Page 43 of Love on the Edge
He exhales, a small smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Drew’s throwing a party at his place.”
I blink, still catching up, still feeling the warmth of his mouth against mine. “Drew?”
He nods. “Yeah. He’s planning to propose to Nina and wants to have the engagement party right after.” His voice is light, but the way he watches me is anything but. “Would you come with me?”
It’s a simple question, one I should be able to answer without hesitation, but something about it makes my stomach flip.
Going with him means something. This isn’t casual. It’s not just a question about a party.
It’s an invitation into his world.
I hesitate, just for a second, long enough to feel the weight of the choice settle into my bones.
A small smile tugs at my lips, barely there. “Yeah. I’ll go.”
Before Ethan can respond, CC gasps so loudly it startles me, her entire body vibrating with excitement. “Wait! Does this mean you’re a couple now?”
I freeze. My mouth opens, but nothing comes out.
CC turns to Ethan, her eyes wide, bouncing on her toes like she can barely contain herself. “Are you and Val a couple?”
Ethan glances down at her, his smirk softening, something thoughtful flickering across his face. “Would you be okay with that?”
CC gasps again, even more dramatically this time, throwing her hands over her mouth like she just heard the most important news of her life. “Yes! That’s the best news ever!”
Ethan chuckles, shaking his head as he looks back at me. His expression shifts, the teasing edge fading, something quieter, steadier settling in its place. His voice drops slightly, just enough that it feels like this moment belongs to us.
“What do you say, Val?” There’s no pressure in his tone, no expectation, just the same quiet patience he has given me since the beginning. “Care to make this official?”
My breath catches. The old instinct kicks in—the one that tells me to deflect, to push this away before it becomes too much, before I let myself need something I don’t know how to hold onto.
I hesitate, not because I don’t want this.
Because I do. And that terrifies me.
I spent my entire life believing I didn’t need anyone. That control was what mattered, that discipline would protect me from everything else.
Ethan breaks that apart just by standing here.
He didn’t push when I shoved him against a locker and used him to forget. He didn’t push when I tried to act like it meant nothing. He didn’t even push when he saw me unraveling, when he called me out on what I was doing to myself.
He just stayed.
I think about the moments that led me here—not just the big ones, not just the arguments or the desperate touches, but the quiet ones. The way he looks at me like I’m something worth seeing. The way he listens, even when I’m not saying anything. The way he never asks me to be anything other than what I am.
I think about how easy it would be to say no. To walk away before this turns into something I can’t undo. But I don’t want to.
I meet his gaze, my heart pounding, my fingers flexing at my sides before I step forward, closing the space between us. “Yeah.”
The word settles between us, heavier than it should be, lighter than I expected.
I nod once, something solid and certain rooting in my chest. “Let’s make it official.”
CC lets out an ear-splitting cheer, jumping up and down, her excitement so pure, so overwhelming, that I can’t help but laugh. Ethan just looks at me, his smile slow and certain, not cocky, not triumphant.
Just happy.
"You look beautiful, honey,"Mom says, her voice warm.
