by S. J. Sylvis
“Yes.” Ollie again. “Thank you! That’s what I’m saying. For fuck’s sake, go comfort your daughter. She just found her older brother lying in his own vomit! And if you knew her at all, you’d know that she is hurting.”
Tears brimmed my eyes as I listened to Ollie reprimand my parents. In any other situation, having your boyfriend yell at your parents was less than ideal, but in my situation, it was as if he was confessing his love for me. Ollie was fighting for me, and there was something about that that had a tear falling down my cheek.
“Where are you going?” My mother’s voice wasn’t laced with anger. There was something else in her tone that I didn’t recognize.
Ollie’s voice was closer now. “I’m going to comfort my girlfriend because I fucking love her and know when she is hurting.”
Another tear slid down my cheek as I turned the corner and ran straight into his hard chest.
“Umph.” His strong hands were on my upper arms, his brows folding until he realized it was me. The deepened lines on his forehead disappeared as he wrapped his arms around me and pushed me back into the hallway. My back was resting along the wall as he took his finger and tipped my chin back. “Are you okay?”
I gulped. “No. But I’m a little bit better now.”
His eyes searched my face frantically as his other hand wrapped around my waist. “How is he?”
I sighed. “He’ll be okay, for now. But Ollie?”
“Yeah?”
“I love you.”
Time froze. We were stuck in a busy hospital with all sorts of sounds coming from various rooms, nurses shuffling back and forth with their carts of supplies, but I was lost in this moment with him.
“I heard what you said. All of it.”
Ollie’s head dipped just slightly. His blue eyes almost appeared shy.
“And I just want you to know that I love you. I have no clue what the future holds. I know nothing. But I do know that I love you, okay?” I licked my dry lips. “I just need you to know that.”
Ollie didn’t need to say it back, because I already knew what he was feeling. Our eyes connected, and I felt it in my soul. I felt it last year, and I’d felt it every single day since then. Ollie and I were one.
His lips hovered over mine for a brief moment before his hands wrapped around my face and his mouth was on mine. The kiss was soft but deep. From the outside, it may have looked harmless and innocent, but we both knew it wasn’t.
Our kisses were full of hidden words and secrets that only we shared.
And I hoped it would stay like that. Always.
Epilogue
Ollie
My finger trailed the inside of Piper’s arm as she leaned back onto my chest with her legs propped out onto the coffee table. People were starting to show up at Eric’s cabin for the party, but part of me wanted to go back to my house so I could have Piper all to myself.
We weren’t getting as much alone time as before because her parents were taking the time to make it home more often than not. It seemed my talk (read as: yelling match) got to them. Plus, they were still dealing with Jason’s shit.
The case with Tank was just starting to form, and Jason was a prime component of it. But as long as he testified against Tank and didn’t recant on his statement, he would be able to continue the rehab program which was set up by his lawyer. When he finished rehab, he’d be on probation, but that was the extent of it.
Piper was happy he was in rehab, but I could tell she was still a little leery. I saw the distant look in her eye every so often, and I knew it was because she was thinking of him.
I did my best to distract her.
After all, distraction was one of my strong suits.
“Did Hayley tell you guys the news?” Christian was beaming, which was completely unusual for his brooding self.
“It’s really creepy when you do that,” I said.
His brow furrowed as he leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. “What is?”
I snickered. “When you smile.”
He scoffed. “Fuck off.”
Christian and I were still working on things with our father, but now that everything was out in the open, things seemed to be less tense at the house. It was actually pleasant to be home now, and Christian took the news that we were half-brothers a lot better than expected.
Piper sat up a little taller but still kept her body pressed closed to mine. “What’s going on, Hay?”
Hayley tried to hold back a smile. She pushed her hair behind her ear shyly. “I got some college acceptance letters back.”
“And?” Piper asked eagerly.
“I got a full ride to Harvard.”
Piper squealed. “Oh my God! Are you freaking serious?” She flew up out of my lap and rushed to Hayley, wrapping her arms around her shoulders. A bright smile was on her face, and I couldn’t look away even if I wanted. “I am so proud of you! This is so deserved, Hayley!”
“Wait, there’s more,” Christian said smugly.
“More?” Piper asked.
Hayley blushed bashfully. “I also got a full ride to UCLA.”
“UCLA?” Piper’s lips were parted slightly, and I zeroed in on them. “Wait, so you’re going to go to college where Christian is playing football?”
The music got louder in the living room, and I saw Eric coming down into the den with a beer in his hand. He came to stand behind the four of us on the couch.
