by Jordan Marie
“I didn’t think you’d call me.”
“I told you I was going to make sure you made it home okay.”
“I know, but you didn’t have to.”
“I wanted to. Thanks for dancing with me tonight,” I tell her, and she has no idea how much the memory of her in my arms means to me.
“I had fun,” she responds, and I can almost hear the smile in her voice.
“I was wondering if maybe you’d like to go with me tomorrow to the dock? We could meet and…”
“The dock?”
“Yeah. Do you fish?”
“Well, duh,” she laughs.
“So, what do you think?”
“Where do I meet you? I don’t drive yet. I need to, but Dad’s working all the time and Mom gets nervous. Jules said she’d teach me, but… Have you seen her drive?”
“Yeah, Babe. I can teach you if you want.”
“You will?”
“Definitely.”
“I’d really like that, Gavin.”
“We’ll start tomorrow,” I promise, deciding as long as she’s happy that I’d agree to almost anything.
“I can’t believe you’d do that.”
“Do you think your girl will cover for you?”
“Jules?”
“Yeah. Do you think she’d agree to cover for you with your parents?”
“I’m sure she would, but she doesn’t have to. My parents will be fine if I tell them I’m going out with you. They will probably just want to meet you first.”
I ignore the panic that makes me feel. I know that Luna thinks her parents will welcome me with open arms. She doesn’t see me as less, but I know without even thinking about it that her parents will for sure.
“How about we keep the fact that we’re dating just between us right now?” I suggest, hating that I do it, but feeling like I need to, all the same.
“But… are we dating, Gavin?”
“Yeah. I just… I don’t want anyone to know, until I can prove that I deserve you, Luna.”
“Gavin, you don’t need—”
“You don’t trust me. You can’t deny that. A couple hours of us dancing and talking to each other, hasn’t erased six months for you.”
“I just don’t understand why you told—”
“I didn’t tell them anything, Luna.”
“But everyone was talking about it and even your friend Wally—”
“I know you don’t have a reason to believe me, Luna, but I didn’t say anything.”
“Then, who did?”
I take an aggravated breath. I don’t know how to answer that. If I tell her the truth, I don’t think she’d believe me. She’s friends with Atticus, she hasn’t seen how he really is. She has no idea the kind of bastard he can be.
“I’m not sure,” I lie.
Luna remains silent and I’m scared that I’m losing my shot and I don’t want that. Luna cares for me and she definitely deserves better.
But the simple truth is, I want her.
“Just give me a chance, Luna. No one but us will know we’re even talking to each other. Give me a chance to prove to you that you can trust me.”
It seems like forever before she answers and each passing second is painful.
“Pick me up at Jules’ house around one tomorrow. Is that okay?”
“It’s perfect. I can’t wait to see you again, Moonbeam.”
“That’s a silly nickname,” she gripes but I can hear the humor behind her complaint.
“It fits you. I’ll see you tomorrow, Baby.”
“See you tomorrow, Gavin.”
I hold the phone until she hangs up, and I don’t even realize right then that I’m smiling.
But I am.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
LUNA
“I can’t believe you’re agreeing to meet that dick-weed,” Jules huffs.
“Jules, I like him.”
“Luna, he hurt you. Please tell me you haven’t forgotten that.”
“I haven’t, but he says he didn’t do it.”
“Bullshit. If it wasn’t him then who else would it have been?”
“I don’t know, but he really seemed sincere, Jules.”
“You’re just blinded. I don’t like this Luna. I don’t like it at all.”
I frown. We’re sitting on the steps of her front porch waiting for Gavin. I’m wearing a pair of cut offs and my favorite pink tank. I’ve got my bikini on underneath. I don’t know if I’ll need it, but I thought it was better to be safe than sorry. Jules is definitely not happy that I’m meeting Gavin, but that was to be expected. Not many people know how truly hurt I was by Gavin. I didn’t let anyone see except Jules. Mom knew I was hurt, she didn’t know the details and I didn’t volunteer them. But, for the most part, I kept my pain to myself.
Jules is my best friend and no matter what we have each other’s backs. That’s the rule and I’m grateful—even if right now it’s annoying.
“So noted.”
“Bitch,” she mutters, smiling at me and I smile back at her.
“Jules?”
“What?” she snaps, clearly telling me she’s still upset.
“I really, really like Gavin.”
“Luna, you think lions are pretty too, but you still wouldn’t get in a cage with one.”
“I don’t think Gavin wants to eat me alive, Jules.”
“He’ll break your heart again.”
“Jules—”
“And then I’ll have to kill him, which means I’ll go to jail and even though my parents kind of think that is going to happen anyway, it will break their hearts and I’ll have to go potty in a cell with other women and that will break my heart. Not to mention I won’t be able to wear makeup and—”
“You might meet a hot cop and you know how you dig men in uniform,” I joke.
“Quit trying to give me reasons to end Gavin Lodge’s miserable life,” she complains while smiling at me.
“Jules, if Heath Ledger were to show up on our doorstep right now and ask you out and you could see in the future and know that going out with him means you are going to die a horrible death and you have to decide if going out with him is worth it. Would you still go?”
