Keeping our relationship under wraps would be a challenge, but I couldn’t go back to life without Ken. He’d become more than a friend—he was my missing piece.
Eventually, Ken untangled himself, rising with a soft grunt and offering his hand to help me up.
We walked hand in hand to the gate, our fingers intertwined. As we reached the threshold, I pulled him close, capturing his lips in one last kiss, pouring all my love and devotion into it.
When we finally parted, breathless and flushed, I looked around, realizing that Ken’s car wasn’t parked in front of the house. “Where’s your car?”
Ken ducked his head, a sheepish grin spreading across his face. “I parked it down the street. Just in case.”
The words hit me like a punch in the gut, a stark reminder of our current situation. That Ken had to take such precautions, that we had to hide our relationship like it was a dirty secret—that hurt, especially after hearing how he ended things with Alex for the same reason.
One day, I promised myself, we wouldn’t need to hide. Just a few more months.
I wanted to walk Ken to his car. I wanted to make sure he was safe and protected and that no one ever hurt him in any way again.
I couldn’t, not yet.
But as I looked at Ken’s face, his features softened by the moonlight, I would do whatever it took to see that soft, well-kissed look in his eyes again as soon as possible. I reached out, cupping his face in my hands, my thumbs tracing the contours of his cheekbones.“Buenos noches, mi amor.”
Goodnight, my love.
As Ken slipped out into the night, his slim silhouette fading into the distance, peace and contentment washed over me.
I was ready for whatever came next—because Ken was worth fighting for.
Chapter Nine
Ken
The copy machine’s monotonous drone lured my mind into a daydream as I leaned against the counter on Friday morning. Sheets of the day’s alphabet assignment cascaded through, each landing with a gentle warmth onto a small pile.
As the copies churned out, Mrs. Johnson from third grade popped by, a bright smile on her face. “Happy birthday, Kendall! Got any big plans for the weekend?”
I shrugged casually, hiding the flutter of excitement about my secret weekend getaway with Marc.
This trip with Marc, his birthday gift to me, was all I thought about—our first real chance to spend uninterrupted time together.
My heart raced as I counted down the days to our weekend escape. After our steamy backyard make-out session last weekend, Marc and I hadn’t stopped texting. Our phones buzzed with silly memes, heartfelt notes, and daily snapshots, each chime making me giddy.
Just last night, he sent me a picture of him and Mia covered in dirt from his garden, their faces split into wide grins. In my heart, I already imagined the three of us as a little family.
Yes, it was way too soon—but I thought about it, anyway.
I couldn’t remember the last time I felt this way—giddy, lightheaded, like a teenager with a crush. Every time my phone chimed with a new message from Marc, a smile would involuntarily spread across my face.
As if on cue, my phone buzzed as I walked down the hallway. Marc had sent a link to a video of a goat with an absurdly long tongue flapping around, then an emoji of a winking face.
Absolutely filthy. You’re so bad,I typed out with one hand.Can’t wait to see you.
I pocketed my phone quick as a flash when Stella joined me, glancing down at my pocket. “What’s so funny?” she asked, blowing on her steaming coffee mug, curiosity in her eyes.
“Oh, it was my stepmom,” I replied smoothly. “She and my dad want to take me to dinner this weekend. I told her I had other plans.”
“Uh-huh,” Stella said, a knowing smile playing on her lips.
When we reached our classrooms, across from each other, I let out my breath as she herded me into her room. “Come on, spill it.” She stirred her steaming cup of coffee, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. “I haven’t seen you this happy since…well, I don’t know when. And not just because it’s your birthday.”
She wasn’t wrong. I was falling for Marc, hard and fast. The stolen moments we shared, from our passionate kisses in his backyard to the late-night phone calls where we talked about everything and nothing—it all only made me crave more. “Okay—I’m going away for the weekend with someone.” Heat flooded my cheeks. “But we’re keeping it on the lowdown, so don’t say anything.”
