Page 32 of Last First Kiss

He scoffs. “That sounds presumptuous.”

Kami folds her arms across her chest. “I’ve been around your whole life. I know when you’re hiding something. Like that time you told your teacher you couldn’t turn in the math homework you didn’t do because you left it on Uncle Tevin’s private jet. Or when you and Denz almost burnt down my mom’s rosebush smoking a joint and you blamed it on a freak wildfire. Or the time you got drunk—”

Jordan raises his hands, palms out, surrendering. “Okay! Point made.”

God, working with family is the worst.

Kami waits impatiently for him to explain.

He sighs. “I’m—”

Not doing this, he almost says. But that’s not compelling enough.

His second option is:I’m moving to the Falkland Islands. Starting over. Following my lifelong goal to raise penguins.

Jordan rubs his forehead. The pain has finally started to dull. Then, he remembers why it hurts. The restroom door slamming into his face. Jamie kneeling in front of him, hands on Jordan’s cheeks, gentle concern in his eyes.

He’ll never survive an entire summer looking into those eyes.

There are other qualified employees at 24 Carter Gold to plan Sam and Amy’s wedding.

Like Eric, who’s already committed to two major events in thefall. And who has fourteen-month-old twins going through a terrible teething phase. One more project can’t hurt, right?

Or Kim and Connor. Usually they tackle the company’s more niche clients. Last month they organized Side Quest Con, the Southeast’s largest live action role-playing convention. Personally, Jordan thinks the happy couple would look great dressed as elves for their wedding day.

“Well?” Kami says.

Jordan’s so close to suggesting someone else.Anyoneelse. Instead, what comes out is “I didn’t know Jamie was the best man.”

She blinks, surprised. “He’s been friends with Amy forever.”

Yeah, Jordan’s heard.

Kami tugs on her thin gold necklace. At the end of it is a locket. Photos of Mikah and her boyfriend, Suraj, sit inside.

“I didn’t think it mattered that Jamie was the old friend who asked for a favor,” she adds.

Well, it does.

“It doesn’t,” he lies.

“Isn’t Jamie your friend too?”

Jordan hums noncommittally.

Kami laughs. “Jesus, all those summer sleepovers when you were younger. You, Denz, and Jamie. Always doing something you shouldn’t.”

Like eating pot brownies and practicing kissing, Jordan muses to himself.

Which is such a colossal fucking mistake.

Now it’s all he can think about: the faint pink across Jamie’s cheeks before their kiss. The satin navy pillowcase on the pillow Jordan pressed against his lap after. Staring up at Denz’s white ceiling for hours, trying to figure outwhyhis body reacted that way.

It’d never done that before.

Not for a boy. Not for anyone.

Kami smiles fondly. “The three of you were inseparable.”