Authors: Hazel Kelly
Epilogue: Andi
I
made my way across the icy sidewalk outside my building, holding my bursting
duffel bag just off the ground.
Shane
grabbed it before I'd even reached the curb. "What the heck is in
here?"
"Laundry.”
“I
hope that's not the only thing you got your mom for Christmas," he said,
shoving the bag in the trunk of his jeep.
"It
won't be," I said. "I just haven't had a chance to do my shopping yet
with finals and-"
"Being
so busy with me?" He slammed the trunk and beat me to the front passenger
door.
I'd
told him a thousand times he didn't need to keep opening the door for me, but
he kept doing it anyway.
"Great
idea," I said, knocking my boots on the side of the jeep before getting
in. I watched him walk around the hood and didn't dare pinch myself. Even after
all these months, the fact that we were a thing still thrilled and delighted
me.
Even
Steph agreed that, clearly, I’d been a doctor in a past life and saved tons of lives
or invented penicillin or something because regular girls like me didn't
normally get to go around with
Adonises
like Shane
Jennings in real life.
It
was obviously a dream.
And
I never wanted to wake up.
"What
do you mean great idea?" he asked, pressing the window defog button and
checking his mirrors.
"I
mean, I'll just tell my mom we're dating, and she'll be so happy she won't even
notice the laundry."
He
laughed. "That sounds like the perfect plan."
"Right?
If only I hadn’t already told her over Thanksgiving."
"If
only."
He
pulled into the street, which was busy with other students packing their cars
to go home for Christmas.
"Are
you warm enough?" he asked, pulling his navy beanie off to reveal a
deliciously disheveled pile of bedhead.
"Yeah,"
I said, unzipping my coat. "But I couldn't find my hat anywhere-"
"Glovebox,"
he said, pausing at a stop sign.
I
popped it open and pulled out my favorite winter hat. "Where did you find
it?"
"On
the ground next to the car."
My
face dropped.
"Don't
worry. I washed it."
"You're
the best," I said, shoving it back in the glove box.
"Hey
what happened with that job thing?"
"Oh!"
I clapped my hands and turned to face him. "I meant to tell you! My supervisor
wants to keep me on for our final semester."
"That's
great news."
"I
know. I'm so pleased. If things keep going well, I'm pretty sure I can get a
letter of recommendation from her that would at least secure an interview for
me after we graduate."
"Congratulations,"
Shane said. "You deserve it. You've been killing yourself for those
kids."
"I
know," I dropped my head against the headrest. "To be honest, though,
sometimes I think I'm not cut out for this counseling thing because I care too
much an-"
"That's
exactly why you are cut out for it, Andi."
"But
what if I don’t like it once I’m doing it full time?"
He
shrugged. "Then you'll try something else. No biggie. All you can do is
try it out and do your best."
I
squinted. "And if I fail?"
"There's
no shame in failing," he said. "Only in not trying."
"And
they say you're just a pretty face."
He
furrowed his brow. "Who says that?"
I
laughed. "No one. Jeez. I'm just saying I liked your little thought
nugget."
"Me,
too," he said. "In fact, it reminds me of something I've been meaning
to say to you-"
"What?"
"But
I haven't found the perfect time."
"Well,
you know what they say-" I loosened my seat belt and angled my knees
towards him. "No time like the present."
He
tightened his grip on the steering wheel and pulled over to the side of the
road in front of the local playground.
My
pulse rate quickened. "Oh my god is it serious?"
He
opened the console between us, pulled out an Oreo, and held it up.
I
smiled. "Double stuff for a change, huh?"
"Yeah."
"You
realize
it's
nine o'clock in the morning?"
He
smiled. "There's a first time for everything."
"You
know you can just tell me whatever it is, right? You don't have to use an Oreo
to-"
"Yes
I do."
"Okay,"
I said, placing my fingers on the cookie opposite the one he was holding.
"Ready?"
He
nodded.
I
gave the cookie a gentle twist and came away with the icing side. "Hope
that wasn't your last one because I get to pick truth or-" I looked down
at my half of the cookie and froze.
A
circle of icing had been removed from the center and there was a small, shining
ring in the middle of the cookie, the bottom of which was stuck in the icing
just enough to keep it from falling out.
I
looked up at Shane.
He
didn't seem surprised that it was there.
My
lips fell apart.
"A
few months ago, we both made a lot of promises to Izzy."
I
swallowed.
He
took the Oreo half from my hands and carefully removed the thin ring. "But
I want to make a promise to you, from me."
He
held up my left hand and sucked the leftover icing off the ring, which sparkled
as the small diamonds in the band caught the crisp winter sunshine.
And
as he held the ring at the end of my finger, I swear time stood as still as my
breath.
"I
promise that I'll always be your best friend," he said, fixing his eyes on
me. "And I promise that someday, when the time is right-" He slipped
the ring on and slid it down my finger. "I promise I'll be a whole lot
more.”
I
exhaled and glanced down to admire the beautiful ring. "I love it,
Shane," I said, looking back at him through watery eyes. "And I love
you."
He
leaned across the console and kissed me. "You'd be a fool not to."
I
laughed and laid a hand on his cheek. "Even then I'd still be your
fool."
"And
don't you forget it," he said, letting his forehead rest against mine.
"I
won't," I said. "I promise."
Note from the Author
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Ps- If you
enjoyed this book, don’t forget to check out the first book in the Soulmates
Series,
Roommates
, which has
an ending that will leave you smiling so hard it hurts.
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