Chapter 17 - Same Time Next New Year's

My mouth drops. “What?”

“I know,” he sighs. “But I brought hand warmers.” He shows me his gloved hands that have a protruding bump coming from the palms. “And I stuffed some in my shoes.” We both look down at his boots.

“Why have you been here all day?” I look back up at him and ask, “That’s like,” I sputter, “a long time, Leo.”

He smiles. “I was worried that maybe you would come early, and I didn’t want to risk missing you.”

I shake my head and laugh, the shock not yet fading at all. “I can’t believe you’ve been waiting here that long.”

“Jo,” he laughs on his exhale, “I’ve been waiting for you for a year.”

My hands go up, and just as I’m about to drop my face into them, I feel hands gently touch me. I lift my eyes back to his face and see that he’s looking at me so carefully and adoringly.

“I was hoping that you were,” I admit softly and make a small laugh turned cry sound when I feel a tear slip down my cheek.

Before I’m able to apologize for crying, his hand reaches up and gently brushes the tear away with his finger tips. I can’t look away from his eyes, his perfect brown eyes that have mine firmly in their grasp. His hand drops and he makes a few movements and shifts before he reaches up again, this time with his hand ungloved, and brushes his warm bare fingers across my cheek again. I think I might sigh and lean into him because his face softens and his eyes turn molten.

“What are you doing from now on?” he asks.

I feel my brows pull in in confusion. “From now on?”

“Yeah, starting now and going into your entire future.” He grins.

“Okay, this has been the best experience of my entire life.” Leo and I turn at the sound of Liz’s voice. I let out a sheepish chuckle, forgetting she was even there. “I was in the room where it happened, Leo. I just knew it would work out. Didn’t I say that, Jo? I’ve said it all day today. I said it all year, and—” she starts walking towards us, her hands moving dramatically as she speaks, “—I said it when you were still just a ‘wrong number.’ Didn’t I say that, Jo?” Her gaze fixes on me, cheeks pink with cold but eyes bright with happiness.

“It’s true, she did.” I grin at her, before looking at Leo. “Leo, this is Liz, my sister.”

Leo’s smile grows and his eyes warm even more as he looks at Liz and offers him his hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Liz.”

“It’s nice to meet you, too, Mr. Wrong Number.” She shakes his hand and Leo shakes his head with amusement. “So you were saying something about what happens now? With the rest of Jo’s future?”

I let out a laugh, playfully pushing Liz away. “Hopefully right now that just involves finding heat and somewhere to sit,” I croak out, my body starting to realize how tired it really is.

“Okay, let’s get you two somewhere warm,” he says, smiling wide. But before we’re able to move from this spot, the people around us start getting loud. I turn my head to figure out what’s going on.

I realize they’re counting down. We must be close to midnight.

I look back at Leo with a smile. “I’m guessing the ball is about to drop?”

He nods, his grin seeming to be permanently etched on his face. “Thank you for traveling all this way to meet a stranger on one of the craziest nights of the year.”

I laugh. “Crazier things have happened.” We both smile, remembering our words from one year ago.

“I know it’s kind of crazy to say this,” he starts, “but today is the best day I’ve ever had.”

I roll my lips into my mouth and bite down, but still not able to hold back my smile. “Me too.” And my words are true. Despite my aching body and the almost unbearable cold, despite the year of sadness, anger, longing, and quiet hoping—this moment makes it all worth it. In my peripheral vision, I see Liz slowly backing away from us, giving us a moment I presume.

Cheers erupt from all around us, and I instinctively turn to look at the source of the sounds. Yells of “Happy New Year!” sound from all around us. People jumping up and down in celebration, couples kissing, friends hugging, people throwing back drinks. I turn back to Leo who is watching me intently.

“Would it freak you out if I kissed you right now?” he asks, his eyes dancing with light.

“I’ll freak out if you don’t,” I admit with a laugh, feeling empowered by my honesty and confidence.

He lets out a breath of relief. A breath that almost sounds like he’s been holding it in for a really long time. He reaches his hands up to my face, holding me like I’m something precious. His face leans towards mine, so slowly and my heart races with each inch that closes between us. My eyes stay on his and only close when I feel his cool lips touch mine—so gently and reverently. He pulls away just as slowly, and I open my eyes to look at him. His eyes are closed and his mouth is slightly parted but quirked into a smile.

He opens his eyes and finds mine. “Did that feel as perfect to you as it did to me?”

“It felt like everything just fell into place,” I say, not even worried about being too forward. From somewhere behind me I hear a squeal that only Liz would be able to make.

Leo nods. “Yeah. Exactly.”

I look up at him—his face that somehow feels more familiar to me than logic says it should. A face that I’m certain I could look at forever and never grow tired of. So holding onto the confidence he continually helps me feel, I say, “I don’t want this to end, whatever this is.”

“You promise?” he asks, his voice dripping in vulnerability while still coated in hope.

“I promise,” I tell him seriously.

And then he pulls me into his arms and holds me tight, as if making up for the 364 days we waited for each other.