by Cassie Mae
When Brit has Seth in place she says, “Now stay there. Don’t move.”
In a few seconds she’s back at the top of the auditorium. I showed her which buttons to press, which I knew because Seth showed me at one point. With a snap of a switch, the stage is illuminated in a soft glow. And Seth is standing in the center.
He shields his eyes and looks up at Brit in the light booth. “Um, I still have no idea what’s going on.”
“Hi’ya, stranger,” I say in my best Ado Annie accent. Seth turns around so fast he almost hits himself in the head with his cast, then reaches to grab his hurt ribs.
“Kate! Hi.” His eyes are big and cheeks so red, I can even see them in this low lighting. “Uh…” He looks around at the empty stage, then back at me. “What’s up?”
I stop about two feet away from him and take a deep breath. There is sweat pooling in my hands and along my bra. I snap the hairband on my wrist, then run my hand through my hair.
Holy crap. I’m nervous.
My breath instantly leaves. I’m never nervous. Need someone to shoot the winning basket? Give it to Kate. Need someone to give the speech at the banquet? Kate will do it; she loves talking in front of people. Need someone to talk to a teacher about a project? Just have Kate do it; all the teachers like her. But have Kate tell a boy her feelings?
Then the nerves come.
“Kate?” Seth crosses the distance between us and stands in front of me, his eyes searching mine. He looks nervous—eyebrows scrunched together, teeth clenched tight—the same expression he wears fairly often.
I was such a fool for not seeing what this was before I almost lost him. For not comprehending there was so much more to that electrifying stage kiss than good acting. For not realizing the reason I wanted to spend more time with him wasn’t just because he was a nice person.
It’s because he’s the person.
“Look, Kate—”
“Shh.” I hold my finger up to his lips but accidently stick them a little too far so he slobbers all over it. We both laugh and finally I am able to hurdle my nerves and get to the point. I wipe his spit off on my pants and grab both his hands, one being more difficult due to the large cast.
“About two months ago we stood here as Will and Annie. In front of hundreds of people we expressed how much we cared for each other.” I smile wide and wink. “We even shared a kiss or two.” Then I let my face get serious. “But that was as Will and Annie.”
It’s really hot in here. And the air is so thick. Why the heck am I so nervous?
I’m nervous because that’s what happens when you really want something. When it would destroy you if you couldn’t get it, or if you lost it.
I’m nervous because this means so much to me. He means so much to me.
And I’m not certain he feels the same way.
Seth smiles, his amazing gray eyes shining in the spotlight. “We did make a really good Will and Ado Annie.”
I laugh a bit. “Yeah, we did.” Then I force my eyes to find his, and hold his gaze.
“But on that stage something happened to Kate and Seth.” I gulp and feel my heart pounding. “Or at least, I know something happened to me.”
I really would just love him to hold me right now. Like he did at the hospital when I was supposed to be taking care of him. But I have to stop chickening out. I have to stop playing it safe. I have to stop acting like he’s just a really great friend, just a JJT friend, because he’s so much more than that to me.
“I-I was hoping we could try that kiss again. As Seth and Kate.”
As the last syllable leaves my lips, Seth’s hand leaves mine and wraps around my head, pulling me toward him. There’s a second of hesitation, where I’m breathing him in, and he’s breathing in me. Then I throw my hands around his face and pull him the rest of the way.
Our lips move together as wonderfully as the first time, when it was on stage and we were performing. When I was an idiot and thinking all this was “fake,” thinking that the feelings weren’t passing between us as they are now.
That same electric current is running from him to me and into this stage. There is nothing fake about this.
I try to come up for air, but Seth wraps his unbroken arm around me tighter and I figure I don’t need air. I need Seth. I need him for the way he makes me feel. The way he slows the world down. The way he makes everything seem so simple, even if it’s not.
Eventually, he needs air too, so he slowly pulls away as we both gasp for oxygen. Ever so gently he runs the tips of the fingers poking through his cast over my cheek.
“So,” he breathes, “are we going to have time for this?”
He doesn't say it, but I know what “this” means. This means us. This means a commitment to someone else, to putting that person on the top of the list of priorities. Asking means he’s willing. And if I were honest with myself, I’ve known that for a long time. I’ve just been too blind…too afraid…to change the priority list. But being a little afraid, being nervous, is a good thing. It means this is important and we shouldn't live without it.
I pull Seth closer to me, looking into those gray eyes, making it so that I can see nothing else.
“There's always time for this,” I whisper and when he smiles I know he agrees.
And we seal it with a kiss.
From Kelley Lynn:
Oh my word, it’s finally here! Our book is in your hands! I cannot believe we wrote this five years ago. It honestly still feels like yesterday.
