Page 70 of Plotting Summer

She releases a thoughtful hum. “Well, now that you’ve told Tristan, why don’t you just broadcast to the whole world that you’re Sunny Palmer? Can you imagine the hysteria it’ll cause? Your fans are going to flip! Especially when you and Tristan get married!”

Oh, sweet Jane. “Unless someone discovers my identity, I'm not sure I want to reveal my identity. Besides to my family.” There are too many what-ifs. Too many unknowns. And with things being so new with Tristan, I worry … whatever this is between us… might be more fragile than it currently feels. I don’t want anything to ruin it.

“But you’re going to tell your family?”

“Yeah. At least my mom, Grandma, and Heath. Walker has to wait until I’m not livid at him anymore. Speaking of, he hasn’t tried to kiss you again, has he?” A week ago, while I was home editing, Jane texted to inform me that my freaking, womanizing brother kissed her! Not just a peck either. A kiss kiss. Which, in hindsight, I’m actually not that surprised about. Jane is gorgeous and fun and incredible, and Walker … well, Walker is a well-known ladies’ man who’s obviously used to women fawning over him. It’s been that way since we were preteens—girls at school and in our neighborhood pretending to be my friend just so they could get close to Walker. Jane is the first friend I’ve had who’s been immune to Walker’s charms. And now the jerk went and kissed her! And to make things worse, she admitted to having a small crush on him. Ugh! I’m so mad at my brother! Here I thought he was changing, but apparently he’s not changed at all. He’s only thinking about himself, and if Jane’s not careful, he’s going to break her heart when he leaves.

“No. That was just a one-time thing.” She hesitates. There’s more she wants to say, and I wish she’d just say it. “But I’d rather keep talking about you and this monumental accomplishment in your life. How does it feel to fulfill the lifelong dream of kissing Tristan Palmer? Was it everything you expected?”

I contemplate pressing her about Walker, but I know she’ll talk to me when she’s ready. She always does. So I let my thoughts shift back to Tristan, and my chest buzzes just thinking about earlier. “It was more amazing than anything I ever imagined.” And that’s saying something with how vivid and capable my imagination is.

I step into the front room, the first hints of sunlight illuminating the morning sky out the window. A robe-clad Tala glances up from the couch with my most recent comb-bound manuscript lying open on her lap. I think to mention how she’s not supposed to read it while I’m still here, but since I don’t have current departure plans, I decide to let it go. Plus, I’m too tired to say anything.

“You’re up early,” she says, eyeing me.

I drop down onto the couch next to her. “I just got off the phone with Mom.”

Tala closes the manuscript and turns to face me. “You told her?”

I nod. “I started with the Tristan confession before dropping the whole Sunny Palmer thing on her.”

“What did she say?”

I give an overdone smile. “She was thrilled about the Tristan part.”

“And the Sunny Palmer part?”

I drop my gaze to my lap, fidgeting with a loose thread on my pajama pants. “Surprised. And hurt. Not that she said it, but I could just tell.” I release a slow breath. “I should have told her a long time ago.”

“I’ll talk to her.” Tala wraps her arm around me, and I lean my head onto her shoulder. “Once she hears the only reason I know is because I eavesdropped on a conversation between you and Jane, the two of us can commiserate together.”

“As a reminder, it’s not that I didn’t want to tell you.”

“I know why you didn’t say anything. But you can stop worrying about that now. Considering how things went on the doorstep last night when Tristan dropped you off, he seems more than fine with your revelation.”

I pull out of her arm, my mouth gaping. “You spied on us?”

“It was Heath’s idea.”

“What am I being thrown under the bus for now?” Heath says, stepping into the front entryway and grabbing his golf cart keys from the table drawer. He’s already dressed, but not in his work clothes.

“I just mentioned that we saw her and Tristan on the doorstep last night.”

“Oh yeah, that was totally my idea.”

I shake my head in disbelief. “You two are the worst.”

Heath steps into the room. “Actually, we’re the best. Until I had that chat with Tristan, he was convinced he was firmly in the friend zone with you.”

“You mean the chat where you told him I had a huge crush on him?”

He points at me. “Has. I said ‘Capri has a huge crush on you.’ It’s all in the details.”

I roll my eyes, but I can’t conceal my smile. “I guess I won’t have to name a villain after you in my next book after all.”

Heath’s eyes light with excitement. “No, you totally should. Then one day when it’s published, I can use it as bragging rights.” He glances at his watch. “But we can discuss exactly how you can thank me later because I have to get to the town square and help set up for the Fourth of July breakfast. I’m already late.” So that’s where he’s headed. He hurries over and gives Tala a kiss, then she pulls him back for a second.

He throws a satisfied smirk in my direction, and I roll my eyes like a very mature adult.