by Judy Corry
She narrowed her eyes like she wasn't sure she believed me. "But it might be way easier with someone else..."
I laughed. "Stop trying to talk me out of it, Lexi. You're stuck with me. I don't want to be with anyone else. As crazy as it may seem to anyone on the outside, I kind of really dig the whole nerdy vibe you've got going on."
"You do?" she asked.
I smiled and stepped closer. "I totally do."
"Good." She smiled back.
"Now get over here and give me a kiss before I go home. It sounds like this might be our last moment alone for a while."
She closed the gap between us, and I gave her a kiss that told her just how much I wanted to stick around with her.
37
Lexi
Noah was waiting for me at the front of the school the next morning.
Easton stepped up beside me and spoke in a low voice. "Looks like your boyfriend is waiting for you." He was still a little touchy over the fact that he really did have to share his best friend with me now, but I figured he'd get over it eventually. Maybe if things didn't work out between him and Mercedes we could try a double date with Juliette sometime. I had definitely noticed some sparks between them before she left, and he had acted really depressed those first couple of weeks she was gone.
Easton made it through the door, and he and Noah briefly nodded to each other. And that was it—no conversation, no hellos, just Easton heading inside the building.
"That was weird," I commented, nodding toward my brother's retreating back.
Noah shrugged. "It's okay. We'll figure things out soon, I'm sure." Then he held his hand out for me to take. "You ready to face everyone on our first official day as boyfriend and girlfriend?"
I took his hand and smiled. "I've been waiting for this day for longer than you probably know."
He grinned. "Now how long is that exactly?"
I shook my head, not believing I was actually okay talking about my long-time crush on him. "Pretty much since you played Go-Fish with me that one day in middle school."
He squeezed my hand and led me further inside. "You mean the day that Easton wouldn't let you play that train game and you went off and cried on the staircase?"
I blushed, remembering how ridiculous he must have thought I was back then. But then I realized something else. "You actually remember?"
He smiled. "Of course. I mean, I don't just play Go-Fish with anyone."
"Well, I'm glad I made your list even back then." We arrived at my locker.
"Me too." He looked back at me and winked. Then he leaned his shoulder against the locker beside mine. "So, this is probably your last chance to back out of dating me before you see Harrison in band."
"And why would I want to stop dating you because I'll be seeing Harrison?" I cocked an eyebrow.
He scratched a spot on his cheek. "I think I overheard that Justin Banks is coming out with a new movie soon, and I know how you feel about watching his movies with Harrison."
I whacked him in the arm.
"Ow." He rubbed the spot where I'd smacked him, but the smile on his face was huge.
"So does that mean you're not interested in Harrison, or are you just not into the Justin Banks movie?"
"How about neither."
"Neither? Really?"
"Yes. We both know which impossible crush I was trying to forget about when I decided to chase Harrison to that last movie."
"Who?" He tried to look innocent as he stepped closer, his intoxicating cologne making it hard for me to remember how to talk for a moment. "Who were you trying to forget, sweet Lexi?" He ran his thumb slowly across my jawline.
I blinked my eyes shut for a moment before getting lost in his gaze again. "You know it was always you, Noah."
He smiled at me softly. "Thanks for being patient enough to let me figure out that you were always the one for me, too."
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NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR
Word-of-mouth is crucial for any author to succeed. If you enjoyed IT WAS ALWAYS YOU, please review it on Amazon—even if it’s just a sentence or two. It makes a huge difference and is very much appreciated.
Thanks!
Judy
Coming Fall 2018
Easton and Juliette’s Story
They broke the rules. He broke her heart. Does their love deserve a second chance?
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Also By Judy Corry
Ridgewater High Series:
Meet Me There (Ashlyn and Luke)
Don’t Forget Me (Eliana and Jess)
It Was Always You (Lexi and Noah)
Coming Fall 2018—My Second Chance (Juliette and Easton)
Protect My Heart
The Billionaire Bachelor
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I need thank my wonderful husband, Jared, for believing in this writing dream of mine and helping me make it happen. I couldn’t do this without you!
Thanks to James, Janelle, Jonah, and Jade for letting me talk about my books and characters with you. I love it when you ask me to read them to you. I’m so lucky to have your support!
To my critique partners—Anne-Marie Meyer, Victorine Lieske, Michelle Pennington, Brookie Cowles, and Cassie Shiels. Without your amazing insights and support, this story wouldn’t be what it is today!
To my beta-readers whose feedback is invaluable: Julie L. Spencer, Idena Ward, Ashley Brown, Amy Meyer, Jami-Lyn Niles and Michelle Carter. Thank you for taking a chance on another book!
To Precy Larkins, for taking me on again and staying up late to edit this quickly. You are my favorite and I’m so happy each time I get to work with you!
Thank you to all my family and friends for your love and support through this crazy adventure of mine. I couldn’t do it without you.
Thank you to the members of my online writing community—especially The Writing Gals—who have been so willing to share your wisdom and help make this publishing adventure so much less daunting than it would have been on my own.
I’m especially thankful to my Heavenly Father for the inspiration when I don’t know what to do with my stories and for the gift of perseverance to keep going when things get hard. I couldn’t do this without His help.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Judy Corry has been addicted to love stories for as long as she can remember. She reads and writes Clean and YA Romance because she can't get enough of the feeling of falling in love. She graduated from Southern Utah University in an area that has nothing to do with writing. Some of her favorite things are chick flicks, singing, and playing the piano. She believes in swoon-worthy kisses and happily ever afters.
Judy met her soul mate while in high school, and married him a few years later. She and her husband are raising four beautiful and crazy children in Southern Utah.