"You've worked at least three shifts in this pub, without getting paid, just to get to know me better." I can't get my head around this.
He's embarrassed, but I can see hope in his expression.
"You actually thought this might be a deal breaker for me?" I ask. He nods.
"Chris, I don't know what the fuck was going through your head when you decided to do this, but I'm so glad you did it."
"You are?" He steps forward, closer to me. His lips are twitching up into a smile, the first one he's managed since I stormed into the room.
"I'm not sure how we would have got to this place - a good place - we're at now if you hadn't taken that chance. Would it really have mattered that Kirsty outed you if we weren't already getting to know each other in here? I'm not sure. Would either of us have felt confident enough to put ourselves out there otherwise? No idea." I wind my arms around him. "Maybe you went about things in a strange way but it all worked out."
He closes his eyes and looks up at the ceiling. "Thank god," he murmurs. "I thought I'd ruined everything."
"You're a fucking weirdo," I say bluntly, before laughing again. "But if anything it's made me love you even more."
I haven't even realised what I've said until his hazel eyes widen. "You love me?" He asks huskily.
My face reddens. But I'm not taking it back. "Afraid so." I shrug.
Christ, that smile. It's blinding. Moody might have been a good look on teenage Chris, but happy on adult Chris is completely irresistible. "I've pretty much loved you since that moment you walked into my maths class eighteen years ago," he laughs. "So you've got a bit of catching up to do."
"It's not a contest," I object indignantly.
"Not one you'll win anyway," he chuckles, bending to kiss me.
"A-hem."
We break apart and turn to see Calum standing at the door. "Now that it looks like you've got everything sorted out, can I fire you?" He asks Chris, smiling.
"No, because I quit," he jokes.
"Actually, we are pretty busy tonight if you can maybe help out, and quit after that?" Calum asks, chancing his arm a bit.
"Sure. We'll call it my notice period."
Chris smiles down at me, and gives me one last quick kiss. Then, hand in hand, we walk back out to the bar.
YOU ARE READING
Happy Hour (A Romantic Comedy)
Romance~~~~~ One thing that most definitely hasn't changed is the power of those bright hazel eyes to reduce me to a puddle of mush. And I can't help but think of the last time I was looking into them, right after he kissed me and walked away 15 years ago...
