‘Well, I’m here now,’ he says. ‘Talk.’

I glance at the house and I can see Harper in her bedroom, eating her sweet-potato chips in bed and watching us like a show. It’s very off-putting. She sees me looking at her and ducks behind her pillow. I turn and stand with my back to her, facing Jesse.

‘Look, I know you’re on a date with Amber, and you like her—’

‘Is that what this is about? Because there’s nothing serious going on between me and Amber. I’m pretty sure she was texting her ex-boyfriend the whole time we were at the bar. And that she’s texting him right now. So don’t worry. You have nothing to be jealous about.’ He folds his arms now, looking annoyed.

I almost yell, I’m not jealous! But it’s a difficult position to argue at this very second.

‘You said I can trust you,’ I say quietly.

‘You can,’ he says, unfolding his arms, sounding exasperated.

‘So I’m trusting you.’ I move closer to him, until we’re almost touching. ‘I’m trusting you with what I’m about to tell you.’

‘Okay,’ he says, and he doesn’t look mad anymore.

‘I didn’t want you to go on the date with Amber.’

‘Why not?’

I close my eyes, then open them.

‘Because I have feelings for you.’

‘What kind of feelings?’ he says, moving closer to me. His eyes are intense.

‘I think…well I think I’m falling in love with you,’ I say in a rush. It’s the riskiest thing I’ve ever said, but it also feels good, in a dangerous way, in a euphoric way.

He stands there, just breathing, his brows drawn together the tiniest bit, a small line appearing between them. My heart wavers. It was too much. I’m ridiculous, I’m never trusting anyone again, I’m—

Then he steps forward and closes the distance between us.

‘Good,’ he says. ‘Because I am so in love with you.’

He puts his arms around me, and we stare at each other for a moment, before he leans down and kisses me.

My skin is tingling. My whole body is singing.

I’m full of love, I’m breathless with it.

38

38

We kiss on the side of the road for a few seconds until I remember that Harper is watching us and Amber is still sitting on a bench around the corner, and I step back.

‘Okay. Okay,’ I say. ‘So, what do we do now?’

‘Um,’ he says. ‘I better go back and talk to Amber.’

We’re both smiling and flustered.

‘Are you still going to have dinner with her?’ I say.

‘No!’ he says. ‘I’m going to tell her that’—he pauses—‘Should I tell her what just happened? No. I can’t say that. I’ll think of something.’