Page 8 of Coastal Runaway

The first practice back was always easy, but also grueling. We often overindulged through the summer… and also last night. Once the final whistle blew on the field, the cheer team breathed a sigh of relief. Football practice ended around the same time and the boys headed towards us on the field.

I could hear Nolan from downfield when he shouted, “Pool party at the Malibu house! All Athlete Week trainees invited!”

Everyone cheered and pulled out their phones to spread the word. Typical Nolan; life was always a party.

“Well, I guess we’re having a party.” Maeve groaned next to me as we stretched out. “This is probably related to the surprise Nolan keeps talking about.”

I looked at my sister as if she had four heads, “what surprise?”

“What do you mean, ‘what surprise?’ Nolan hasn’t stopped skipping around cheering about it since he moved back in two weeks ago.”

I shrugged off her comment, assuming Nolan was cooking up some plan for a new shot ski, or a custom beer pong table that he just had to get.

Boy was I wrong.

Later that afternoon, every athlete from training camp was scattered across our pool deck. The Malibu house had a stunning outdoor space featuring an infinity pool, elevated hot tub, fireplace feature, and a beach front view. It was often the place to go for a party during the year.

I was sitting at the edge of the pool with Maeve and my best friend, Maggie, as we sipped on pineapple High Noons and soaked in the sun. Maggie held her phone up to take a selfie of us when I felt eyes on me.

Across the pool, Sinclair threw me a wink— he’d been eyeing me shamelessly and definitely wanted a repeat of last night. I was sporting a tiny black bikini with dainty gold chains for straps that left very little to the imagination. My hair fell on my shoulders in loose curls, and my trendy black Prada sunglasses were propped on my nose.

“That boy wants to literally eat you for dinner.” Maggie said, taking another sip of her drink and wiggling her eyebrows with a giggle.

“He needs to give it up already. Set his sights on some—holy fucking shit.” Maeve stopped mid-sentence, staring past Sinclair to the balcony.

“What? Is Nolan streaking again?” I turned, wondering what had Maeve looking like she’d seen a ghost, only to have the air leave my lungs when I caught sight of a very familiar shade of blue.

Luke had the most piercing icy blue eyes that I had ever seen in real life. He had always turned heads. Even when we were seventeen years old, the boy's jawline could cut glass. He was gorgeous. He was 6’3” and a wall of walking muscle. Every single girl within a 30-mile radius made it their mission to learn his name.

“Who is that hot piece of ass?” Maggie asked, peering over her sunglasses with a flirtatious smirk.

I felt panic rising in me.

Why was he here?

This was supposed to be my safe haven.

This couldn’t be happening.

I jumped up as fast as I possibly could and ran. I could distantly hear Maeve yelling for me, but I ignored her. The moment I saw those stormy eyes locked onto me I knew I needed to get out.

three

Luke

This was all Nolan’s bright idea; I knew it was a bad one but I needed a fresh start. Three years at Columbia had resulted in miserable grades, miserable weather, and a broken heart.

Again.

After Keegan performed an astounding disappearing act three years ago, I was devastated. I fell into a relationship with Hartford heart-throb, Kiara Brighton, pretty quickly. Kiara was a sweetheart and we got along well, but it was never meant to be.

We connected at a party at the beginning of freshman year in New York; I was nursing one too many beers and she let me unload my trauma onto her. She pulled me into a hug and told me that I would be okay. I called her the next day and asked her on a date. The relationship was fine, but she deserved more and we both knew it. We ended things amicably at the end of last year and I spent the summer moping around my hometown like a lost puppy again.

It was assumed that I was moping because I was in love with Kiara, but really, I was mourning yet another person who I wasn’t good enough for.

After I spent half of the summer licking my wounds, Nolan took pity on me. He agreed to keep my break-up under wraps as long as I agreed to consider a transfer for senior year. He had Mr. Kelly pull some strings for a late transfer to CCU so I could be with my chosen family.

The only problem?