Page 79

I shook my head, tears forming in my eyes. “So, what changed? Why are you here now?”

“I’m here because you are the most important person to me, and I never want to let you down again. I won’t let my mother manipulate my life or the people I care about anymore.”

“You really didn’t want to leave?” I asked.

“No.” He slowly started to smile. “I wanted to stay so badly that I’m planning on enrolling at Lincoln High when I finish my next film.”

“What?” I gasped.

He reached out and took my hands in his. “There’s this girl there that I really like, and I’ll do anything to keep her in my life.”

My heart soared at his words, and I struggled to keep the goofy grin off my face. “Really?”

“Really.” My heart fluttered as he looked into my eyes and I wanted nothing more than to feel his lips brush against mine. He slowly lowered his head and moved to kiss me, but Madi interrupted us again.

“Teagan, you’re up,” she hissed.

I jerked back from Liam and smiled. “I guess you’ll have to wait till later if you want that kiss.”

“I won’t have to wait too long,” he reminded me as I went to walk back on stage.

I felt like a weight had lifted off my shoulders as I started the next scene. My performance felt electric as I gave everything I had. I didn’t hold back, and when I acted in scenes with Liam, it felt like we truly were the characters we portrayed. When we were onstage together, we worked as one, our chemistry flaring so brightly that it felt like a tangible thing. When our kiss came in the final scene, it felt like I might explode with happiness.

I’d missed him so much, and I could feel how much he missed me in the way he held me like he was never going to let me go. When the play ended, the crowd erupted into a cheer so loud it deafened my ears. People stood from their chairs as they clapped us, and I gripped so tightly onto Liam’s hand as we bowed that he probably lost all feeling.

As soon as we were backstage, the cast all descended on us, and we were pulled apart.

“You were great out there, Teagan,” Madi gushed. “I have no idea how you didn’t fall out of character when you met Liam onstage. I kept trying to tell everyone it was a bad idea.”

“I didn’t,” Evan said. “I thought it was brilliant.”

I hit him on the arm. “I can’t believe you were in on this and didn’t say anything to me.”

He shrugged and gave me a grin. “When Liam Black asks you to do him a favor, I’m pretty sure you don’t say no.”

I rolled my eyes at him. “You’re such a pushover,” I grumbled.

He laughed and nodded. “Guilty.”

I went round congratulating the rest of the cast. Everyone had done such an incredible job, and I couldn’t have been more proud of how we’d all come together. The room was buzzing, and it felt like we’d achieved the impossible. None of us could have imagined that we’d put on such a good performance.

“You were amazing tonight,” Hayley said.

“No, you were the amazing one. You were so funny out there,” I said. “Everyone loved your French accent.”

Hayley smiled and nodded. “I was so worried the audience wouldn’t laugh at the jokes.”

“Well, you had them in stitches.”

Her smile broadened into a grin. “I know. Now, if only I could convince the rest of you dunderheads of how funny I am in real life.”

I laughed and shook my head as Evan shouted across the room, “You keep working on that, Hayles.”

A hand gripped mine, and I turned as Liam pulled me toward him. A soft smile lit his features as he looked into my eyes. I still couldn’t believe he was here. That he’d come back for me.

“You really were incredible out there tonight,” he said.

“She certainly was.” A deep voice sounded from behind us.