My voice is firm, and the world feels silent as my parents process my decision. I look over at Kiara and her eyes are encouraging. No matter what, I’ll be okay.
“We’ve only ever wanted the best for you,” Dad says. His voice isn’t hard, isn’t on edge. “We thought soccer was the best thing. It would get you into a great school, a full-ride. A better school than we could afford.”
My mom takes my dad’s hand, her voice gentle. “We’re sorry that we placed so much on you. We thought you wanted it as much as we did. But if you don’t, that’s okay.”
A heavy weight lifts from my chest, and I can breathe again.
“But lying to us all summer?” Dad’s voice is firm, betrayed.
“That,” I say, “I am sorry for. I just didn’t know what else to do.”
My parents are silent.
Will they forgive me? Our relationship has become really complicated over the last few years, but I want to believe that the happy parents from my childhood are still there.
“Next time, can you at least talk to us before you go gallivanting off to the middle of nowhere?” Mom’s voice carries a smile, and when I look up, my parents look… happy. Like how they used to be.
My face breaks into a wide, hesitant smile. “I promise.”
60
Kiara
“I’m home!” I call out automatically to the empty house. I place my keys in the bowl by the front door and drop my bag.
Jonathan and his parents gave me a ride back to town so I didn’t have to take the bus. His parents are intense, but lovely. They were overjoyed to hear that we both got positions as photographers for the Inn. That should help take the stress off the finances for Jonathan’s college education. He held my hand the entire way home, and I couldn’t stop smiling.
Sebastian rounds the corner. There’s a bit of pudge to him, like someone strapped an extra stick of butter to his belly.
“Hello, sir. Looks like mom kept you well-fed, hey?”
“You better believe it!” A voice calls from the kitchen.
Mom?
She’s actually home for once?
I hurry to the kitchen.
Mom is wearing an apron and standing over the stove. She comes over to me and gives me a big hug. “I’m so glad to see you!”
I hug her back. “What are you doing here?”
She laughs, releases me, and heads back to the stove, her hair loose down her back. She’s wearing casual pants and a bright t-shirt — a major change from her creased work pants and blouses. “I wanted to make our favorite dinner for your first night back.”
I stare at her, skeptical.
She turns off the stove and drains the water from the pot into the sink. “Oh, fine. Echo completed a project today, so I took the evening off. But I did want to see you.”
Her voice is sincere. She ladles mac and cheese onto two plates, along with a side salad dripping with balsamic vinaigrette.
“It’s nice to see you,” I say, heading to the dining table. And it is — it’s a pleasant surprise.
She brings our plates over, humming softly.
I smile — I owe my incessant mumbling and humming to her.
She sits. “Tell me everything!”
We dig into the mac and cheese and I start telling her about my summer at Legacy Inn. I’m in the middle of describing Delia — and there’s so much to describe — when I catch sight of a thick manila envelope on the counter. The logo?
Glacier Journal.
I leap from the table. “What’s this?”
“It came in the mail yesterday,” Mom says.
My heart races. The envelope, it’s thicker than the one they use for a rejection letter. Could it be?
I rip it open and skim the piece of paper inside.
My heart drops.
Dear Kiara,
Thank you for your recent submission. We’d love to publish your photo in the next issue of Glacier Journal! Our magazine is built around this style of photography and if you have any similar shots, we’d enjoy collaborating with you.
“No way.”
“What?” Mom rushes over and peeks at the paper over my shoulder. “Did you—”
“I’M GETTING PUBLISHED!” My voice is so loud I’m sure Delia can hear it all the way back at Legacy Inn.
Mom wraps her arms around me, and I almost collapse.
My heart beats so fast I think I might faint.
I did it.
I actually did it.
I pull out a second piece of paper from the envelope. It’s a printed copy of the photo I submitted — the sunrise from Legacy summit. I remember every detail of that morning. It was the first time I realized I loved Jonathan.
Mom’s jaw drops. “That’s breathtaking. How did you…”
Grinning, I return to my place at the table. “Mom, let me tell you all about Legacy Inn, and the boy who changed everything.”
61
Kiara
“Hey Ki!” A voice calls out as I walk down the hallway. It’s my first day of senior year, a year I’m sure I’ll never forget.
Ava runs towards me, lugging her violin case.
I give her a big hug. “I missed you!”
“Really?” She raises an eyebrow. “I didn’t miss you at all — wait.”
Ava steps back and sizes me up. “WAIT. Ki, are you wearing… mascara?”
I burst out laughing and take one of her bags. “The mountains have changed me.”
Ava links her arm in mine, and we walk down the hallway. Ava fills me in on her summer at band camp. When she’s finished, she turns to me expectantly. “Now your turn.”
