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“Chase, will you just hold up a minute?” I said, as we reached the parking lot. His long legs meant I had to jog to keep up with him.

“What is it?” He stopped and turned to me.

I blew out an irritated breath. “You can’t just decide that everything will be fine when it won’t be. We. Can’t. Be. Together.”

He grinned in response. “Yes. We. Can.”

I folded my arms across my chest. “Have I ever told you that you are the most irritating person alive?”

“Plenty of times.”

“Then why are you being so pigheaded about this?”

“Because, princess, we’re going to be together.”

“But I’ve already explained why we can’t.”

“Yes, but I’ve already spoken with your dad, and we can.”

My mouth dropped open as I stared at him. “What?”

“I talked to your dad and told him that I was in love with you. And that if we didn’t kill each other, I could make you happy.”

“You what?”

He smiled. “He seemed a little concerned at first and was worried about your grades and dating a boy you lived with and all. But I managed to get him to come around.”

“And how exactly did you do that?”

“Well, I said that if our relationship became a problem he could kick me out immediately and I wouldn’t be a distraction anymore because I would be living out of state. I also explained to him how our proximity was actually a good thing. Your friend Miles might be the smartest kid in our class, but I’m coming in a close number two. I told your dad that I’d tutor you with any subject you were having trouble with and that being with me would actually make your grades higher.”

I shook my head. “So, you lied.”

His eyes sparkled with laughter. “It’s not a lie, princess.”

He stood there so certain and calm that I believed him. He’d actually gone to my dad and risked everything because he wanted to be with me. “So, you’ve been hiding the fact you’re a secret genius all this time?”

“I haven’t been hiding anything. You’re simply too oblivious to notice.”

I huffed out a breath at him. “Are you sure you want this? We’re going to kill each other.”

He put his arms around me and pulled me in close. “I wouldn’t have it any other way,” he said before he kissed me again.

Epilogue

Ally

They had gone all outat the nursing home. Flowers covered every surface, and a jazz band was playing a lively beat. Champagne was flowing, and everyone was dressed to the nines. It was the perfect afternoon.

“I still can’t believe those two have shacked up,” my brother said, swinging an arm over my shoulder as we looked over the dance floor. “Or that I’d ever bear witness to a commitment ceremony at an old folk’s home.”

I shook my head at him. “It wouldn’t be so unbelievable if you ever visited Grandma,” I said. “But Bart and Connie are the stuff of epic romances. They were love at first sight, and it’s been smooth sailing since the day they laid eyes on one another.”

“Unlike you and Chase,” he said, scrunching his nose up as he considered us. We’d been properly dating for a few months, and Shane was still giving me crap about it. He didn’t actually believe us when we’d broken the news to him at first, but when he accidentally caught us kissing, he’d begged us never to do it again.

I slid out from under his arm and punched it.

“Ow, what was that for?” he asked, rubbing the spot.