Nice one, Kiara.
Sadness consumes me. I guess I’m too late, after all.
Nath stands and makes her way towards me, along with Bree and Stefi. Delia’s disappeared.
I give my friends a half-wave, then bolt down the stairs, away from the Inn.
The tears come hot and heavy as I dart to my cabin, hoping that Jonathan didn’t come this way. Or maybe hoping he did. It’s clear that our relationship is over. Officially, this time.
I slip into my cabin and slam the door, then collapse on the floor and let the tears flow. In Jonathan’s eyes, I’m back to being ‘Kiara the Queen’ and he’s back to being ‘Golden Boy.’ Come next Monday, we’ll be at Edendale High, lobbing insults from afar.
I made a mistake.
I followed my fear instead of listening to my heart. All of my most treasured moments this summer included Jonathan. These moments were special because of him, not because of the wildlife and nature, or the weddings, or even the photography.
Mom was wrong. It was never about finding time for love, but about making time for love when it found you.
I wipe away my tears, grab my suitcase, and start stuffing clothes inside. I’ve done everything I need to do at Legacy Inn. There’s no point in me staying for the last day. Jonathan’s made it abundantly clear how he feels about me. I don’t particularly want to stick around and face him. I’ll be doing enough of that over this final year at Edendale High.
There should be buses running early tomorrow. I press my little black dress into my suitcase and resolve to hop on the first bus. Knowing my mom, she won’t be around, so I’ll have a few days to mope before school starts.
I put my suitcase on the floor and turn off the light in my cabin for the last time. I glance around the room as a stupid part of me wishes that Jonathan might change his mind, might come and find me.
I tuck myself into my bed, bringing my blanket right under my chin as the tears slide sideways down my face. Up until I fall asleep, I wish to hear a knock on my door. We don’t need to get back together; I just want him to forgive me.
But the knock never comes, and each moment throws me deeper into an unpleasant sleep.
54
Jonathan
It’s almost time. I hope this works.
My heart races as I walk through the darkness around the cabins. A layer of dew covers the grass, but I barely notice my soaking shoes. I gingerly make my way into my cabin, grab a single item, then exit.
A small strip of grass separates my cabin from Kiara’s. I stand near the window and summon my courage.
Knock. Knock.
My knuckles rap lightly against the glass and I listen for any sign of life in the cabin. But there’s only silence.
I knock again, slightly louder. This time, I hear a soft moan and some movement from inside the cabin. Overhead, the dark sky is taking on a bluish hue.
I knock one last time.
The curtains slide open.
Kiara glares, her hair piled high onto her head. Somehow, she’s still one of the most beautiful people I’ve ever seen. I motion for her to open the window, and reluctantly, she does.
“Come with me,” I whisper. I repeat the words that tied us together before our first cliff jump. “Trust me. One more time. Please.”
She narrows her eyes.
My heart beats so loudly the noise will surely wake the entire Inn. She has no reason to trust me, but I’m hoping luck might swing in my favor.
She closes the window and shuts the curtains.
I take a step back. A decision has been made, but which way will it go?
I wait.
And wait.
And wait.
My hopes crash and burn. She won’t be coming with me. She put herself out there, took a leap of faith, and I wasn’t there to catch her. Now she’s—
Her cabin door opens. She steps out wearing a hoodie and shorts.
I smile, bound over to her, and grab her hand. She doesn’t intertwine her fingers with mine, but she doesn’t pull away, either.
It takes two steps for her to figure out where we’re going.
This morning, we reach the Legacy summit in record time. Without saying a word, we look at each other, silently count to three, then lift our heads to take in the scene in one look. Together.
55
Jonathan
The Legacy summit is a mirror image of our first date. There’s a blanket for us to sit, and the spot is lit by candles. The sky is still dark blue, so the effect is especially pronounced. The air is calm, and it feels like we’re up in space, above the entire world.
Kiara takes in the scene and her adorable half-smile returns. She lets go of my hand, wordlessly moves to the blanket, and pats the spot next to her.
I sit.
She shivers.
I hand her the coffee mug I brought up.
Still not saying anything, but now grinning, she wraps her hands around it. She takes a sip, her eyes gazing into mine, waiting for me to talk. She told me her truth in the staff room, and now it’s time for me to return the favor.
How on earth am I going to get the words right?
“This summer has been everything,” I say. “I’ve never met someone so stubborn.”
She cocks an eyebrow, but she’s still grinning.
“Someone so stubborn, and so brilliant. And confident. And headstrong.”
She sets her coffee down and takes my hands. She rubs one of her thumbs along mine.
“I don’t care about being the Inn’s official photographer. I don’t care about the Eagles. Or Edendale. I don’t care about any of that, because none of that means anything if I can’t be with you. This whole insane competition doesn’t matter to me if it means losing you. I’m going to tell Delia I’m stepping down.”
Her mouth twitches, but she still says nothing.
“At the wedding, Isabella asked me to dance in exchange for not telling anyone that I was here.” It’s hard to look Kiara in the eye, but I do my best. “And that’s one of my biggest regrets. I love photography, and I shouldn’t be trying to keep it a secret. You should never keep the things you love a secret. And that’s why I don’t want to keep you a secret. To keep us a secret. If there’s still an us — and I’m really hoping there is.”
