Page 125 of Until You Say Stay
She breaks into this huge smile and I’m grinning like an idiot. I whistle sharp and loud to get security’s attention, pointing at her. “Let her through!”
The guard looks skeptical, but I don’t wait. I’m already running.
She’s running too.
We collide and I’m cupping her face in both hands, kissing her before either of us can say a word. She tastes like salt from tears and something sweet, and her hands fist in my race suit as she kisses me back just as fiercely. Camera flashes explode around us, people shouting and cheering, but none of it matters. Nothing matters except her mouth on mine and the fact that she’s here and we’re together.
When we finally break apart, we’re both breathing hard. I keep my hands on her face, my thumbs wiping away tears. She’s laughing, her eyes bright.
“You came,” I say. “You’re here.”
“Of course I’m here.” She’s grinning through the tears, her hands gripping my shoulders. “You were incredible, Jack. That was… I’ve never seen anything like that. I think I was screaming the whole time!”
“I heard your song.” I brush her hair back from her face, and I can’t stop touching her, can’t stop looking at her. “Earlier tonight. I watched you perform.”
Watching her up on that stage, completely owning it, performing her songs her way even though it probably cost her everything. That took more guts than anything I did in that race car. She was fucking fearless.
Her breath catches. “You did?”
“Every word.” I lean my forehead against hers. “You were incredible. I’m so proud of you.” My voice drops. “I love you. I’m so fucking sorry for leaving, for walking away, for what I said. I was an idiot.”
“Stop,” she cuts me off, her hand pressing flat against my chest right over my heart. “I’m sorry too. I attacked you instead of listening. I said things I didn’t mean. I was hurt and I lashed out when I should have just talked to you, and deep down I knew you weren’t lying but I let everything bubble up and then had too much pride to take it back.”
She pulls back slightly, talking with her hands now, and I’ve missed her so much it physically hurts. She’s talking faster, the words tumbling out. “Which is completely insane when you think about it, and honestly if I’d just stopped for two seconds to actually think instead of spiraling I probably could have?—”
I pull her in hard and kiss her, cutting off the rest of whatever she was going to say. She makes this small surprised sound and then she’s kissing me back, her hands sliding up to grip my shoulders, then my neck, pulling me closer. Her mouth opens under mine and I deepen the kiss, tasting salt from her tears and that strawberry chapstick she always wears. One of her hands moves into my hair and she’s pressing against me like she’s trying to eliminate any space between us.
When we finally break apart, we’re both breathing hard.
“I love you,” she says against my mouth. “So much.”
“I know, and I love you more than you can know.” I kiss her forehead, her nose, her lips. “You’re it for me, Lark. I’m done running.”
“You’re it for me too.”
I kiss her again because now that I have her back, I never want to stop. She melts into me completely, her body pressed against mine, her fingers threading through my hair, and everything else disappears. There’s just her. Just us. Just the absolute certainty that she’s mine and I’m hers, and this time I’m staying.
EPILOGUE
ONE YEAR LATER
LARK
The Vegas suite has floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook the entire Strip, neon lights stretching out in every direction like some kind of electric rainbow. Even at eleven at night, the city is alive and glowing, casinos showing off with their elaborate light shows and massive digital billboards.
I’m curled up on the oversized sectional with my guitar, barefoot and wearing one of Jack’s Ferrari hoodies that’s gotten soft and worn from too many washes. There’s a half-empty glass of wine on the coffee table next to my notebook, which is completely covered in lyrics and crossed-out lines and little doodles I drew in the margins when I got stuck on the bridge earlier. Song snippets, random phrases, a terrible sketch of what might be a palm tree or possibly just a very unfortunate blob.
I stretch my legs out on the couch, rolling my ankles to work out the stiffness from sitting in the same position for the last hour. The melody I’ve been working on is finally flowing tonightafter fighting with it for days. It’s happy and bright and upbeat, something completely different from the heartbreak songs that made up most of my first album. Something about being in Vegas with everyone I love is making everything feel lighter, like the creativity is just pouring out of me without the usual struggle.
I literally just left my parents’ room about twenty minutes ago. I’d gone down there to play them some of the new songs I’ve been working on, and my mom cried within the first thirty seconds like she always does, which still makes me cry every single time.
Everyone’s been here for three days now and it’s been nonstop chaos in the best possible way. All of Jack’s brothers flew out for the race this weekend. Maren too, obviously. And I surprised my parents with plane tickets a month ago since they’d been wanting to come to one of Jack’s races. I suspect they love him more than me at this point but I’m not complaining. He’s pretty damn easy to love.
We rented out a bunch of rooms on the same floor and it’s turned into this wonderful situation where people are constantly bursting into each other’s rooms unannounced. My mom showed up at seven this morning with coffee she’d gotten from the lobby, already dressed and ready to explore the city. Calvin wandered in yesterday afternoon looking for his sunglasses that he’d apparently left here two days ago and had zero memory of losing. It’s wonderful chaos and I’m loving every second. Having everyone in one place is rare so I’m soaking up every single moment, storing away memories like I’m trying to preserve them in amber.
My phone buzzes on the cushion beside me and I set down the guitar to grab it, grinning when I see Maren’s name light up the screen.
Maren:DINNER CONFIRMED tomorrow 8pm!! That fancy steakhouse. Though I was torn because I’m still having vivid dreams about last night’s carbonara.
