He crossed his arms over his chest, a grin quickly appearing on his face, removing any semblance of the emotion from earlier. “Well, I’ll be damned. My best friend’s in love. Well,” he sighed, “let’s get this plan in motion. Who better to help than the guy who helped plan that awesome date, huh?”
I shook my head at my best friend—at my brother, really—and couldn’t help the grin that crossed my face. “Let’s get this plan in motion,” I repeated.
46
JULIETTE
“I’m soproud of you, Juliette,” my mom said over the car’s Bluetooth speakers. I was driving back to Golden Falls and called her from the car about an hour ago. We had a lot to catch up on—a whole summer’s worth of updates.
“Thanks, Mom. That means so much to me.” I couldn’t help the smile that came across my face at her words. I just finished telling her about my trip to Chicago and what I was going to do.
“I hear the happiness in your voice. It’s been a while since you’ve been this excited about your career, and I love how confident you are in your decision.”
“I know this is the right thing for me and for my career. I…I really hope it goes well.”
“Oh, honey, I bet it will,” my mom assured. “And I wanted to say…I called it from the beginning!”
I rolled my eyes with a laugh. “You sure did, Mom.”
“Have a safe rest of your drive, Jules. Let us know how everything goes.”
“I will. Love you. Say hi to Dad for me.”
“Love you more. Talk to you soon.”
I hung up the call and lightly tapped my fingers against the steering wheel. I still had two hours left in the drive until I was back in Golden Falls. Ever since I left a few days ago, I had been counting the hours until I’d be back. Until I could see Wes.
I was in love with him. It was that simple.
I reached over for my bag of sour gummy worms, grabbing a piece of candy and taking a bite. I couldn’t believe how different this drive was compared to the start of the summer. And also how similar it was.
Like at the start of the summer, it was time for a new adventure. I told Wes before leaving that I wanted to make this decision together. But I knew what I wanted.
I hoped it was what he wanted, too.
One bag of gummy worms, a Diet Coke, and an order of medium fries later, I pulled into the gravel driveway leading to Wes’s house. When I texted him before starting the drive, he replied that he would be waiting for me at home.Home. I liked the sound of that.
Yesterday, the group text between me, Lily, and Eliza was blowing up. According to Eliza, Wes “had the biggest stick up his ass known to mankind” that first day I was gone. She sent another message with a bunch of upside down smiling face emojis begging for me to come back.
I had no clue what was going on. Wes hadn’t mentioned anything out of the ordinary, but I would find out soon enough.
After parking the car and cutting the engine, I moved quickly toward the front door. My suitcase could wait.
I was about to push open the door, but he beat me to it, opening it with a breathtaking smile. “You’re back,” he sighed with relief.
Relief coursed through my body, through my bones. I felt it as soon as I got into Golden Falls, but I especially felt it now standing in front of him.
I nodded, unable to keep the smile off my face. “I’m back.”
Not wasting any time, Wes took a single step forward, closing the distance between us and wrapping his arms around me.
I flung my arms around him in return, burying my face in his neck and inhaling his cologne as he lifted me off the ground. God, he smelled good. He smelled likehome.
“Wes, I missed you,” I whispered, my eyes starting to water, “so much.”
My heart was pounding, and I wondered if he could feel it as he held me. There was so much I wanted to tell him, and this conversation was long overdue. But my chest wasn’t closing in and panic wasn’t setting in like it did earlier this summer. I felt butterflies. I was right where I belonged.
Wes stepped back into the house then kicked the door closed and set me down.
