Page 1 of Last First Kiss

-1-?Prepare a Guest List

When Jordan Carter tells his family the story of how he met the love of his life, it will go a little something like this:

It’s a Tuesday evening in early June. Sunset brushes heavy strokes of pink against the pale blue sky. The Last Pour’s interior décor is all dim lighting and burnished wood. Roasted peaches and sweet smoke spice the restaurant’s air. Jazz music hums lowly under the soundtrack of wineglasses clinking, diners chattering over delicately plated food.

He reserved a corner table. Far from the cacophony of the kitchen. Close enough to the wall of windows that pour a halo of golden light over Jess, his date.

She’s gorgeous. Model-esque without ever having walked a runway. And smart.Ridiculouslysmart. She’s a genetics counselor at the Centers for Disease Control.

When he tells their story, he’ll mention how her backless, honey-yellow dress brings out the rose undertones in her dark brown skin. The approving look she gives his black-and-burgundy-striped Armani blazer. How her face lights up when he doesn’t orderforher. Because he’s not That Guy. How she lets out a hiccupping laugh at all of his jokes, as if she already gets his sense of humor.

She watches him over a glass of cabernet. He lifts his highball of vodka soda for a toast.

“To a great night.”

“To a great night,” she echoes. There’s a sparkle in her sharp brown eyes.

It’s like the opening to one of those romance movies his cousin Denz is obsessed with.

This, Jordan can do. He’s an exceptional planner. Great with first impressions. First dates. Truthfully, Jordan’s great at a lot of things. Not in a braggy, egotistical way. More like a works-fucking-hard-to-never-disappoint way.

Part of it is because he’s from a large and successful extended family. A family that has always had high expectations. The other part? Well, he doesn’t have time to figure that out. Jess is talking.

Another thing Jordan prides himself on? Being an attentive listener.

“So,” Jess says, “your mom said you went to UCLA?”

Jordan grins tightly. If anyone asks, he’ll casually forget to mention the part abouthis momsetting them up.

Fuck, who’s he kidding? He’ll never get the chance.

At this very moment, Cheryl Carter is most likely in their infamous family group chat composing a new headline about him like a trash-surfing TMZ reporter.

EXCLUSIVE:

JORDAN GOES PUBLIC WITH HIS FUTURE WIFE!

There’s a reason his cousins affectionately refer to his mom as Auntie C.C.

Carter Confidential.

“I’m a Bruin all the way,” Jordan confirms. “I bleed gold and blue.”

Amusement creeps into Jess’s eyes.

“And you?”

“Howard,” she says proudly.

He already knew that. No, Jordan’s not some handsome, Penn Badgley–lite serial killer in a designer suit. Knowing key information about people is part of his job. Someone’s likes, their dislikes. Favorite flower and where they grew up. Small but significant details about their history.

Case in point:

Jessamine Walters, age twenty-seven. Likes wine and Italian fusion cuisine. Dislikes country music and line dancing. Naturally, her favorite flower is jessamine. She grew up in South Carolina, though she’s been all around the world because of her military mom, which has fueled Jess’s love for traveling as an adult.

All things he’s learned from rudimentary research and quick social media scrolling.

Jess sips her wine. “And you played basketball?”