Chapters (89)
- Dedication
- AUTHOR’S NOTE
- ONE
- HENRY
- TWO
- EMMA
- THREE
- HENRY
- FOUR
- EMMA
- FIVE
- EMMA
- SIX
- SEVEN
- HENRY
- EIGHT
- NINE
- TEN
- HENRY
- ELEVEN
- TWELVE
- EMMA
- THIRTEEN
- HENRY
- FOURTEEN
- HENRY
- FIFTEEN
- SIXTEEN
- EMMA
- SEVENTEEN
- HENRY
- EIGHTEEN
- HENRY
- NINETEEN
- HENRY
- TWENTY
- TWENTY-ONE
- EMMA
- TWENTY-TWO
- EMMA
- TWENTY-THREE
- HENRY
- TWENTY-FOUR
- EMMA
- TWENTY-FIVE
- EMMA
- TWENTY-SIX
- EMMA
- TWENTY-SEVEN
- HENRY
- TWENTY-EIGHT
- EMMA
- TWENTY-NINE
- HENRY
- THIRTY
- HENRY
- THIRTY-ONE
- HENRY
- THIRTY-TWO
- EMMA
- THIRTY-THREE
- HENRY
- THIRTY-FOUR
- EMMA
- THIRTY-FIVE
- EMMA
- THIRTY-SIX
- HENRY
- THIRTY-SEVEN
- EMMA
- THIRTY-EIGHT
- HENRY
- THIRTY-NINE
- HENRY
- FORTY
- EMMA
- FORTY-ONE
- HENRY
- FORTY-TWO
- FORTY-THREE
- EMMA
- FORTY-FOUR
- EMMA
- FORTY-FIVE
- HENRY
- EPILOGUE
- ALSO BY CHELSEA CURTO
- ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
- ABOUT THE AUTHOR
“Hey, Lexi?” I call out, needing to know the answer to the question that’s been incessantly present for days. “Why is it so terrifying? Why has it never felt like this before? Why is this… this maybe sending me into a tailspin, wanting to do everything right?”
She smiles over her shoulder, and it seems like it’s full of hope. “I think you’ll find out soon enough.”
The parting words scare me fucking shitless.
ELEVEN
September 25th
JD: Happy birthday! I hope you have the best day full of sweet treats!
RB: Thank you! I woke up this morning and my back cracked so loudly, I’m sure my next door neighbors could hear it.
RB: Starting the year off right, I guess. Why does everything hurt?!
JD: How is 32 so far?
RB: Not bad! I got a delicious coffee from my favorite local store, full of sugar, whipped cream, and caffeine. Extra large, too!
JD: Wow. That sounds... elaborate? But also weirdly good?
RB: The more elaborate, the better!
JD: Hey, speaking of elaborate…
JD: We’re three weeks away from the event. I wanted to make sure everything is still going according to plan. No hesitation or anything?
RB: Nope. Not on my end.
RB: This is the part where we start talking about meeting up in person.
JD: Is it embarrassing to say I’m completely petrified?
JD: Not because I think you’ve been fooling me or anything like that. Just because it makes everything REAL.
JD: And I really don’t want to fuck this up.
RB: Not to inflate your ego or anything, but this is the most nervous I’ve been to see a commitment through.
JD: *Activate inflated ego mode*
RB: Are you Inspector Gadget now?
JD: You kind of make me laugh.
RB: Yeah, well, you really make me laugh. So I guess I need to step my game up.
RB: I know we both work a lot during the week, so I’d prefer to rule out a weeknight.
JD: How about next Sunday?
JD: What’s the name of the coffee shop where you got your drink this morning?
JD: If it’s a place where you’re comfortable, why don’t we pick there?
RB: It’s called Beans and Brews. Have you heard of it?
JD: Yeah, it’s near my office in the city.
RB: Oh, cool. Mine too.
Is 8 a.m. too early?
JD: I’m an early riser, so 8 is perfect.
RB: Wow. Okay. We’re really doing this.
RB: I’m worried you’re going to be disappointed when you see me.
JD: Disappointed? Elaborate, please.
RB: It’s easy to be someone over text messaging. I hope you enjoy the real me, too.
JD: VRG, unless you turn out to be a 55-year-old man, there’s no way I’m going to be disappointed.