Elias is waiting for me outside, so I grab everything I need and walk downstairs. I yell goodbye to Enya and dash out the door. I want to leave as fast as possible before I change my mind. But there’s no way out of this. So instead of running back inside, I swallow my thoughts and walk towards Elias’s car. He opens the door for me from the inside, a small smile playing on his lips.

Everything unfolds like yesterday. We say hi, listen to some music, drive past some of my favorite places, and stop in front of their beautiful house.

I get out of the car before he has a chance to say anything. Elias makes me feel like he knows me inside out. It prickles under my skin. The kind of itch you just can’t scratch.

He threw me a couple of glances on our way here. It’s clear he suspects something is wrong. It won’t be long until he asks questions. Why not postpone it as long as possible?

I stop in front of their door, shaking as the wind sneaks under my clothes. I clasp my hands together to stop myself from picking at my cuticles.

“Don’t bother to knock,” he says, and I turn to face him.

His gaze travels from my stilettos, all the way up my dark lace leggings, to my tight white top and soft coat, finally reaching my face.

I fidget, feeling my body burn where his glance had wandered.

He threads his fingers between mine, scrutinizing my reaction. “Is this okay?”

I look down at our tangled hands and nod. We enter the house and the smiles of his family make my heart soar. Lorelai rushes forward and hugs me.

“I don’t want to be nosy,” she starts, and I laugh because it reminds me so much of Olivia, “but you’re staying for the night, right?” An expectant smile forms on her lips.

“Yes, of course. As promised,” I say, before I’m hugged by the other two members of the family.

“Me and Olivia were making cupcakes. Why don’t you join us?” Lorelai says.

I’m no good in the kitchen. Apart from one little thing my grandma taught me when I was eight, I’m a lost cause with cooking. I could make their job ten times harder.

“Go,” Elias encourages me and kisses my forehead.

I nod. Barely keeping my feelings inside, I follow the Madden girls as the boys start the PlayStation in the living room. Lorelai opens the door, revealing a spacious kitchen, with a counter in the middle and lots of cupboards and drawers.

“So,” Lorelai says.

“Here we go.” Olivia rolls her eyes, making me chuckle.

“Oh, shut up, Olivia,” Lorelai smiles, elbowing her daughter. “Elias never tells me anything.”