“Adieu, my love.” After a long look, he climbs back down the trellis and walks away.

My soul cries for him to come back, to tell me those words again so I can soak them in, but he can’t; we can’t do this . . . whatever it is . . . in front of all these people.

I watch his shoulders, not able to tear my eyes away.

Chapter 34

JACK

The curtain goes down as the princess ends her last line, and a thunderous applause reaches our ears. Thank God! I’m so ready for this to be over so I can talk to Elena . . . instead of muddling and butchering poor Romeo’s lines.

“Great job!” Patrick exclaims, clapping. “Big success.”

Is he kidding?

Elena rises up from me, and I pull her back down. I scan her face, reading her, but since the messed-up honeymoon scene, we haven’t spoken a word; instead I’ve been lying here with a hard-on with her draped across me.

“Elena . . .”

“Not right now, Jack. I can’t.” She stands and runs to stage right.

Fuck. I still can’t get a read on her.

I head to my spot, an entire stage between us.

Laura calls out our names one by one, and we take our bows, the crowd on their feet, clapping.

Juliet’s name is called, and Elena runs to the stage and takes her bow; then I take mine. I clasp her hand in mine as we take our bows together. Whistles and cheers erupt, and I grin sheepishly. This part hasn’t been hard at all. The only thing on my mind was Elena. I didn’t give a shit about anyone else.

The audience claps for three minutes. “Jack, Jack, Jack” starts up in the bleachers from some Tigers fans, and I give them a wave. Devon smirks at me from the front row and gives me a thumbs-up. Quinn moves his gaze to Elena, popping an eyebrow.

Yeah. I don’t know yet.

Does she still want me?

Or has she had a good hard look at some of that darkness inside of me . . . and . . . shit— Maybe I’m not worth the trouble?

Chaos ensues as some of the crowd pushes forward and jumps on the stage with us, Laura and Timmy and some of his friends he’s got tagging along to talk to me. They all have pens and playbills out. I wince but try to cover it up. Part of it, Jack.

“Cast party at the Tavern in an hour, guys!” Laura calls out, a wide smile on her face. “Free beer and pizza courtesy of Jack.”

Cheers go up.

She gives me a big hug. “Jack, thank you so much for doing this.”

“I hijacked your play for my own personal use—”

“Shut up. It’s you and Elena. The audience ate it up. A few reporters from the Tennessean were here. They inquired if they could interview you, and I said no.”

I hug her again. “Thank you. They always print what they want anyway.”

She smiles. “Well, there was nothing bad to say about you today. You and Elena . . . your chemistry . . . be still, my heart.”

I throw a look around the crowded stage just as Timmy and company arrive.

I don’t see Elena.

Two hours later, most everyone has left except for me and a few straggler fans still waiting in line to see me. I feel exhausted yet exhilarated after I finish the last autograph and selfie. Devon left with Quinn and Lucy already after saying their congratulations and goodbyes.

There’s not a hint of Elena anywhere.

Chapter 35

ELENA

I pop in the cast party super early, hug everyone, and eat pizza. No one mentions Jack, but you can tell by their questioning looks that they want to ask me what the heck was going on. Maybe it’s my face that keeps them from inquiring.

As soon as he walks in the door an hour later, I head out the back exit and drive back home. I need time to think, to process, and I can’t do it with him in front of me, wanting answers. I need space. I need home.

I fly in the house, whipping my costume off as I head to the bedroom, grabbing pajama pants and an NYU sweatshirt. One pour of whiskey later, I’m out on the back porch, heating lamps on.

Sitting on the steps, I blow out into the chilly March night and gaze up at the full moon. April is almost here. And spring.

The play is finally over. I close my eyes. God, I’m going to miss him.

“Figured I’d find you home.” Jack’s husky voice comes from the back door of the kitchen.

He sits next to me, easing his body down and gazing out at the faint outline of the rolling hills.

I don’t look at him, but I feel him glancing over at me, making me self-conscious. I dip my head so he can’t see my face.

