Not tonight,” I repeat and hold his hand tighter. “And if it means I get another, this is just a promise ring,” I bite down on my lower lip to keep my grin at bay, but it doesn’t work.
Michael’s shoulders shake as the tension around us eases and our friends laugh from my answer.
“Told you!” this time it’s James who pipes up.
“I’ll get you another then.” Michael’s voice is soothing, and the look in his eyes is everything right now. Devotion, love, the way he looked at me when we shared our first kiss, our first time, all of our firsts. And the way he looked at me when I left him, thinking I couldn’t be the only one who felt this between us, but too scared to ask. “When you’re ready.”
“Let’s just be us, for now.”
“That’s all I want.” He lowers his nose to mine, and gives me another kiss as the chatter and cheers pick up behind us. It turns to white noise when he whispers though, “I love you Carla. I always have and I always will.”
My lips press against his for a short kiss and then I whisper in the warm air between us, “I love you too.”