Page 39 of Coastal Rewind

“I mean, I just had the idea. Your family is scary good at pulling things together in a few days.”

She laughed and shook her head. “Thank you,” she said as I handed her a drink.

This event was truly something I couldn’t have pulled off myself in a million years. I ran the idea by Nolan after he told me about Ryleigh’s birthday. He immediately called his sisters who managed to rent out the pier, get a seventies cover band, and arrange for family and friends to gather in secret with two days’ notice. How the fuck they did it, I’ll never understand.

Keegan and Mr. Kelly disappeared into the crowd, leaving Ryleigh and I alone. She looked around and started laughing maniacally.

“What’s so funny?”

“Besides my family, I don’t think I know a single other person here.” She gestured at the people surrounding us.

“I have absolutely no idea who your siblings invited. I just told them to fill the pier.” I shrugged. I knew Ryleigh didn’t have many friends here and it was too short of notice to track down her many acquaintances around the country, but I didn’t want a surprise party with no people.

“You just wanted people around to celebrate with me.” It wasn’t a question but I nodded anyway.

“You deserve to be celebrated, Sunshine.”

Her eyes locked with mine, and I was consumed by them. I got that weird tight feeling in my chest that I would get when I was a kid around a pretty girl.

“Oh my god.” Maeve’s voice broke us from our moment as we both glanced in her direction. “Where are the shoes I picked?” she asked in an exasperated tone.

Ryleigh grabbed my hand and broke into a run, pulling me behind and leaving her disgruntled sister standing there alone.

“Ask Owen!” she shouted over her shoulder. She laughed the entire time as we ran to the edge of the pier, away from the party, where it was quiet. We made it to the railing and both fell into a fit of uncontrolled laughter as we leaned over the edge.

“You definitely couldn’t do that in heels,” I said in an attempt to catch my breath.

“Remind me to thank my brother.” She pulled her hair up and tied it on top of her head in a knot.

I just stared at her. When she left the house, she was posh in stiletto heels and voluminous curls, and now she was wearing high-top sneakers with a messy bun and wind-burned cheeks, yet she’d never looked more beautiful.

She brought her drink to her lips and smiled against the amber glass before taking a sip.

“So, Superstar. Why did you do all this for me?” She spun and leaned on her elbows, the glass bottle dangling in her fingers.

“I told you before, it was time you got used to someone taking care of you.”

She looked up at me with glassy eyes. “And that’s you?”

“Do you want it to be me?”

She sucked her bottom lip between her teeth and nodded as I inched closer to her. My hand found her waist and she stiffened on instinct. When her eyes met mine, her body softened.

“I need an answer, Sunshine. Do you want it to be me?” I whispered, leaning in so close my lips were practically grazing hers.

“Yes,” she said against my lips, her voice was breathy and her pupils were dark.

I smiled as I grabbed the back of her head and crashed my mouth to hers. I meant for it to be a soft kiss, but it also felt like I’d been waiting for this moment for so long that my body didn’t want slow and sensual. She gripped my shirt in her fists and pulled me closer.

The kiss was electric. I nipped at her bottom lip until she opened for me and let me delve my tongue inside. A moan left her throat as she wound her arms around my neck.

The sounds of the ocean filled my ears and the feel of Ryleigh in my arms lit up my senses. It was the perfect moment.

She pulled back and dropped her head to my chest. I could sense her wide smile and couldn’t hide my own. I kissed the top of her head as she shook with laughter. When she looked back up at me, something inside me clicked into place.

Something that had been broken for a long time.

“This is really stupid of us,” she said as she leaned in closer to me.