Messy.
Incomplete.
Full of wrong turns.
And still capable of becoming something better.
Stephen slipped his hand into mine.
“Next year,” he said, “maybe we skip the dramatic entrance.”
I looked at him.
“Definitely.”
A pause.
“Although I do have another present.”
I narrowed my eyes.
“Stephen.”
He laughed.
“Not tonight.”
“Why not?”
“Because some mysteries are allowed to wait until morning.”
I rested my head against his shoulder.
Once, I would have hated that answer.
Now I smiled.
Some secrets exist because people are frightened.
Others exist because the right moment simply hasn’t arrived yet.
And for the first time in my life, I knew the difference.
-END OF Chapter 5–