I take a deep breath and launch into a shortened version of my summer at Legacy Inn. Ava’s eyes grow wider and wider as I speak, her mouth dropping open.
“Jonathan Wright? Into photography?” She shakes her head in disbelief. “Those mountains must be made of magic.”
I open my phone and show her the photo he took of me laughing. He took it the day I helped the elderly lady move her chair on the dock. It’s the same photo the Inn wants to use for the ad campaign.
“Okay, wow, that’s actually pretty good,” Ava says. “Not as good as you, of course.”
I laugh. “It’s okay. We’re a team.”
She gives my arm a light slap. “Pretty sure you’re more than a team.”
“Maybe.”
There’s a familiar burst of laughter from down the hall. Jonathan and Troy turn the corner and Jonathan’s eyes light up when he sees me. He nudges Troy and they walk over to us.
I called Jonathan right after dinner when I got the news from Glacier Journal. He came over immediately to congratulate me and, in doing so, met my mom. He stayed for a little while and we recounted the events from the summer.
After he left, Mom wrapped me in a hug, and told me she approved.
Now, my legs are turning to jelly as he gets closer, my heart beating fast. He takes me in his arms and kisses me in front of everyone. I’m happy to see that he’s wearing a hoodie today instead of his usual polo shirt. I wonder how long it’ll be before I can steal it.
“How’s the Queen?”
I put on my best formal voice. “She is most pleased by your attendance.”
We both burst out laughing, and our laughter is interrupted by none other than Isabella, strutting down the hallway. Lucas follows her like he’s being pulled on a leash.
“Wow,” Isabella says. “Edendale’s golden boy is making a move for the throne. How depressingly predictable. But I suppose you were out in the mountains, and no one else was around, so…”
Jonathan shrugs. “Is that why you were making moves on that college boy at your cousin’s wedding? Because no one else was around?”
Isabella’s jaw drops.
Lucas freezes.
Jonathan’s voice carries through the hallway, and everyone has stopped to stare.
Lucas looks to Jonathan, to Isabella, then to Jonathan again. “What?”
Is
abella puts her hand on her hip and flips her hair. “Well, if we’re trading secrets—”
Jonathan laughs. “And what secret do you think you have on me? That I skipped Momentum? That I’m a photographer for Legacy Inn? It’s not much of a secret — I’m listed on their website, and I’ve already handed in my kit to Coach.”
I wrap my arm around his waist. “Your move, Izzy.”
Isabella lets out a frustrated bleat and stomps away, Lucas following close behind her. The argument escalates. Someone says something nasty, then a new argument starts — it sounds like they’re arguing over who’s breaking up with whom.
Jonathan grabs my hand and the four of us walk to our first class.
We pass Bree as she puts her books away in her locker. She turns around and gives us a wave, smiling brightly. I wave back, hoping to catch up with her later. She missed the last day at the Inn and I wondered whether she was okay. She looks happy now… I wonder what happened with her and Noah this summer, anyway?
I rub my thumb along Jonathan’s as I tune back into the conversation. He’s telling Troy and Ava about the ad campaign we got with the Inn. I pipe in to say that we start working next week and the two of them give us big hugs.
“You’re going to have to step up your game this year, bro. I won’t be around to bail you out.” Jonathan jokes, punching Troy lightly on the arm.
“Were you even on the team last year?” Troy asks. “I don’t remember you playing in any of the games.”
Jonathan and Troy banter.
Ava links her arm in mine. “I don’t want to alarm you, Ki, but you’re smiling like an idiot.”
“You’re probably right,” I say, “only an idiot would fall in love with Jonathan Wright.”
We laugh and I begin to think about the years ahead. Jonathan and I have made a plan. Together. He’ll apply for photography schools in the countries I most want to visit. Wherever he gets in is where we’ll live.
With Jonathan by my side, the world is open and exciting. I can’t wait for the future, wherever it takes us.
Thank you for reading!
If you enjoyed these books, I’d appreciate if you were able to leave a review! As a new author, reviews mean everything to me, and I’m so grateful each and every one of them.
And, if you’d like to enjoy two FREE short stories about Bree and Noah’s Halloween, and about Kiara and Jonathan’s birthday surprise, click here!
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About the Author
Sara Jane Woodley is a Sweet Romance author who is obsessed with Happily Ever Afters.
Inspired by the mountains of Montana, Sara Jane writes love stories set in the beautiful nature she hikes, bikes and skis in. Her clean romance books always feature sassy, strong female heroines and fun-filled, playful relationships.
The Complete Legacy Inn Collection: Four Sweet YA Romances Page 66