Air Kisses (28 page)

Until suddenly it all dawned on me.

‘Ahh, I see. I’m replacement therapy.’ I smiled and winked.

‘Well, no.’ He stopped and moved closer towards me. ‘It’s because, um…’ He looked to his right and tapped his foot. ‘Well, I guess it’s because I’m, maybe, kind of…a little bit into you. Okay, a
lot
into you.’

I blinked furiously as if clearing my vision would help me understand what had just been said.

He wiped his chin with his hand and then took his fingers back through his hair. ‘And I’m sorry to freak you out, Han, I really am, but I’ve felt this way for months, well, ever since that kiss, to be honest, before even, and Iz made me promise,
promise
, that I wouldn’t wait another day to tell you. I told her it was completely the wrong time, but she said it was the best time, the only time, and, well, you know what she’s like. Bossy. But her final words were literally “tell her”.’ He grinned sheepishly.

I was frozen, staring at Dec but blinking like mad. I had no idea what to say.

‘Han, I’m so sorry to spring this on you. Maybe just forget I said anything, and have an excellent weekend with your mum and dad. Okay. I’m going to let you drive away from the madman now. And again, I’m sorry to confuse you. Iz’s fault.’ He had quashed his smile, but his eyes still sparkled.

He leant in and kissed me delicately on the cheek. ‘Drive safe.’ I took in a deep breath of him, and found myself wanting to pull him close, but he moved away and started walking.

And then, just like Iz, he was gone.

I got into the car and sat there, my hand holding the key against the ignition, leaning forward with my head on the steering wheel, trying to make sense of what had just occurred.

Sweet cheeses, as Iz said.

Dec.
Dec!

My mind went back to our kiss. So it hadn’t been just a drunken thing! I thought back on all the times Iz had implied that Dec liked me. I’d always been flattered, but never actually thought anything would come of it. He was Dec! My lifelong crush! I shook my head as to how blind I had been… The flirting and the gentlemanly gestures… And all the while I’d been too focused on Jesse or Dan or my stupid rules to even see it. Turns out I didn’t even need my bloody rules to land a man.

I started the car and began winding my way up the car park’s concrete mountain.

As I came into the daylight, the sun shone directly onto me, filling the car and warming my skin. Dec liked me.
Dec liked me!
A warm, happy glow enveloped me.

I paid the cashier my seventy-five dollars without flinching. Who cared how much it cost? What had just happened within these walls was priceless.

My phone beeped several times. I pulled over to read my text messages before hitting the highway.

The first was from Don’t Answer. Unbelievable timing, as always.

Not likely, champ.

Pressing delete was tremendously cathartic. I resolved to
delete him permanently from not only my phone, but my life. It felt wonderful to be so resolute.

Another beep. Gabe.

I had to reread it. This? Coming from Gabe who knew nothing about what had just happened? Spooky. He would be thrilled to his frills to hear my Dec tale.

The third and most recent was from Dec.

I threw back my head and laughed with pure joy. I hardly recognised the laugh as it vibrated from within me. I felt extraordinarily good. No more dirty secrets. No more lies. No more bullshit. Life felt new, crisp, like things were changing, and finally for the good.

I placed my phone – the vessel of so much torture and elation – on the passenger seat, and then eased my way out onto the highway. As soon as I hit a decent speed, I turned on the radio.

‘Take It Easy’, my favourite song
ever
, came on.

I turned it up as loud as the speakers could handle. And as I sung along as loud as I could, I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face.

Apparently the spell was mutual.

Acknowledgements

Thank you, Kirsten Abbott, for seeing potential in my story, and for being the coolest, cleverest and most considerate publisher and editor a writer could hope for. Thank you, Mia, for suggesting I do this, for your support, props and help, and for introducing me to Tara.

Tara, thank you for keeping a sister grounded, for explaining things like ‘contracts’ and ‘rights’, and for being the best possible agent I could ask for. Thank you, Mum, for being such an extraordinary woman, mother, healer, supporter and teacher, and for having such a generous, thoughtful, radiant spirit. Thank you, Dad, for the top-shelf ‘wordy’ genetics, and for being unwavering in your support of my writing: how lucky I am to be able to learn from you and how much I cherish being able to discuss my work with you. I love you both more than these sentences permit me to show.

Thank you, Donk, for providing me with such an adorable character reference, (remember, ‘it’s fiction!’) and for always reminding me where exactly it is that eagles fly. Thank you and muchos love to Figgy, Levi, Honky, Pede, Marie, Panth, Barb, Foxy, Juz, Hamish, Rina, Danny and Tali for being so
excited for (and with) me throughout this adventure. Youse are worf your weight in gold, ay.

Thank you to the shiny, happy beauty industry for being so generous and supportive of my silliness; it’s the finest industry in the world, and I feel lucky to work within its glossy confines. Lastly, thank you, Meowbert, for your 24-7 company, your ridiculous face and for lovingly gnawing on the corner of my laptop as I type. You make my insides smile.

We hope you enjoyed this book.
Do you want to know about our other great reads, download free extracts and enter competitions?
If so, visit our website
www.allisonandbusby.com
.
Click to sign up to our monthly newsletter
for exclusive content and offers, news of our brand new releases, upcoming events with your favourite authors and much more.
And why not click to follow us on
Facebook
and
Twitter
?
We’d love to hear from you!

Z
OË
F
OSTER
says things like, ‘Have you ever considered a fringe?’ or, ‘You know, bronze eye-shadow would
really
suit you,’ far too frequently. She was the Beauty and Lifestyle Editor at
Cosmopolitan
magazine before becoming Beauty Director at
Harper’s BAZAAR
. Zoë is currently the Editor in Chief of online beauty destination
PRIMPED
, the author of the extremely excellent book you’re holding, and applying some lip gloss.

www.zoefoster.com.au