I stared from the passenger's seat. I didn’t know whether to laugh or shudder, because in that moment, I wasn't quite sure if he was joking. I heard myself say, "And here I thoughtI'dbe the morbid one."
With a glance in my direction, Jack said, "You wanna know what I think?"
"What?"
"I think I owe you a secret."
I bit my lip. "I hope yours is better than mine."
"We'll see."
"So…?" I prompted. "What is it?"
"Hang on," he said.
"For what?"
"I'm gonna pull over."
It was a rural two-lane highway, which meant there was no need to wait for the next exit.Thank God.By now, I was dying to hear what he'd say.
As the car slowed, I admitted, "I can't decide if this is a good sign or a bad sign. I mean, if you have to stop the car…" A nervous laugh escaped my lips. "This isn't where you tell me that I'm going to be walking, is it?"
"Hey, if you're walking,I'mwalking." As I watched, he pulled the car off to the shoulder and turned in his seat to face me. "The secret," he said, "it's a two-parter."
I gave him the squinty-eye. "But Idoget both parts, right?"
"Hell yeah." His gaze met mine. "Part one. I've never been in love."
I blinked. "Not ever?"
"Not ever."
My breath hitched. "Oh." It didn't sound like a warning. It sounded like something else. I held my breath and waited.
He leaned closer. "Until now."
And just like that, the gloom was gone. My pulse quickened as I said, "Really?"
"Really."
"So…Is that part two?"
He smiled. "What, you think I'm a pussy?"
I shook my head. "What do you mean."
"You think I’m not gonna say it?"
By now I could hardly breathe. "Say what?"
He leaned closer until our lips were nearly touching. "I love you, Becka."
It wasexactlywhat I wanted to hear. Maybe in the back of my mind, I'd known his feelings already. But to hear him come out and say it – it felt like something out of a dream.
And now I couldn’t stop smiling. "I love you, too."
He grinned. "I know."
