Page 89 of Love and Other Chances

I remain quiet, allowing her words to sink down into my soul. When I still don’t respond, she shakes my shoulders slightly. “You hear me?”

I nod. “Yes, ma’am.”

Joy scoffs and rolls her eyes. “You just promised me I’m not old and then go around calling me ‘ma’am.’ The audacity.”

I throw my arms around Joy, hugging her tightly. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Now find me something to wear before you have to go home and get yourself ready to see your man tonight.” She’s grinning when I pull back to make eye contact.

I return my attention to her half of the closet, eventually choosing a black blouse with a lace mock turtleneck, pairing it with her best pair of jeans. Once I’ve selected a pair of black ankle boots to complete the look, I stand back to assess.

“Perfection. Caleb might be tempted to skip out on the concert when he gets home and sees you,” I tease with a wink.

“No way. I’m not missing the chance to feel young tonight. Or to watch Brooks shamelessly flirt with you. Not to mention—I have a feeling there are some other romances blooming,” she says with a sly smile.

“If it means other people will be as happy as I am with Brooks, I hope you’re right.”

Everyone except Brian and Candace is meeting outside of the concert venue. Brooks bought group tickets, so we’ll all walk inside together.

When Brooks picked me up from my house, we discovered that we unintentionally matched again. I’m wearing a black midi dress with a denim jacket, and Brooks has on a black t-shirt and gray jeans.

“Aww, you two are too cute,” Joy says when she sees us outside the venue entrance. “Let me snap a picture of you.”

“I take back my claim that you aren’t old if you’re going to use phrases like ‘snap a picture,’ Joy,” I tease. She swats at me but takes my phone. I wrap my arms around Brooks’ waist for one photo, then pop my foot and kiss his cheek for another.

“You adorable lovebirds and your PDA,” Catherine teases, joining the group. Brooks grins and takes the comment as a challenge to press a quick kiss to my lips, heating my cheeks in the process.

Once we’ve all assembled, we head inside before the band takes the stage. They turn out to have decent talent, the lead singer’s voice reminding me a lot of Benson Boone. Brooks and I lead the charge in getting the group to dance and sing along once we catch on to the song refrains.

For their final song, the band fully leans into the Benson Boone similarity and plays “Beautiful Things.” The entire crowd scream-sings along. My arms are in the air as I sway my hips to the beat when I feel Brooks’ arms circle my waist from behind me.

He sings the lyrics in my ear, and I pivot my torso so I can see his face. We’re suddenly the only two in the room as the dancing crowd fades to gray. Brooks’ smiling eyes darken as they drop to my lips when I mouth, “I love you.” A second later, he eases his lips down to mine. The kiss is firm yet delicate. Yearning yet satisfying.

It’s perfect. We’re perfect. My Brooks and me.

I’m so happy.

“Ow ow!” Natalie’s voice cat calls, followed by Will’s enthusiasticwhoop.

I just grin as Brooks chides them for being more immature than his middle schoolers. I’m too deliriously happy to be embarrassed.

Chapter thirty-five

With each day that passes, Brooks takes up more and more of my mental space. It’s both good and bad—bad because I have a harder time focusing on all that pesky adulting I have to do. Fantastic, because it provides an easy escape from my ongoing anxiety about talking to Kent and Rachel about my future.

At this point, I’m 95 percent sure that I want to pursue teaching next year. But I’m 100 percent sure that I don’t want to have that uncomfortable conversation with them.

So, I focus on the delirious happiness that is my relationship with Brooks.

On the second Sunday of February, I’m getting ready for a date with Brooks. He’s cooking me dinner to show off his new culinary skills. “Beautiful Things” has been playing on loop while I apply makeup, but the music is interrupted by a calendar reminder.

Call Dad.

Ack. I’m supposed to be at Brooks’ apartment in half an hour. I don’t have a lot of time, but I know I’ll forget altogether if I don’t call him now. Hence the calendar reminders.

I dial my dad on speaker phone, thinking we’ll keep our conversation brief.

“Hey, Dad!” I greet when he answers. “How are you?”

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