Three Magic Words

** Eli **

Eli was lightheaded. Never in his life had he felt so shocked, confused, and overwhelmingly elated all at the same time.

She said it was a true story. She said she was … in love with him. But how could that be possible? Even before Tyler, even back on the day of their mutual confessions at that swimming pool in Hawaii, he had assumed that her interest in him was a recent swoon. A passion of the moment that he was prepared to see waning with time, a precious but temporary blessing he would lose once the nature of his true self caught up with them. But how could she have already had those feelings for years … for over half a decade?

"H-Harper," he stumbled over his words as she pulled away, ending the ethereal kiss and the beautiful story he couldn't even dare to envision in his dreams. "I—"

He didn't know where to start. His mind was such a garble of thoughts that he was at a loss for words.