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“Annie, I have loved you for as long as I can remember ... and I always have you!”
Maddie and Cal 's surprise wedding. This night was sure to go down in history! Annie's mouth was numb from the kisses, and what kisses! They didn't let Annie wonder if it had all been real.
Ty loved her! All this time his love was reciprocated!
She just didn't scream because: a) that wasn't the place; b) if she screamed in front of everyone they would call her crazy and she would certainly be punished; and c) she was so happy that it would probably be more of a loud laugh than a scream!
And just when she thought she was composed, her breathing regulated and her heartbeat controlled; she catches his eye through the camera as he dances with Mrs. Paula, for her; and then she breaks down again.
“I want to dance with you!” He says soundlessly, where only she would understand.
Annie is breathless once more, “ Oh my God! What’s wrong with me today ?” she asks herself. She also wanted to dance with him in that ballroom, but when she looked to the side and saw her mother and aunt Helen angry; a chill runs down her spine and she quickly shakes her head at Ty . He looks at her worriedly and she answers without a sound:
"After!".
She continues photographing the dance floor: Kyle with Iris, Isaac with Katie, who is later asked by Cal to dance, and she also photographs the stepfather and stepdaughter. When the music stops, Paula kisses her eldest grandson and pulls Jimmy into the next dance, leaving Ty free to go to Annie.
She was taking another photo of the track when she said to him, who was standing next to her:
“You had me so busy that I grabbed the first lens I saw!”
He likes what he hears.
“Was it the right one?”
“ On target!”
He gives a silly smile and whispers in her ear:
“I’ll see you at the office?”
She waves, shivering, and he discreetly goes to the agreed place. While everyone is busy on the dance floor, Annie takes the secondary route and enters through the door that Kyle and Katie had interrupted them an hour before.
“I should be mad at you for letting me come dressed as a cowboy to your mother’s wedding!” she jokes when she arrives at the office. He’s fiddling with the magnolia-shaped lamp on his desk when he laughs out loud.
“If it helps, there’s no one more beautiful than you here tonight!” he says as he puts down the lamp and walks over to her, who was leaving the camera on the table. Great memories were in that singular object.
“Excuse me... Have you ever looked in the mirror?” She looks him up and down in that impeccable blue suit.
“Can we continue where we left off?” He steps closer and cups her cheek with one hand, while the other holds her hand.
“Where did we leave off? I have no idea what we were doing here before...” she teases and he closes the distance between them. It’s a calm but heated kiss.
When they separate, they press their foreheads together.
“I wish I had pulled you to dance! I swear I almost did!” He caresses her face “You and I dancing together, in a world of our own!”
“I know! But... Ty I need to breathe a little!” she asks calmly and he pulls back a little, examining her.
“Did something happen?” he asks worriedly.
“No, I... I'm really, really happy! But... It's a lot of information all at once!” She continues to hold his hand tightly before continuing. “I think my mom and Aunt Helen are a little mad at your... I don't know why, but... We grew up together. There's no Annie without Ty ... I...”
“Are you afraid of their reaction?” Annie nods. Ty gives her a sweet smile and leads her to the armchair.
“Come here” he sits down and places her on his lap.
Maybe for some couples it was too soon or too strange, but for them it was right. As if they were already together. So putting her on his lap was a way for him to calm her down and make her feel safe.
“I know what you mean! Our families are intertwined and whether we like it or not, this is going to be a long conversation.”
Annie waves again.
“How about we enjoy the night together? Let the adrenaline subside because I don’t know about you, but my heart is racing right now...” they laugh together “And keep this between us for now? Until you feel safe?”
Annie adjusts the collar of his suit.
“Maybe! But Ty ... Don't think I want to hide it, it's just...”
“I know!” and holding her face, he kisses her passionately once more.
for Ty , but he could see in her eyes that she was a little scared. And rightly so. Since they were little, it's always been Ty , Annie and Kyle. First days of school, birthday parties, margarita nights, even chicken pox and other illnesses they caught together. Of course, with Kyle it had always been different, but it was a life already shared. It was more than real what Annie was worried about. And he also had his insecurities about it, but honestly? With that woman by his side he could face anything!