Piper grinned. “Is this where you tell me you’re going to UCLA, and we’re going to be roomies?”
I leaned forward, garnering her attention. “Wait, you got into UCLA? I thought you wanted to go to Stanford?”
Piper bit her lip and looked from me to Hayley, then back to me. “My parents wanted me to go to Stanford. I also applied to UCLA. I got my acceptance letter yesterday.”
“Wait, so you’re going to UCLA? Why didn’t you tell me?”
UCLA was the closest university to Pike Valley in terms of distance, and it was always the plan for Christian and me both to go there and play football after English Prep. But now Piper, too? And Hayley?
Piper played coy. Her light freckles scattered across her tinted cheeks. “I…I don’t know. I mean, the plan was to go to Stanford, but then I thought about when I’d have to leave you, or Hayley, or heck”—she giggled—“even Christian or Eric, and it made me feel…lost. I wanted to go to Stanford so I could get farther away from the constant stress of Jason popping up, but now that things are a little better, the thought of being so far isn’t as appealing. Especially now.” She blushed even harder.
I grinned, standing up from the couch and pulling her to her feet. I tucked my hands into the back pockets of her jeans, cupping her butt. “And here I thought this next year would suck with everyone leaving me behind. You won’t be far from me at all.”
Her nose scrunched, and her green eyes twinkled. It was fucking adorable. “I don’t think I could ever leave you.”
She bit her lip and glanced at everyone else.
My voice boomed over the speakers. “Well then, I guess it’s decided. The fab five will live on for many years to come. I wonder what other shit we can get ourselves into.”
Hayley threw her head back and laughed, making Piper giggle in the process. I pushed her in closer with my hands on her butt and pressed my mouth to hers, sneaking my tongue in there for good measure.
She let out a tiny groan before biting my lip and pushing my chest. “Knock it off, Ollie.”
I laughed, pulling us back down to the couch, staying there for most of the night as Eric’s cabin became more and more crowded.
It was funny how quickly things could change in just a few months.
Lies were told, secrets were shared, and truths were revealed.
But somehow, through all of that, I found myself the happiest I’d been since before my mother died.
And to think, it had all started with a secret.
Speaking of… My eyes followed Eric as he quietly left
the party and stepped out onto the deck. It was hard to see much of anything or anyone outside, except for the roaring bonfire just over the small grassy hill, but I caught the blur of long, blonde hair swishing past the door and a dark figure following after it.
It seemed Eric had some secrets, too.
And I couldn’t wait until they unfolded.
The End
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About the Author
S.J. Sylvis is a romance author who is best known for her angsty new adult romances and romantic comedies. She currently resides in North Carolina with her husband, two small kiddos, and dog. She is obsessed with coffee, becomes easily attached to fictional characters, and spends most of her evenings buried in a book!
Also by S.J. Sylvis
English Prep Series
All the Little Lies
All the Little Secrets
All the Little Truths (Coming Spring 2021)
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Standalones
Three Summers
Yours Truly, Cammie
Chasing Ivy
Falling for Fallon
Truth
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All of my books are FREE in Kindle Unlimited!
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Acknowledgments
Joe, Emma & Ripley, I know two out of three of you can’t really read this yet but thank you for being my happiness. I love all three of you more than anything in the world and I’m so happy to share this life with you. <3
My grandparents - two of the greatest humans on this earth. There has never been a doubt in my mind how much you both love me. I wouldn’t be the person I am today without your guidance and support and I will always be so proud to be your granddaughter.
To my mom, thank you for always being my biggest cheerleader. You are so incredibly supportive and please never stop signing up to be on my ARC team even though you have no idea what that is. HAHA. I love you so much!
To my in-laws, thank you for always supporting me and cheering me on. I love you so much!
Taylor & Kristen- Katie P told me to tell you she loves you. She also mentioned something about send erase the word send but I had no idea what she was talking about.
Laura - I am SO thankful for you and our late night texting sessions. I would be lost without your friendship!!
Thank you to my sweet friend Dana, for helping me with my plot hiccups. Piper and Ollie were difficult and you helped me sort them out!
Megan & Becca, thank you times a million for beta reading for me! I love you!
Jenn, you are the quickest and best editor out there. You make my work shine! I get so excited to do my final read through after you’ve polished my manuscript! Thank you so incredibly much!
Lastly, to all the amazing authors, bloggers, bookstagrammers, and readers out there. YOU are one of the biggest reasons I continue publishing books. You’re my biggest cheerleaders. I love you all so much!
Xoxo,
S.J.