I leaned down and put my lips on his. There was a gasp from someone on our left, and a whistle, after a moment, from someone on our right. I let go of Julian’s hands so I could wrap my arms around him instead. His lips parted and I slipped my tongue inside.
Let people watch.
We were done hiding.
24
Julian
I melted into Connor’s arms, kissing him, thoroughly, right there in front of everyone. I didn’t know if it was the kiss or the audience, but I was positively dizzy, and when Connor tilted me back, I had to cling to his shirt for balance.
My tongue tangled with his as someone whistled, and Connor laughed into the kiss. When we finally broke apart, I was gasping for air.
Connor grinned. “And now?”
“No regrets at all.” I smiled so hard my face hurt.
Was this what it always felt like? Kissing the person you loved in public? This heady mix of lust and embarrassment and heat? Even with everyone’s eyes on me, I’d never felt more free.
“Well now that that’s settled,” Deacon said from somewhere behind Connor, “maybe we should go back to the Wisteria and give Mal the good news.”
My cheeks were on fire before I realized Deacon was probably referring to Nora’s article, and not me and Connor.
The two of us were the closest to the front of the coffee shop, so we were the first out the door. That meant we were also the first to see Mal and Lily coming up the sidewalk towards us.
“Mal!” Connor said. “We were just heading back to find you guys.”
Mal laughed. “Lily and I were coming here to do the same thing. The paper came, and I thought you’d want to see it as soon as…”
His words trailed off as Em, Tate, Deacon, and Nora spilled out through the doors, and Mal saw the paper in Nora’s hands.
“Oh.” He smiled ruefully. “I guess you’ve already seen it.”
“Come to spread the word?” Deacon said, throwing an arm around Mal’s waist.
“Unnecessarily, as it turns out.”
Deacon kissed him on the cheek. “It’s the thought that counts.”
“Uncle Connor. Uncle Connor.”
Lily’s voice cut through the buzz of conversation and I looked down to see her tugging on Connor’s arm.
“What’s up, munchkin?” Connor asked.
She motioned for him to bend down and then whispered—not particularly quietly—into his ear. “Why is he here?”
She didn’t point at me, but it was obvious from her look that I was the ‘he’ in question.
“What do you mean?” Connor didn’t bother to lower his voice. “You know Julian, don’t you?”
“Hey, Lily,” I said gently, understanding what Connor hadn’t picked up on yet. “How’s your weekend going?”
She stared at me for a moment, her eyes large, before she answered monosyllabically. “Good.”
Then she turned to Connor and said in that same stage whisper, “Are you and Mr. Jackson friends?”
“Mr. Jackson?” Connor frowned. “You don’t have to call him that, Lil.”
I laughed. “Connor, don’t you remember how weird it was to see teachers outside of school? Cut her some slack.”
Lily cocked her head to the side, studying me, before saying abruptly, “Are you really friends with my uncle?”
“I am. We’ve known each other for a long time.”
“Oh.”
“And you can call me Julian or Mr. Jackson outside of school. Whatever makes you more comfortable, okay?”
“Okay.” She pressed her lips together, assimilating that information.
“You might see Julian around a little more these days,” Connor said. “He might come by the Wisteria sometimes. Is that alright?”
Lily nodded slowly. Then a smile crept across her face. She looked back at me. “Do you know Connor the way Tate knows Uncle Emory?”
“What kind of question is that?” Connor asked, mock-outraged. Lily giggled.
“Something like that,” I told her. “Is that alright with you?”
Lily just giggled again and skipped away, wrapping herself around Deacon’s leg.
“You know you basically just told a ten-year-old that you know me biblically,” Connor said, straightening. “A ten-year-old who goes to your school. No chance of keeping things quiet now.”
“I’m pretty sure me kissing you in The Roastery already killed that chance. Besides,” I said, taking a step forward and wrapping my arms around his waist, “I don’t want to keep it quiet.”
It was the smallest thing, but touching Connor, feeling our bodies pressed together, multiplied the happiness inside my chest like some kind of love exponent. I was hugging Connor. In broad daylight. Because we didn’t have to hide anymore.
It was so simple.
Why had it taken me so long?
Connor brushed a finger across my brow. “You sure you’re