“Can we go in or do you guys want to keep going and get caught by other people?” Kyle asks from outside the same door he and Katie had entered earlier.
Ty and Annie laugh, and stand up.
“You may come in!” The eldest Townsend replies.
“What’s your problem with the dark?” Katie asks as she walks in with her younger brother.
“When you’re older you’ll understand!” Kyle jokes and Annie glares at him.
After Katie turns on the office lights, Ty asks to speak to them and holding hands with Annie they ask her to keep a secret.
*-*
Annie almost asks Tyler if he knows the meaning of a secret because pulling her to dance and doing it with his arm around her waist didn't fit the definition of: keeping it between us for now .
But Ty was so happy, he couldn't help it. He had held back during the wedding dance so he wouldn't leave his grandmother early with Jimmy and catch her; and now with her so close, he couldn't help but do a dance move or two. But the frustration continued because every now and then it was either Lily, Gabe, or Cece who would step in between the two dancing.
However, fate smiled on them later. Gabe's parents had also been invited to the wedding so Ty encouraged his friend to introduce Cece as his girlfriend right there – Ty was eager to get rid of his friend. Sorry Gabe! And Katie was now dancing with Lily. So sending a message to his brother “ hold her there ” so she wouldn't look for Annie, he managed to put on his jacket and pull Annie out onto the balcony.
And there, seeing how hard Ty had fallen for her and that they were together, together for real; she realizes that asking for secrecy was a mistake! But not today. Not on Maddie and Cal's night. Today she just wanted to take advantage of him and let him tell her that she was his girlfriend! Annabelle Sullivan was Ty Townsend's girlfriend!
And that's how they ended up getting the time wrong. When they thought about returning to the hall, Maddie and Cal were already turning off the lights and going to enjoy their honeymoon. So they had to jump off the balcony to leave.
And between laughs, Ty jumped first and then picked her up so she wouldn't fall on the plants. But she laughed so much that they almost fell to the ground.
And the journey home? It was magical!
Hand in hand, for the first time on the streets of Serenity that were divided between trick and treat, Ty took her home.
Annie balanced on the curb while he helped her. They raced around one of the blocks. They swung on the playground that Annie had sworn to Cece and Lily the day before that they were just friends. LIARS! And Ty picked up some candy for her from one of the houses.
“I’m dressed as a boyfriend today, ma’am!” he replied to the hostess when she questioned his lack of costume. Annie couldn’t help but laugh behind him.
And when they arrived at the Sullivans ' block , Ty kissed her at every new house they passed. Making Annie laugh out loud.
But the best kiss, as always, was the next one, was at the entrance to her balcony. He hugged her around the waist, while she held his neck. It felt like the first kiss after several that night.
“I could do this all night!” he says.
“I know! Me too!” they kiss once more. “Good night, boyfriend!”
One more kiss:
“Good night, girlfriend!” He walks up the stairs with her.
The light in the living room turns on and Annie runs to the front door of the house, but he follows her.
“Ty!”.
“The last one! I promise!”
And then they kiss again, making as little noise as possible.
“I’m going to dream about you tonight!” He says completely in love.
“I don’t even know if I’m going to sleep!” Annie gives him a peck on the lips and slowly pushes him away. “Go!”
He kisses her hand and walks backwards down the stairs, watching her until she closes the door.
To those around the Sullivan house , please note: The cheers you heard on Halloween night weren't for a team winning a championship. It was just a guy in love who had won his girl! Don't be mad, please! Let love win!
And Annie was right, sleeping that night would be an achievement. Katie and Kyle were enjoying a sleepover with their new grandmother when Ty arrived, but he was so spaced out that he didn't hear the invitation and went straight to his room. And when he got there, he immediately returned Annie's call. And they talked for a long time; until he was induced by Katie to attend the sleepover downstairs, otherwise she would 'accidentally' tell Paula and Iris what she saw in the office between him and Annie that night.
Annie laughed out loud when she heard the ultimatum and asked Ty to come down. But before Katie could take the phone from him, because Ty and Annie couldn't decide who would end the call first, he said:
“I will still dance with you!”