Every word is true.
The sun rises slowly, the sky a swirl of beautiful pastels. A late summer breeze surrounds us with the scent of pine. The candles flicker.
“I came up here alone yesterday,” Kiara says, her voice barely above a whisper. “Because of you, I’m climbing mountains in the dark. And not just because it makes a great photo op. But because I want to. Because life is about climbing mountains and taking chances and living.”
I squeeze her hands.
“I’m so sorry for what I said,” Kiara says. “I know how hard you work. I know how difficult it must have been for you to come here. You stood up to the world to pursue something you love.”
My heart sings. Kiara always speaks the truth. She continues. “You have done something amazing this summer, Jonathan. And you never cease to amaze me.”
“But,” I say. “I still have one regret.”
She raises her eyebrows.
“I didn’t get to dance with you at the wedding.”
She stands, her half-smile on her face. “So dance with me now.”
I stand and take her in my arms. She wraps her arms around my neck and rests her head on my chest. We sway side to side to a soundless rhythm that only we can hear. I feel the warmth of her body and smell the shampoo in her hair. She fits perfectly in my arms.
“I love you, Kiara.”
She tilts her head. “And I you.”
Slowly, I take her face in my hand. I want to extend this perfect moment for as long as possible. As we slow dance on the mountaintop, the sun rising, the sky a vibrant collection of colors, my lips meet hers. We kiss with the softness of whispered secrets, and there’s a profound sense of peace.
She p
ulls away, a smile on her face. She takes my camera from its bag and holds it out in front of us.
“Say Legacy!”
She smiles, and right before the shutter clicks, I kiss her on the cheek. She scrunches her face and laughs.
No matter where life takes us, I know that the world is better when Kiara is by my side.
56
Kiara
“Jump!” I squeal and take a deep breath.
I run towards the ledge and then, at the last moment, hold back. Jonathan flies through the air ahead of me, plunging into the freezing water below. He surfaces and I’m almost falling over laughing.
He laughs when he sees that I’ve tricked him. “Think you’re so funny? I’m going to get you.”
We’ve been playing around in the canyon for a long while, trying to take advantage of our final few hours at the Inn. It’s a warm August day, thankfully, but the water is chilly.
I stick my tongue out at him and do a little dance on the perch, my eyes glancing on cardboard Kade, staring at us intensely from behind a bush.
Never one to admit defeat, Jonathan squeezed in one last prank. This morning, after watching the sunrise on Legacy summit, he took my hand and led me back to the canyon, just as we used to do earlier in the summer. My entire being felt warm, happy, at peace.
Until I saw it.
He led me onto the perch and I was getting ready to lean in for a kiss when I noticed a pair of dark eyes staring at us.
I jerked away from him as I processed the shocking scene.
“What the?!”
Kade Monroe was staring at us from behind a bush. Holding a snake.
I instinctively took a step back, my breath catching. But, of course, I stepped into thin air.
When I surfaced in the water, bobbing and spluttering, Jonathan was keeled over laughing. He had his arm around Kade. That’s when I realized that golden boy had somehow fashioned a life-sized cardboard version of Kade Monroe.
Now, I screech as he hops out of the water and runs full tilt up the side of the canyon, grabbing my arm and wrapping me in a massive bear hug. Within moments, I’m pressed up against his very cold and wet body.
“See, it’s not so bad.”
His voice is low as he looks into my eyes. I suddenly don’t want to laugh anymore. He runs his fingers through my hair and kisses me, leaving me breathless.
He takes me in his arms and I’ve never felt so happy. This just feels right.
Or so I thought.
He gazes into my eyes, and I see a glimmer of... something.
Something suspicious.
I suddenly realize his plan and try to wriggle out of his grasp. It’s too late.
With me in his arms, he runs towards the edge of the perch. I let out a scream as we both fly through the air, landing in the water with a massive splash.
When I rise to the surface, I can’t stop laughing. I grab his hand and pull him to me, trying to steal his warmth.
His hands run along my arms and down my sides, leaving a trail of goosebumps. I circle my arms around his neck and kiss him deeply.
Eventually, we head back to our cabins to get ready for lunch. Delia will make her final announcements before we all head home. I quickly grab my shorts and a hoodie from my packed bag, unable to keep the smile off my face.
“So…” Jonathan asks as we stroll hand in hand down the gravel path towards the Inn. “How does it feel to have obliterated me in the social media post competition this summer?”
“I’m surprised I didn’t kick your butt a little more.” I grin. “But it feels pretty good, golden boy.”
Jonathan and I ended up being very close in terms of photos posted on the Inn’s social media accounts. I beat him by a margin of 10 posts, which isn’t a lot in the grand scheme.
“I guess you are pretty good though,” I say, rolling my eyes teasingly.
He raises our clasped hands to kiss the back of mine. “All thanks to you.”
