Page 75 of Becoming Cinderella

Before I can finish, he places a finger over my mouth to silence me.

“You better be joking,” he says softly, pulling back slightly as he rubs the pad of his thumb across my cheek. I give him a dramatic shrug which makes him chuckle.

“Does this mean you forgive me?”

I want to shout that I can forgive him. I understand why he acted the way he did. Why he has a hard time trusting people.

“Of course, I do. What about you? Can you look past me being a fan? You know, since I’m really just a boring fan with some embarrassing tweets.”

Liam glances to the side, like he’s deep in thought, before his gaze locks back with mine.

“I can’t tell you how hard it became to help you try to win over another guy. It was what you wanted though, and I wanted to be the one to help make it happen for you. On several occasions I was so tempted to take Jared to the side and shake him, to try to figure out how he couldn’t possibly be in love with you.

I look at it now, and I’m so glad you’re my fan. Because if someone as incredible as you can like and support me, then I must be doing something right.”

Less than an hour ago I was convinced I’d never see Liam again, and now he’s here confessing his feelings. Half of me wants to launch myself in his arms and feel them wrap tightly around me, to never let me go. But the other half is trying to wrap my head around the fact this isn’t all a dream.

“What happens now though? You know, between us?”

“Well, unfortunately I have to go back to LA in the morning. I have a meeting with a director for an upcoming film.”

I feel my high of having Liam show up start to dissolve. How is this going to work out? “Is this it then? The magic breaks at midnight and we go back to our separate lives?”

I’m not sure I’ll be able to do that though.

Liam shakes his head. “Absolutely not. You and me, we’re just getting started.”

I grin at his words before my smile falters. “Long distance rarely works out.”

“I know that’s what they say, but I’ve missed you too much these past weeks to not even try.”

He has a point. Having Liam and talking to him each day will be better than what I’ve gone through the past few weeks without him. I want him in my life.

It’s funny how someone you went so long without can come into your life and turn it upside down, changing everything.

“I want to try Carter. I want to do what it takes to make us work.” Liam brushes a strand of hair away from my face. “Do you?”

Did I want that too? I was fairly certain I wanted it more than my next breath.

“You know, I’ve recently had a lot of time to do some thinking.” Being grounded and avoiding the internet will do that to a person. “I’ve decided I’m doing a gap year before I start college. Maybe I’ll end up in LA or London or wherever your next movie is.”

Liam’s eyes light up. “Really? You are?”

I give him a one shoulder shrug. “Someone once told me it was okay not to have everything figured out at seventeen, so I’m going to go exploring. Well, as much as my bank account allows anyway. Too bad this isn’t a real fairytale, huh? Life would be so much easier if it was, and I know it’ll be hard, but I’m still saying yes. Absolutely I want to try this with you!” My smile is beaming, waiting for him to do the same.

He does. It starts as my favorite crooked smile and grows into a full-on grin. The type that rivals a child on Christmas morning.

“And who says we’re not in our own fairytale?”

Liam pulls his phone out of his pocket and turns on a song I know all too well. I drop my shoes as he takes my hands and starts going through the choreography I helped him learn.

I’m put under his spell as I close my eyes, feeling his fingers leave tingles against my arm. I open my eyes as he spins me, my throat feels tight as I try to focus to meet his eyes but stop on his mouth.

“Did you dance this well on set?” I somehow manage to choke out.

“I had a world champion teacher, so it was excellent.”

“Again, not a world champion.” I whisper with a small smile and somehow, he hears me over the song.

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