Page 91 of The Beta Test

Warm hands gently grab my biceps, catching me. I swallow the lump in my throat and look up. His brilliant blue eyes glitter in the light of the setting sun, his sandy hair flutters lightly in the breeze. For the first time, I notice there’s a ring of gold around his pupils, like hidden treasure.

“Did you know you have gold in your eyes?” I ask.

“Avery.” His hand comes up and moves a lock of hair behind my ear, sending a shiver through me. Some of the uncontrollable energy that I’d been running on the past hour sputters out immediately. “I’m wearing this hoodie for you. So you know who I am.”

I bite my lip. “You’re… you’re⁠—”

I stomp my foot and take a deep breath. Jake’s thumbs rub light circles on my arms—keeping me tethered to the earth so I don’t float away.

“You’re Mr. Pi?” I finally get out. My voice cracks.

His thumbs continue their soothing circles. “Yes.”

My face screws up with emotions. I… can’t wrap my head around this. There’s a part of me, deep down, that thought—maybe—it was Jake. But for it to be true?

My mind flips through the history of all my conversations with Mr. Pi: from mundane daily check-ins, to fun chitchat about snacks, to him supporting me through my total breakdown earlier in the year.

Then I tie that with the fact that he’s also Jake. Jake, who I’ve known since we were little, played with me and Jenna, braided my hair after swim class. The guy who helped me with calculus, pushed me to confront the Braden mystery, and supported me through the Great Doodle Debacle. Ugh!

Jake’s seen my warts and flaws from every angle this year. And yet… he’s still here, looking me right in the eyes and gently holding me together with his capable hands, like he has been for months. He's been there for me, and he still is. He wants to be here with me. For me.

But how did he⁠—?

“How did you know it was me?”

His face turns a little bashful. “I didn’t, at first. Honestly, I was hoping we’d be connected. I knew we should be.”

I pop an eyebrow at him.

“And I was right,” he continues, “since we were matched. I tested every connection the same way I'd tease you—and you're the only one who responded like Avery.”

“Wait, how many connections did you get exactly?”

Jake’s grin grows, making a dimple pop. “Are you jealous?”

“I’m examining the evidence. Maybe it was just luck you knew it was me.”

He shakes his head. “I knew it was you as soon as you started arguing about snacks like you were a lawyer defending them in a court of law.”

The evening air has cooled, and somewhere behind us the restaurant hums with muffled voices. He smiles softly. “Then the whole lactation conversation sealed the deal. There’s no way anyone else would have come up with that argument. Also… I watched you type it out from behind you in calculus.”

“Jake!”

“No regrets,” he says with a casual shrug. “I’ve been waiting for you for so long, Avery Marie James.” His hand glides from my arm to my cheek, his thumb brushing lightly along my skin like he’s memorizing me. His eyes lock on mine, and I can’t look away even if I wanted to. The hum of the restaurant fades away completely. “So long,” he murmurs again.

His eyes drop to my lips and his other hand comes up to cup my other cheek. He tilts my head back gently, moving slowly and reverently. My stomach swoops.

He’s going to kiss me.

If someone had told me last year I’d kiss Jake Taylor, I would have never believed it. But here I am, hands already grabbing his pi hoodie on their own. My feet shuffle closer.

Jake pauses, giving me the time to stop him if I want to.

I don’t.

I want Jake Taylor to kiss me.

He must see something in me shift, something he’s been waiting for. Whatever it is, he knows—I’m ready.