I’m laughing when Jonathan stops abruptly. He bends down and replaces a rock that had fallen from around the barrier surrounding the little pink flower. It’s still surviving through the gravel, thriving.
We stroll into the staff room, our hands clasped, and all the staffers smile our way. None of them look particularly surprised. I think about the debacle from last night and blush. But it’s okay — this group really has become a bit of a family over the last few months.
Jonathan and I grab lunch and take a seat at a table. To my surprise, the room is almost empty. I’m wondering what happened to all of the student workers when I notice that Jonathan is distracted, staring around the room.
“What’s up?” I ask as I dig into an avocado bagel.
“Nothing.” Jonathan says, but he continues looking around the room. “I’m trying to find Delia.”
“Why?”
He sits back in his chair, exasperated. Delia is nowhere to be found, but her announcements will start soon. “I’m going to tell her you’ll be headlining the ad campaign, not me.”
I freeze, my bagel halfway to my mouth. I’m about to protest when he continues.
“Seriously, Kiara, you’ve earned this. You’ve worked so hard your entire life for this kind of opportunity. I can’t be the one standing in your way.”
“Jonathan.” I put down my bagel, my voice stern. “You will not do that. You’ve earned this and you’ve worked hard for it. You have a real talent for photography, I knew it when I saw you taking that photo at the Eagles game. Everything I showed you this summer was just… extra. You deserve this.”
I smile as I continue. “But what you showed me this summer? Helping me live in the moment and all that? It’s priceless to me. It’s the best thing I could’ve ever expected from this summer. You should win this headlining campaign.”
Jonathan’s eyes show his uncertainty, but I’ve never been surer in my life. I give him a kiss on the cheek and squeeze his hand.
“Trust me,” I whisper.
Delia enters and stands on a chair at the front of the room.
57
Jonathan
“Good afternoon!” Delia calls out and the room immediately goes quiet.
I break my eyes away from Kiara’s. She wants me to trust her, so I will. I hold her hand tightly and listen to Delia.
“Today is our last day at the Legacy Inn after another successful summer. We did it!”
The room breaks into applause and cheers.
“I want to thank each and every one of you for the vital role you’ve played this summer. We have so many positive reviews to share, along with some special shoutouts. Vin’s compiled a slideshow of some key Legacy Inn moments — using the work of our star photographers, of course.” Delia gestures towards us.
Another round of applause erupts across the room.
I’m beaming, incredibly proud. I mock-bow towards Kiara, and she’s blushing fiercely, laughing along.
“And on that, it’s time to share who we’ve selected to be the winner of our big headlining competition. The winning photographer will be redoing all the Inn’s imagery for our international ad campaign. It’s an incredible opportunity to showcase your work around the world — and contribute something to your savings account.” Delia winks theatrically and everyone chuckles.
I squeeze Kiara’s hand. I’m feeling uneasy — I don’t want to take this opportunity from her.
She looks at me, her eyes calm. She’s made her decision and doesn’t have any regrets. She runs her thumb along mine.
“Vin and I had a tremendously hard time trying to decide. Kiara tried to forfeit her spot last night, but unfortunately, we’d already made our decision.”
I smile and squeeze her hand. She’s the winner. It had to be her, and I’m so excited for what this means for her future.
She stares at Delia, her mouth open.
“And, in keeping with the magic of Legacy Inn, we wanted to make this fun!” Delia clicks aggressively on the remote, trying to get the slideshow t
o appear on the screen at the front of the room. “The first few photos on the slideshow demonstrate some of the winner’s amazing work — ugh, Vin, this darned remote isn’t working.”
“Have you tried clicking it harder?” Vin jogs to the front of the room while the staff chuckle. After a couple minutes of fidgeting, he returns to his position next to Nath.
“Fantastic.” Delia gets back on track. “Without further ado, here is the work of our winner!”
The first photo appears on the screen and I immediately recognize the shot.
The photo was taken on our first day here, capturing the arrival of the first guests. It almost looks like a stock image — the happy family is walking up the gravel path, their faces lit with excitement.
I remember that moment. Kiara had just teased me about being late. The photo is clearly hers.
Looking at her now, she’s shocked, staring at the screen with her mouth popped open. We’ve come so far, the two of us. I can’t describe how proud I feel for her, and for her future. It’s exactly what she’s worked so hard for.
“Congratulations,” I whisper excitedly, kissing her on the cheek.
She snaps out of her shock and smiles at me, but instead of looking excited, her eyes are sad.
“What’s wrong?” I whisper as the next photo appears on the screen.
The room bursts into applause at the image. This one is of the sunrise. Our first morning on the Legacy summit. It’s a captivating shot, made all the sweeter by the memory that we had our first meaningful conversation on the mountain that very morning.
“I wanted it to be you,” Kiara whispers.
I wrap my arm around her and kiss the top of her head as the applause fades. “Next time.”
The next photo on the screen is one I know very, very well.
I frown as recognition hits me. The photo is of the twin girls laughing in front of the dock. It was the photo I took after placing the fake spider on Kiara’s head.
Chasing Sunrise: A Sweet YA Enemies-to Lovers Romance (Inn for the Summer) Page 16