Page 82 of The Matchmaker

“I think about that night all the time.”

“I’m mortified.” I groan.

“Why?”

“Really?” My cheeks burn. “I nearly destroyed our friendship.”

“Our friendship isn’t that flimsy, Nur. I know we were a little loopy from being so sleep-deprived. It was finals week. It happens.”

Let it go.He’s given me my out. I can agree and say that’s all it was. The show is back from commercials. We can go back to watching. Eat our desserts. But he watches me so intently, I can’t stop myself.

“I didn’t want to kiss you because I was sleep-deprived. I wanted to kiss you because Iwantedto kiss you,” I tell him. “I wanted to kiss you because you were leaving. Because Ididn’t know if I’d ever see you again, because…” My voice trails off.

He doesn’t say anything for a moment. Then—

“I wanted to kiss you too.”

Am I…Am I hearing him correctly?

“But…you jerked back, Azar. The look on your face…”

“I freaked out, Nur. What do you do when the moment you’ve been hoping for your whole life finally happens?”

I stare at him. Unable to speak. Unable to move.

“I panicked. And then before I could gather myself and tell you how I felt, you started laughing. Told me it was a mistake. You looked mortified. You begged me to forget it. I accepted it. I made my peace with it, but—” His eyes lock into mine. “But that doesn’t mean I’ve gotten past it.”

“Azar—”

“Why do you think it never ends up working out for me?” he asks. “Why am I a perpetual bachelor? Why did things fizzle with Zayna?” He searches my face. “I tried. I tried harder with her than I had anyone else, but it didn’t work. Because she’s not you. No one else is you. Why did I leave New York as soon as I could? That day I showed up at your place to tell you I was back in town…I swore to myself I’d work up the nerve and tell you how I felt. But then you made it clear you didn’t feel the same. Again, I accepted it. I figured even if it can’t be the way I’d want it to be in an ideal world, I wanted to be near you. However I could be in your life, I’d take it. I love you. And it’s time I finally told you instead of being so afraid I’d lose you if I said anything. In the hospital the other day, when I knew I really did almost lose you…my whole life flashed before my eyes. Nur, I love you. I do.”

He sits so close. I take in the wavy hair across his forehead.His heart-shaped mouth. His breath against my skin—sweet and warm.

“How do you feel?” he asks. “All these years later?”

“Azar.” My voice breaks. “How could you not know how I feel? I love you too. Always have. I can’t remember a moment that I didn’t.”

He moves closer to me. So close there’s hardly any space between us. He cups my face gently with his hands. “Can I kiss you, Nur?”

“You’re about ten years too late, so yes, I think—”

He kisses me. My breath hitches, and then I kiss him back. Harder. I taste the chocolate against his tongue. His arms wrap tight around my waist. I sink back onto the bed, his mouth still pressed against mine. I run my fingers through his hair, wrap my arms around him, drawing him closer. He kisses my neck. His mouth trails my collarbone. Tears spring to my eyes. Ten years. We lost a decade over a misunderstanding. But slowly, all thoughts vanish. There is only this moment. Azar and me, together.

Twenty-four

Someone out here in the world, at this very moment, is trying to frame me for things I haven’t done. Right now, I am walking to the parking deck of the Midtown Lowen hotel with a bodyguard. I have been fired by not one, but four clients.

And I have never been happier than I am in this exact moment.

Keys in hand, I’m walking—no, floating—to my rental.

Order some room service for breakfast,I text Azar from my ancient flip phone.Their waffles are the best.

I’m sticking it back in my purse when I hear a voice call out my name. “Hey, Nura! Wait up!”

Logan Wilson. He emerges from a stairwell. He’s in blue jeans. A dress shirt. He’s heading straight toward me.

“Back off!” Fiona shouts at him.

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