Dream On(104)

He looks me over, presumably for signs of injury. “Are you okay? I thought you don’t drive—what’s going on?”

“I thought you left. I saw you walking up the street. I had to talk to you, so I jumped in Brie’s car. I couldn’t let you leave without you knowing… I love you. I love you, Perry. I don’t know how to make it any clearer that I don’t want to be with Devin because I love you and—”

Without warning, he crushes his mouth against mine in a searing kiss. My skin tingles and my chest expands with giddy joy as he wraps his arms around me. Breaking away, he smooths his thumb over my cheekbone. “I’m sorry for acting like such an idiot. I made a mistake yesterday, giving in to my insecurities. I never should have walked away from you because… I love you too, Cass.”

A sob threatens to rip through my chest, but before I can speak another word, he kisses me again and I melt into him. His lips are a promise fulfilled, and a glimpse of adventure-filled days to come.

A snicker steals my attention, and I look over my shoulder to find a pair of teenagers filming us on their phones from behind the news van. When they see us looking, they quickly stash their phones and run off in a flurry of giggles. Laughing softly, Perry shakes his head. “I think you and Devin made quite the splash with that interview.”

“Brie thinks it might go viral.”

Tightening his arms around me, he tugs me closer. “Does that upset you? You never liked to talk about your accident, or your coma, so I know what a sacrifice it was for you to go on live television and share your personal experience with the world.”

“It was surprisingly cathartic, actually. Especially when I called your dad out to his face for being a self-serving jerk.”

He laughs, but quickly stops, tilting his head. “Wait, what?”

“I’ll tell you later.” Grinning, I lean forward to kiss him again, but paper crinkles under my chin. Perry’s bouquet is wedged between us. “Are those for me?” I ask.

“Of course. I arranged it for you last night. I planned to give it to you today while I begged you to give me a second chance, but that was before you went on live TV and I realized I hadn’t lost my shot after all. As soon as your interview was over, I ran up to my apartment to get the flowers I thought you deserved.”

Gathering the bouquet in my arms, I admire the silken violet petals interspersed with light and dark green… it’s exactly like the bouquet he made for me the first day we met, down to the eucalyptus scent. “They’re beautiful. So that wasn’t you walking down the street?”

“No.” Wrapping his arms around me, he kisses me softly on the lips. “I’ll never walk away from you again.”

And somehow, I know he never will. Because while Devin was the man of my dreams, Perry is the man of my heart.

And for the first time in my life, I’m choosing to follow my heart. And I couldn’t be happier.





EPILOGUE




TWO AND A HALF YEARS LATER

Brie pounds on the bathroom door. “Cass, if you don’t hurry up, you’re going to be late to your own show!”

I quickly loop my purse over my head and drape my wool coat over my arm. I automatically check my hair in the mirror one last time out of habit, even though Rogue Curl has long since grown out, blending in seamlessly with the rest of my long chestnut curls. Stepping into the hallway, I turn in a circle. The wood floorboards creak under my suede boots. “What do you think?”

Adjusting her glasses, Brie smooths one of my sleeves before brushing a speck of lint off the hem of my knee-length, curve-hugging black dress. Stepping back, she gives me a chef’s kiss. “Perfection. Perry’s not going to know what hit him.”

“Thanks, Brie. And that goes double for Marcus.” Flicking the hem of her hot-pink tulle skirt, she juts her hip in a mock curtsy and giggles.

It’s been almost a year since I moved into Perry’s apartment above the shop, but Brie insisted I get dressed at her place tonight, for old time’s sake. As much as I wanted to enjoy every minute of tonight with Perry, I couldn’t say no. Brie is my first love, after all.

We stroll down the hall arm in arm, and my chest twinges when I pass my old bedroom. Instead of a bed, nightstand, and dresser, it’s filled with books, a large, L-shaped desk, and a secondhand armchair. Brie converted it to an office after I moved out—and Marcus moved in a year and a half ago—once she started her part-time aeronautics PhD program at Case, but it’s still strange not to see my own furniture in there.

Marcus is waiting at the bottom of the stairs for us, wearing a suit coat and the same goofy-in-love grin he always does whenever he’s with Brie.

He bows, doffing an imaginary top hat. “Ladies, you look lovely this evening. Shall we?”

“Does our chariot await, sir?” asks Brie.

“If by chariot you mean Uber, then yes.”

Xerxes whistles from his cage in the living room as we leave. Outside, it’s snowing. Tugging on my coat, I gaze into the tar-black sky swimming with dancing swirls of white. How lucky am I to exist in a world with such beauty? We pile into the waiting silver sedan, and my phone dings with a text from Val.

Congrats on the show!!! Sorry I can’t be there tonight. Jake has a cold. Sending you my best though! Can’t wait to swing by the gallery next week!