Page 153 of More For Me

There are a few people, though. Leo, Rose, Nisha, and Dev, who looks slightly out of breath.

“Almost didn’t make it in time,” he says. “The boys and I were at my parents when Nish called.”

I stare at my sister, who looks almost as overwhelmed as I feel. “I swear I didn’t know anything about this until we saw Everly at the campsite. She just told me to come straight here.”

Rose grins at me. “How you doing, Bodhi?”

“No waterworks yet?” Leo asks. “I’m shocked.”

“Nice hat,” I say to my best friend, nodding at the carboard party hat on his head.

He makes a face. “Honestly, I have no idea why I’m wearing this.”

Rose, also wearing a party hat, scowls at him. “BecauseWhen Harry Met Sallyends on New Year’s Eve and that’s Bodhi’s favorite movie.”

“Oh my God,” I mutter, that weird breathless laughter bursting out of me again, and then the music changes to Frank Sinatra.

“She said you’re supposed to run,” Leo says.

“Where is she?” I demand, yet again.

“Where do you think she is?” Alex asks.

My gaze immediately turns to the lake, where we kissed in a stupid swan boat on our first date. The torches and lanterns seem to stop at the edge of the water. It’s too dark to see the shore, but I don’t need light to know what’s waiting for me there.

I start to move in that direction, but Leo stops me. “Seriously. You’re supposed to run. She was very specific about that.”

I rub my aching belly. “I’m laughing too hard to run.”

“She said you would say that,” Dev says. “So she’s timing you.”

I look between the five of them. “She’s timing me?”

Rose nods. “Yup. She has a stopwatch and everything. Said you need to move your ass.”

“Apparently,” Leo says drily, “you running to find her is a very important part of this whole nightmare—” Rose must jab him with her elbow because he grunts in pain. When she glares at him, he sighs. “I mean, this whole amazingly beautiful and special night she planned for you.”

“She said it’s your favorite thing,” Alex says. “When characters in movies run to their love at the very end.”

I finally stop laughing, tears pricking my eyes. “No time for that,” Leo says, grabbing my arm. “She wasn’t messing around about timing you.” He gives me a little push, then leans in so only I can hear. “Go get her.”

I don’t need to be told twice. I take off running down the path toward the lake, hearing my friends and my sister cheer behind me. I’m not sure if it’s in my head, but the music seems to get louder as I pound across the pavement.

I was wrong about there being no lights down here—there’s one last torch, right on the edge of the lake. And standing next to it is Everly, a nervous smile on her beautiful face.

“Too much?” she asks before I reach her.

I don’t answer and I don’t slow down—I run straight to my girl and grab her, lifting her off the ground before my lips find hers.

“You’re insane,” I say against her mouth. “I love you so much.”

She laughs. “I love you, too.” She pulls back and searches my face. “Seriously, was it too much?”

“Since when have either of us ever worried about too much?”

“Good point.”

“I can’t believe you did all this.”