“How horrible are we talking?” she hedges.
“He sends you a breakup text while you’re driving down the road behind a truck carrying a load of steel pipes and you’re so distraught you don’t notice they aren’t secured properly. You look up right in time to see a steel pipe break free, crash through your windshield and impale you right through the neck, severing your head from your body in Final Destination style.”
“Did we have sex before I died?”
“You had sex.”
“Damn it. I’d still go out with him.”
“And that’s how I feel about Gavin.”
She lets out a long drawn out sigh, and I expect her to give me more flack about it when we hear a vehicle pull into her drive. I look up to see Gavin’s old beat-up truck pull into the driveway.
“Speak of the devil,” Jules grumbles.
“Be nice.”
“I’m always nice,” she lies, but it makes me laugh.
We stand up and I start walking to Gavin’s truck, Jules following me. I get to it just as he opens the door and steps out. I don’t give myself time to think about it. Instead, I go straight to him, hugging him close. This happiness fills me from seeing him again. There’s a part of me that was afraid I dreamed yesterday up in my head and it didn’t really happen. My eyes close as Gavin’s arms come around me and he holds me even closer. When I pull away, he’s grinning down at me, and I feel warm and flushed all over.
“Hey, Jules.”
“Gavin,” Jules utters rudely, proving she’s going to be a hard ass about this. I give her a warning look, but she ignores me.
“You ready, Babe?” Gavin asks.
“I’m ready.”
“You got your permit with you?”
“Permit?”
“To drive, Moonbeam,” he laughs.
“Oh. Yeah.”
“Good. Then, hop in.”
“I… You want me to drive your truck?” I squeak.
“I told you I’d teach you to drive, remember?”
“I thought you meant, you know have me watch you and take notes or something.”
“Best way to learn is to do it, Luna,” he says, opening his door.
“I… if you’re sure,” I concede, praying I don’t wreck and destroy his truck.
Gavin keeps his hand on the small of my back and ushers me inside the truck. Then, he helps lift me up in the big tall monstrosity. I’m still recovering from the feel of his hands on me when he leans down to buckle me in.
“Got to keep my girl safe,” he whispers and kisses my lips in a light peck.
I’m pretty sure I turn into a puddle of goo and my bones all completely melt. My eyes go to Jules and she’s looking at me with surprise.
“Moonbeam?”
She mouths the word, not letting sound escape, but I know what she says and I just grin. She shakes her head then turns her attention to Gavin. He’s walking around the front of the truck and Jules falls in behind him. He gets inside and Jules grabs his door before he can shut it.
“I don’t trust you, Gavin Lodge,” she warns.
“Jules—”
“I can understand that,” Gavin says, interrupting me.
“If you hurt Luna again, there won’t be anyone or anything that can save you from me.”
“Okay,” he replies, studying her. I hold my head down on the steering wheel, banging it slightly.
“I’m serious. You hurt her again and I don’t care if it means I’m decapitated before I have the chance to have Heath Ledger’s beautiful babies. I don’t even care if it means my head is torn from my body, thrown into the swamp, and becomes a midnight snack to a nest of crocodiles, I will hurt you.”
“Uh… So noted, Jules.”
“Good. As long as we got that clear. You two have fun now,” she singsongs, slamming his door a little too hard.
“Uh… Gavin…” I start, wondering how to explain Jules.
“Put her in neutral, Moonbeam and start it up.”
“About Jules…”
“She’s fine. Let’s get moving. We have fish to catch.”
“She’s just…”
“She’s looking out for you, Luna. That’s a good thing.”
“Yeah,” I whisper wearing a smile, because he’s grinning at me and his finger is moving along the side of my face.
“You ready to drive?”
“Umm… just one question.”
“What’s that?”
“What do you mean put it in neutral?” I ask.
“Oh boy,” he chuckles, and I blush, because I wasn’t really kidding. Mom’s car has a gearshift that’s easy to understand. Gavin’s truck is a standard, and I can’t remember ever being in a vehicle that wasn’t automatic. I’m completely lost. But I figure as long as I get to hear Gavin laughing, I don’t really care if I do make a complete fool of myself.
It’s worth it.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
GAVIN
“How did I do?” Luna asks, her face flushed. She blows her bangs out of her face, looking so proud that I don’t have the heart to tell her the truth.
My clutch and transmission are glad we finally made it to the lake.
“You did really good, Moonbeam.”
“Really?” she cries excitedly, her hand slapping in victory against the steering wheel.
“I thought it was getting better there as we turned to the old lake. I didn’t even stall at the stop sign but once.”
“Yep, that’s better than I did my first time,” I lie.
“Yay! I might really get the hang of this Gavin.”
“Yeah, you might,” I laugh. “Are you ready to go sink some worms?”
Her nose scrunches up on her face and it makes me want to laugh. “Do you have to say it like that?”
I lean down and kiss her lips again, just another brief peck, giving me a small taste of her. Her lips part against mine, but I resist tasting her deeper for now. I’m definitely not a saint, but Luna is special, and I want her to know that.
