Page 90 of The Wedding Crush

Her expression twists with concern.

“Us.” I drag in a breath. “Avery, it’s nothing bad. I’ve just been doing a lot of thinking about date nights and wedding dates, and what we’re doing in general. We’ve been spending so much time together, and—”

“You want to stop hooking up?”

I flinch. “No, that’s really what you thought I was about to say?”

“Well…” Her expression reveals her worry. “Yeah. You’re distracted, your whole demeanor feels solemn, and we’re in here instead of out there with your brother and our friends.” She shrugs. “So, you don’t want to end things?”

I study her beautiful features. The contours of her golden-brown skin, the slight pout to her pink lips. Her bright eyes burrowing past my ribs straight to my heart.

“Avery, I’m working up the nerve to ask you to be my girlfriend.” I huff out a small laugh.

“Oh.”

“I know this is probably corny or archaic, but I’d never assume with you. Or Ace. I want you to know this isn’t some casual thing for me. I’m head over heels for you.”

When she doesn’t immediately respond, my nerves get the best of me.

“Damn.” I drop my head into my hands. “I’ve read this all wrong. You must think I’m an idiot. We’re in my childhood bedroom, and I’m asking you to be my girlfriend like we’re some school-aged kids…”

The rest of that sentence dissolves on my tongue as I lift my head again to meet her stare again.

Avery’s brown eyes are glassy with unshed tears, and I panic even more.

“I’m so sorry if I…I thought with the wedding around the corner, I should make my intentions known that what we share isn’t hinged on their relationship.”

“Stefano?”

“I know it’s been you and Ace, and I’d never try to replace Justin—”

“Yes.” A shaky smile breaks over her face as the tears fall. “I’m such an emotional wreck, even more so, lately, but absolutely I want to be your girlfriend. I want to be your wedding date, your movie date, and your ride partner at the carnival this weekend.” She throws her head back laughing. “I want to do it all with you, Stefano Fortemani.”

I cover my heart with my hand, releasing a relieved sigh.

“Oh my God, I’ve been so nervous.”

“These are happy tears, by the way.” Avery reassures me as she hurls herself into my lap. She covers my mouth with hers and sinks her fingers into my hair like she’s done a million times. “I’ve been so worried because we’ve only been together because of the wedding. I thought, what if next month, the big day arrives, and we’ve got no reason to keep seeing each other? What if you only saw this as temporary?”

My heart lurches.

Everything inch of me tenses with the need to assuage her fears.

“I know this makes me the biggest hypocrite for saying this.” I suppress a smile. “Avery Ellis, I’m falling for you. And it’s not some small crush because you brought me a stuffed cactus and made me an irresistible Magic Mike dancer either.”

She laughs a laugh that I feel all over my skin.

“You’ve definitely got the moves, baby.”

“Dante will have my ass for this but…I want to rush in with you. I can see an entire future, whatever that entails, with you and Ace.”

“And Lightning McQueen,” Avery adds. “You can’t forget about him.”

“Of course. Who could forget about the car with bold stickers. Or the fact that I’ve got his girlfriend in my garage.”

We both laugh.

“He’s going to hold you to that ride in Sally. Promises are in stone with kids.”

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