The wind picks up, and I rub my arms. He gets up and heads back in the house before coming back with one of the jackets I keep on the peg by the kitchen door. He drapes it over my shoulders, his hands brushing at my hair before he takes the seat next to me, keeping a few inches between us.

A long exhalation comes from him. “I’m sorry, Elena. I freaked out over Marvin and assumed you were guilty. I was wrong.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I see him scrubbing a hand through his hair.

“I lost my head. Does that mean I’ve lost you too?”

I meet his gaze, seeing worry mingled with fear in his tawny eyes. “You pushed me away from you like it was nothing.”

His throat bobs. “It was pure unadulterated fear. Deep inside me, in a part I hadn’t acknowledged yet, I’d already given my heart away to you, only to hear that conversation and think everything was blowing up in my face. All my protective instincts flared up. To be made a fool of again? To believe that a woman loved me? It felt ridiculous. Women who love me usually end up hurting me in some way.”

“I’d never hurt you intentionally.”

“I know. And now I screwed us all up.”

I don’t want us to be screwed up. I want us to be . . .

He flashes a brief sad smile, sighing as he looks away. “I gave you my heart tonight in front of everyone. It felt fucking amazing.”

My stomach flutters.

“I’m also sorry that Lawrence came to see you and pissed you off.” Regret lingers in the tones of his voice. “I did so much wrong, and it’s my own damn fault for being . . . broken since the moment we met.”

I sigh. “He’s banned from the Daisy Public Library. Might put his face on a wanted poster.”

“In his defense, he really does put me first.”

I nod, circling back to something he said before. “You’re not broken, Jack. Everyone has baggage they bring to a relationship, but you have to take a leap of faith.”

He reaches in his front pants pocket and pulls out something and places something small and cold in my hand.

“What is this?” I hold it up in the light of the moon, taking in the metal object.

“My leap of faith. Key to my apartment. I had it made for you after I left Sophia, after she said I couldn’t trust you. I was just waiting for the right time to give it to you, to get my nerve up . . .” His voice softens. “I meant it as a symbol that I wanted more with you, but then I’d get nervous and not bring it up. I felt so unsure. I’ve never loved anyone. I’m stupid.” He sighs.

There’s a long silence as we stare at each other.

“What are you thinking?” he asks.

I lick my lips. “I think I’m having a revelation.”

“Yeah?” I see hope on his face.

He does love me. Oh, he told me onstage in front of everyone, but it wasn’t until this moment that I let the feeling sink in. Let myself believe it. A man like him, who doesn’t trust, was on the cusp of giving me a key, which to some may seem rather meaningless, but to him, it’s the equivalent of a declaration.

He sighs, reaching out to trace the curve of my face. “Will you forgive me, Elena?”

I gaze at him, at the intensity of him, at the man who’s been hurt so many times by people. And he’s never loved a girl.

“Forgive me for pushing you away. Forgive me for not going to Sunday lunches. Forgive me for being broken.”

Tears prick my eyes. “My nana used to say that broken people love the hardest because they appreciate the things that make their heart beat. Do I make your heart beat?”

He nods, his lashes fluttering as he comes closer, then pauses, looking uncertain. “God, Elena. I’m afraid you’re going to push me away. I know I’m not perfect, that I need to work on this, but I can’t let go of you. I spent two wretched nights without you. I never want to be this . . . sick again. I love you, Elena. So much. I don’t even know how to describe it.”

My breath hitches.

He says, “I want to wake up next to you every day and see what life throws at us. Will you try?”

Will I try? I’d walk over hot coals for him.

The elation that’s been growing in my chest widens. My heart soars. “I love you, Jack. You’re worth everything.”

A smile grows, a bemused and awed expression on his face. “Thank God.” He leans in and kisses me softly, his tongue sweeping against mine. “I’m not perfect,” he breathes into my neck a few minutes later. “I can’t win a Super Bowl to save my life, I get flustered around new people, I watch too many K-dramas, and your pig hates me. I don’t have much to offer.”

I laugh, feeling giddy. “Romeo does not hate you. Dislike, maybe. And I kind of like your Porsche.”

He presses a soft kiss to my neck. “It’s yours.”