Page 117 of Tasty Cherry

Things had calmed down.

We got complacent.

And now this.

“What do we do?” I ask.

“I’ll call a meeting with Havannah and Raya and Jessie. I’ll officially report our relationship. You’ll be called in and asked about it, too.”

“What do I say?”

“The truth. The truth is the best. We met before you started. We intended to avoid seeing each other again, but we are in love.”

I suck in a breath and look at him. “We are?”

He smooths my hair across the top of my head. “I’ve been feeling it for a while. I know being a couple is new to you. I didn’t want to say anything to rush you.”

He…loves me?

He kisses my hair. “We’re going to be okay, Mila. We will. Let’s imagine the worst-case scenario for a moment. The absolute worst.”

“Okay?”

“We’re both fired. You move out of the castle. You stay with me. I look for a new job. You look for a new job. We work somewhere else. Maybe it’s not the castle, but we’re happy together.”

I like this. It’s not the castle, but it’s still pretty great. “Okay.”

“We’ve got this, Mila. We’re going to be okay.”

We walk out to the bedroom and slowly dress.

My fingers tremble as I pull my ID over my head.

He takes my hands in his. “I don’t like leaving you, but I’m going to have to call this meeting.”

I nod. “I know.”

“Why don’t you check if Brooklyn can do lunch? You’re in security, and Hank won’t notice how long you’re gone.”

“Okay.”

“Take a minute.” He kisses my head again.

He’s about to leave when I grab his hand. “Can you say it?”

He tilts his head quizzically, then he realizes what I’m asking.

His smile is big and broad. “I love you, Mila Simmons, my raven-haired beauty, watcher of stars, keeper of secrets. I love you.”

Despite everything that’s happened in the last ten minutes, my heart absolutely soars. “Thank you.”

He kisses my hand, then slips out the door.

I sit on the end of the bed. He loves me.

Sebastian Young loves me.

I press my hands to my cheeks. I want to write it on all my notebooks, surrounded by hearts. I want to wear his letter jacket. Sit on the bumper of his car in the student parking lot. I want to dance with him at prom and tuck our picture in my mirror.