One of the most special parts about this book (and really any collaboration project) is that the work naturally brought me closer to the person I wrote it with. Five years ago, Cassie and my friendship was just starting out. Through Seth and Kate, I got to know Cassie, as we shared our own high school experiences and reminisced about those days long gone (not as long gone five years ago, but still…haha). It was truly a wonderful experience to partner with Cassie on this project, projects since then, and as business partners. I can’t wait to see what the next five years, and beyond, hold for us and our friendship.
Many, many thanks to all those who critiqued this book. Our Beta Peeps are truly special. I am so proud of each of you and so lucky to have your eyes on my work. I am a better writer, and a better person, because of you.
Big thanks to my family and friends for supporting me in this journey as an author. Jenny, my dear sister, I don’t think there’s that much of you in Kate’s sisters, but I’ve said that before and you told me I was wrong (ha). In either case, I can’t wait to hear what you think. Love you.
There’s certainly a bit of my parents in Kate’s parents, and though growing up I had to learn lessons I would rather have not learned, I’m better for it. Thanks for supporting me in everything that I did (and still do). Carting me around to every practice, rehearsal, school meeting and more. (Until that blessed day I got my license.) The memories I have from those experiences are priceless. I love you so much.
I do also want to send a thank you to all the coaches, directors, group leaders and teachers I’ve had. It’s because of the time you dedicated that I have such wonderful memories to look back on. (And great inspiration for a lot of this book.)
Lastly, to you, the reader. I hope you enjoyed Kate and Seth’s story.
Cassie, we did it! Let’s celebrate!
I’ll bring the Gatorade. ;)
From Cassie Mae:
Thank you, publishing gods, for finally letting us see this book in print! It’s been five very long years waiting and stressing, but man, it was worth it.
Thank you, Jamba Juice, for tasting so good and being a main source of writing fuel during the drafting of Seth and Kate’s story.
Thank you, reader, for picking up this book. An enthusiastic “Yee-haw!” shout out to you!
Thank you, Awesome Nerds, for reminding me always that the force is with me ;)
Thank you, Beta Peeps, for staying with Kelley and me through the very long journey of Stage Kissed. I don’t even remem
ber who beta read this one because that was more than three days ago, and long gone is my memory. But you all rock.
Thank you, Mom, because I would hear an earful if I didn’t include you in the book that is your favorite of mine! Thank you for supporting this one from the get go. Love you so much!
Thank you, Jenny, for knowing all about my obsession love for Oklahoma! and joining me in it.
Thank you, children, for giving me so much inspiration for my writing. Especially the crying baby scenes ;)
Thank you, hubby—who I usually save for last, but not this time—for being the Will to my Ado Annie.
And finally, thank you to my collaborator, business partner, and friend. Kelley, this book is easily one of my favorites, and I’m grateful for all the drama that surrounded the entire journey, because I got to spend so much time with you. Love you, friend, and sohcahtoa. :D
Eventually the day came when the voices in Kelley Lynn’s head were more insistent than her engineering professor’s. So instead of turning to her Thermodynamics book, Kelley brought up a blank page on her computer screen and wrote. Somewhere along the way, she became a young adult author.
You can find Kelley hanging out at her facebook page. She loves talking to readers at [email protected].
Cassie Mae is the author of a dozen or so books. Some of which became popular for their quirky titles, characters, and stories. She likes writing about nerds, geeks, the awkward, the fluffy, the short, the shy, the loud, the fun.
Since publishing her bestselling debut, Reasons I Fell for the Funny Fat Friend, she’s published several titles with Penguin Random House and founded CookieLynn Publishing Services. She is represented by Sharon Pelletier at Dystel, Goderich, and Burret LLC. She has a favorite of all her book babies, but no, she won’t tell you what it is. (Mainly because it changes depending on the day.)
Along with writing, Cassie likes to binge watch Parks and Recreation and enjoys every Harry Potter weekend. She likes kissing her hubby, but only if his facial hair is trimmed. She also likes cheesecake to a very obsessive degree.
You can stalk, talk, or send pictures of Luke Bryan to her on her Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/cassiemaeauthor
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Also by Kelley Lynn
The Princess and the Thief
Rainbows and Raindrops
Half Truths and Absolutes
Fraction of Stone
Fraction of Hope
Fraction of Earth
Fraction of Faith
One Wish Away
Road to Somewhere
Also by Cassie Mae
Young Adult
Reasons I Fell for the Funny Fat Friend
You Can’t Catch Me
Friday Night Alibi
Secret Catch
Stage Kissed
YA Series
How to Date a Nerd
How to Seduce a Band Geek
How to Hook a Bookworm
King Sized Beds and Happy Trails
Beach Side Beds and Sandy Paths
Lonesome Beds and Bumpy Roads
True Love and Magic Tricks
New Adult
Switched
The Real Thing
Unexpectedly You
Broken Records
Romance
Doing It for Love
No Interest in Love
Crazy About Love
Flirty Thirty
Make Lemonade
Pillowtalk
The Princess and the Pizza Man
