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“Eww.” Sunny’s head pops off my arm, eyes flashing as she faces me. “Who carries around a severed head? So nasty.”
“Can I finish?”
Sighing, Sunny sinks back to her spot on my shoulder, only this time her hand slips inside mine. “Fine, but you’re on thin ice, Everett Copeland.”
“Noted.” I swallow back my nerves and pretend like I’m not coming undone. “Perseus pulls out Medusa’s head and uses it on Cetus, turning the monster to stone so he can kill it. He rescues Andromeda and they live happily ever after.”
“A lot of work for one girl.”
“Worth it for the right one.” I don’t mean anything by it, but the words carry the weight anyway.
“Good ending. You’ve been redeemed.”
“I’m relieved.” I wonder if she can hear it in my voice, the way she’s unwinding my defenses, convincing me that we could be more than we are.
“Do you know anymore?”
“Nick taught me one.” Her frame stiffens, but I’m quick to correct. “His grandma taught it to him.”
“Okay, then.”
“See that star there? It’s pretty bright. Just to the right of Cassiopeia.” I wait for her to shift to see it. “That’s Vega. She’s called a lot of names all over the world, but her real name is Vega, and she’s always a princess.”
“Did someone chain her up too?”
The breeze stiffens, carrying more moisture with it. Sunny pulls closer and my heart reaches for her despite my mind’s objections.
“No, but she did get in trouble.”
“Why?” I love the way she asks it, like we’re talking about friends of mine, totally relevant and real, not a story that’s been passed down for generations through time.
“Count seven stars down.” I wait again, listening to her whispered countdown before I add, “She fell in love with a farmer. That’s Altair.”
“That wasn’t okay?”
“No,” I turn my head, my cold cheek brushing her warm forehead, “her father forbade her from ever seeing him again. That’s why they’re so far apart.”
“This one is sad too, Rhett.” She pushes away from me, stealing her hand back. “Is it gonna end happy? Did he at least look for her?”
I shift to show her the rest of the story written in the stars. “See where the Milky way keeps them apart? Altair is still looking for her, but in the seventh month on the seventh moon, her father builds a bridge so they can be together.”
“Poor guy. That’s a long time to wait. Why doesn’t he find someone else?” She motions to the sky above us. “Look at all those other stars. He’s handsome enough. Look at how bright and twinkly he is. Why wait around searching for her?”
I remember asking my dad the same question as a teenager, but staring at Sunny, I would know the answer even if he hadn’t told me.
“Because he loves her, and he won’t ever love anyone else.”
Chapter 23
Sunny
I
I turn my head turn my head looking over my shoulder. I mean to steal a glance, but he’s closer than I thought. Even in the dim moonlight, it’s not hard to see his features. After all, I memorized them long before tonight. My stomach flips, finding myself speechless again for the second time tonight. He steals a glance at my mouth, inching closer, but not fast enough. My lips feel like they’re burning, and Rhett might be the only water for miles. We’ve been friends for months, but I can’t deny the times I’ve let my mind wander to thoughts of what could be if we let down our guard. It’s not prudent. He doesn’t know me, not really, at least not the pertinent things. But I can’t ignore the pull between us.
My lips brush against his. It’s tempting to open my eyes and look for sparks. Surely something this electrifying would give off a physical reaction. But his lips press against mine, more insistent and eager the second time around. His palm slips over my jaw, into my hair. I give into the feeling, surrendering to the moment and the magic of the night. Princesses, and sea monsters, a runaway and her cowboy, it’s too much to deny at this point.
Rhett urges me closer. I follow his lead, gripping his arm to steady myself against the swelling emotions in my chest. I’ve been kissed before, but never like this. Never this breathless urgency heavy with chemistry and unspent emotions from the past months. Never have I had a romantic encounter that could draw on the depths of a friendship like ours. Like watching a sunset blossom and bloom over the ocean, it only gets better with every passing moment.
