Page 38 of Coastal Runaway

This was my favorite version of her. She glanced at me and her face heated before she glanced away.

There’s my shy girl.

“Keegs, this one has your name on it,” Nolan announced, sliding her the labeled to-go box filled with buffalo mac-and-cheese because I knew it was her favorite.

She opened it, a wide smile stretched across her face before she looked up at me and uttered a sweet, “thank you.”

“Yeah, yeah, don’t get used to it,” I dismissed with a wave of my hand, “and don’t say I didn’t give you anything for your birthday.”

Keegan’s eyes went wide with a look of panic, a blush creeping up her neck at my innuendo.

Nolan interrupted our exchange when he gestured to me and blurted, “okay so tell me about this mystery girl.”

Keegan choked on the bite of food that she had just shoved into her mouth, “sorry I was just temporarily gagged by the thought of Luke with a woman,” Keegan added after swallowing.

Maeve perked up and glanced back and forth between the two of us, a knowing smile spread across her face.

“I’m not going to tell you the gritty details, dude, but she definitely left a lasting impression.” My eyes briefly met Keegan’s before moving to Nolan.

“Do you think you’ll see her again?” Nolan asked with a mouthful of pizza.

“I don’t know, man, it’s complicated. I think I’ll have to work pretty hard for her to actually give me a chance.” I was brutally aware that Keegan was stuck in the middle of a conversation that was about her.

“Well, if she doesn’t give you a chance, then she’s a bitch.” Nolan slapped the counter in a drunk fit of passion, causing Keegan to sink lower into her chair.

“Nah, man, she’s actually pretty great. Honestly one of the best people I’ve ever met in my life.” I said, feeling my cheeks turn pink as Keegan glared at me, but Maeve looked at me with stars in her eyes.

“Damn, it must have been one pretty great fuck. But hey, I guess when my guy falls, he falls hard.” Nolan added right before grabbing a water bottle and leaving the room to head up to bed.

“Yeah, I did.” I winked at Keegan and called it a night.

I laid awake in bed, listening to the ocean through my open sliding door. My mind had been racing all day thinking back to memories of Keegan when we were younger. I tried to focus on happy memories, but I could still feel the ache in my chest as I watched her drive away.

How was I going to convince Keegan to stop running from this?

More importantly, how would I stop myself from falling in love with her?

eighteen

Keegan

The next morning, I woke up to the smell of fresh coffee. I opened my eyes to find a smiling Maeve sitting in bed next to me with two steaming mugs in her hands.

“You know it's creepy to watch people sleep, right?” I grumbled, sitting up and grabbing the mug that she extended out towards me.

“Yeah, yeah,” Maeve waved a dismissive hand at me, “now, tell. Me. Everything.”

I rolled my eyes, “I simply don’t know what you’re talking about,” I echoed Maeve’s signature phrase in a high pitched voice.

“Shut up, I do not sound like that,” she scoffed, “and besides, you’re a terrible liar. Nolan might not have noticed your face last night, but I sure did.”

I placed my coffee on the bedside table and laid back, pulling my duvet over my head. “We hooked up,” I muttered, knowing it was muffled from under the fluffy blanket.

“I'm sorry? I didn't quite catch that,” Maeve said, putting a hand to her ear.

I pushed the blanket to my waist and repeated to myself, “we hooked up. Happy?”

A high pitched squeal, that was too loud for this early in the morning, escaped Maeve's mouth, “I KNEW IT!” She shouted.