“Let’s go fishing,” I murmur, and she looks at me smiling so intently that it seems to light up everything around us.
“Sounds good.”
I grab the poles and tackle box, while Luna gets the small cooler that she brought, and we walk hand in hand toward the dock. Being here with her again feels right. Memories of the night we shared, of her lying in my arms all come rushing back to me, so strong that it’s almost as if they have a taste and it’s definitely sweet.
We settle down in silence. Merely passing small talk here and there as I bait her hook followed with mine. We sit on the edge of the dock, feet dangling off, Luna barefoot. It might be the single best time of my life. Maybe even better than the night we slept out here, because my brother isn’t close by. He has no idea I’m here and he won’t for as long as I can keep him in the dark. I don’t want him to taint what Luna and I have. If he hurts her again, I’ll kill him, and I’m not just saying that. Whatever ties we shared aren’t even a memory. I can’t change that. I don’t even want to. I don’t know what it says about me, but I hate my brother.
“You got quiet,” Luna observes. She puts her hands over her eyes like a visor as she looks at me, to guard them from the sun.
“I was just thinking.”
“What about?”
I start to lie, but I don’t want to—not with Luna and not about this.
“About Atticus.”
“Your brother?” she asks, sounding confused, and maybe a little surprised.
“I don’t want him to know about us, Luna.”
“Uh…”
“At least for now. I want time for whatever is between us, just to be about the two of us.”
“You keep saying that. I’m starting to feel like some dirty little secret you want to keep, Gavin.”
“Now you’re talking insane. You’re the prettiest girl in school… What?” I stop and ask when she scrunches her nose up and looks unhappy.
“No girl wants to be called the prettiest girl in school.”
“But, Babe, you are,” I laugh as her expression gets more frustrated. “Quit being cute.”
“Cute and pretty. It’s like you hate me,” she whines.
I full out laugh. I can’t stop. Luna makes me feel free and that’s a sensation I’ve never had in my life.
“Babe.” I shake my head, still unable to control my laughter.
“Can’t I be gorgeous? Beautiful? Sexy? Dangerous? Geez!”
I put my fishing pole down and pull Luna in close. I stare into her eyes. The green in them shimmers like emeralds. She’s not wearing makeup like most of the girls at school do. Luna doesn’t need it. I drop my head down to hers, eyes wide open, keeping my gaze focused, and making sure she can see the truth in what I’m telling her.
“You’re so beautiful you take my breath away.”
“Gavin…” she murmurs, her voice soft and sweet. It wraps around me, slides inside of me. I love the way she says my name. I love the tender look on her face as she does. Jesus, I like everything about Luna Marshall. I kiss her, hoping that she can feel what she does to me, hoping to make her understand what she makes me feel.
I’m not sure I succeed, but it’s a damn good kiss. It’s the kind that erases the memory of any that came before it and probably any that might come after it. In my heart, I know, if I could only kiss Luna Marshall for the rest of my life, I’d die a happy man. I don’t care if I am only eighteen.
It’s completely true.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
LUNA
“Did you have a good birthday?”
I look up, surprised at Gavin’s question.
“You’re preoccupied with an event that has passed, Gavin.”
“Humor me,” he mumbles.
“That doesn’t sound great. I figured you’d have a party.”
“Nah,” I respond. I don’t tell him that things are tense at home lately. Something is going on with my parents, but when I ask them about it, they tell me I’m imagining things. “Let’s stop talking about it. My birthday was lame. I enjoyed dancing with you much more.”
“I think so too.” He smirks and for some reason I really like that look on his face.
“I think all the fish are dead,” I grumble, deciding to change the subject before I do something horribly stupid and blurt out that I love him. I mean I don’t. How could I? We barely know each other and until our dance, we hadn’t spoken in forever. It’d be crazy to love him…
Crazy.
I lay my pole down and lay back on the dock, looking up at the sky. The sun has moved, so it’s not shining straight down on us now and I’m definitely glad for that.
“You’ll lose your pole if a fish gets on it,” he warns, but he’s smiling down at me and he’s got this lazy look on his face that makes me feel warm all over.
“Gavin, there are no fish in this lake.”
“There are.”
“Tell that to the poor worm you sank hours ago and has been suffering on the hook.”
“It probably drowned, Babe.”
“Worms can breathe underwater.”
“Did I miss that fact in biology class or something?”
“When you take the worm out of the water, he’s always squiggling.”
“That doesn’t mean he’s alive,” he counters.
My brows knit together. “Of course it does. Why else would he be moving?”
“Babe, things like that move after they die. Their bodies twitch from pain.”
“Ew… They do not!”
“Babe, they do.”
“You’re just trying to gross me out!”
“I’m being honest. Haven’t you seen a snake move after it’s dead.”
“Um… No. No, I haven’t. You know, Gavin, if this is the way you talk to the girls at our school, it’s a good thing you’re hot, cause if not, your reputation would be a lot different.” I close my eyes as I giggle, so I don’t see what he’s doing. All at once though I feel his hand on my stomach and as I jerk and look at him, I’m surprised to find him lying beside me.