“When I saw you going out with Nikki, I wasn’t thinking. I just saw your face and bolted to wherever you were. I had assumed you were still engaged, but I didn’t care. I just needed to see you, make sure you were safe. At least that’s what I told myself. Once I saw your left hand bare of a ring, something clicked inside me. It was time to come out of the shadows and be front and center in your life, even if it meant I kinda had to kidnap you. Also, I’m pretty sure Nikki’s boyfriend’s brother didn’t get arrested that night, another reason I need to send her a gift.” I smirk, but her facial expressions grow serious.
“All this time. You felt something for me,” she says as a statement more than a question.
I close my eyes and lean my forehead against hers and sigh. “All this time, babe.”
I feel her breathing fall in sync next to mine. “So. Does this mean that you’re going to kiss me now?” she asks with a touch of attitude.
I open my eyes and straighten up, raising back to my full height as I grab her hands. “No.”
“No? What do you mean no? You literally just declared your undying feelings for me! I know you’ve been out of the game for a while, but this is typically the part when you kiss the girl, you schmuck!” She frowns.
The breath I didn’t know I’d been holding gets released with the deep laugh that erupts from my core. “Listen, there’s nothing more that I would love than to kiss you right now, but I’ve gone about this the wrong way. I never imagined revealing my feelings for you while wearing multiple paw patrol band aids. So I’m going to try to redeem myself and give us a proper first kiss. When the time is right.” I smile softly.
“Okayyyy. Well, ahem. The moment is just fine now, but as you wish.” She shrugs comically.
“Amelia, we’ve already fought about this before. You deserve better than fine. You deserve the very best, and I’m going to give it to you. Just you wait and see.”
23
Amelia
After the bombshell was dropped,Evan and I carefully cleaned up the glass in the kitchen. We’ll have cute little toddler feet running around here tomorrow and we wanted to make sure no one gets hurt. The food was also covered with glass, so I threw a freezer pizza in the oven while Evan made a pitcher of margaritas.
I’m clearly going to need that drink now.
We worked mostly in silence, but every now and then I would find Evan looking at me, and I would offer a shy smile.
He looks different now. I know that sounds absurd, but it’s true. A curtain has dropped and now I see most of our interactions much differently, especially our night in Miami.
He was right, I was absolutely thrilled to see him there for my birthday. Evan has always secretly been one of my favorite people, but also someone who I wasn’t allowed to get too close to. If we were with the cousin crew, he would be expected to hang out with the older kids, and if he was over at my house, he and Antonio would hole up together for hours playing video games. There was never an organic environment for us to hang out alone, until I was away at college.
I remember us drinking and dancing the night away. I remember how I felt so lucky that I was finally able to get a piece of Evan for myself.
The person he met that night was the real Amelia. The one who isn’t carrying the reputation of being the youngest of the cousin crew, who should be coddled or excluded from adult activities. In Miami, I was in control and calling the shots and surrounded by people who only knew me as me.
Funny how I am able to be one person with friends yet revert back to being a little kid as soon as I step into a room with my family and the crew. It’s as if they’ll forever see me as if I’m frozen in time. It’s how Evan probably always saw me, until he flew down to visit me. The real me.
I probably should have pulled a Miley Cyrus when I could. Blast that good girl image with a wrecking ball.
But what does that mean for us now? Do we start dating? Do I tell him how I’ve felt about him throughout the years too?
What is a girl to do when her first crush/current wet dream declares that he has feelings for her?
God, what am I even thinking?!
I literally broke off an engagement three months ago. An ENGAGEMENT for fuck’s sake.
I have no business thinking about being in another relationship so soon, especially with someone like Evan. You don’t half ass date someone your entire family knows!
Nope. I just have to stay the course. Stay single for at least a year, and work hard to get that promotion in Miami.
Yes, Miami.
If anything, this just proves that I’m meant to live there and continue living my best life without the constant projections of my family.
Ok, good. Glad that’s settled.
But what about Evan? Do I ignore that he just poured his heart out to me? Literally made my stomach burst with butterflies and be weak at the knees when he got so close to kissing me. I know I’m nowhere near ready for a relationship, but one kiss wouldn’t have killed me! I mean a girls got needs too.
