Craven Cove Royalty (Craven Cove)

“Yeah, just making sure I smile pretty for the cameras.”

“Only nine months to go.” He holds his beer out, and I tap my bottle of water to it.

“See ya,” I call over my shoulder as I head up the steps.

“Hang on,” Jackson says, and I pause. “Just a heads up, I saw Shy talking to Celeste today.”

“What?” I feel heat climb the back of my neck.

I can probably count on one hand the number of conversations I’ve had with Shy, but he’s always been in my periphery. He’s on the swim team, so we don’t necessarily run in the same circles, but I know he got a scholarship to State too. There’s something about him that sets my teeth on edge, but I don’t know what it is. Maybe it’s the way he watches me out of the corner of his eyes, but I get the feeling he knows something that I don’t, and I hate it. Now I hear he’s talking to my girl? Not happening.

“She was leaving the parking lot with Emerson, and I saw him talking to her. Don’t know what he said, just thought you’d want to know.”

I nod and clench my jaw. “Thanks, man.”

Without another word, I walk into the house and look around. There are people everywhere, and it’s not just Craven Cove High students. Jackson has cousins that are in high school off the island, and he must have invited all of them too. The music is loud, but I know this house almost as well as my own, and I walk through the modern kitchen to the back of the house. There’s a wall of glass that looks out onto the huge swimming pool and backyard. It’s just as packed out there, with people swimming and dancing.

I grab my phone out of my pocket and send a quick text to Celeste. Almost as soon as I send it, I see the bubbles pop up that she’s typing. She tells me she’s over by the jacuzzi, and I beeline for it. After hearing about her being approached by Shy, I have this strange need to stake my claim on her.

When I get outside, the music is just as loud, and I turn around to scan the crowd.

“Apollo.” I hear Celeste call my name, and I turn around to see her walking toward me.

“Beautiful.” I pull her into my arms and bury my face in her neck. “Damn, I missed you.”

“I missed you too,” she says, and I can hear the smile in her voice.

“I really, really, really missed you,” I say and squeeze her tighter.

“I’m glad you’re here now.” I feel her fingers in my hair, and it’s so nice holding her that I don’t let her go.

We stand there like that for a long time, me holding her off the ground with my face in her neck, and her petting my hair with one hand and rubbing my back with the other. It’s peaceful and romantic in a moment that is anything but. The people around us, the noise of the music, it all fades as I breathe in her sweet scent of sunshine and coconuts.

When I finally pull my face out from under her hair, I look into her eyes and smile.

“Better?” she asks, and I nod before I kiss her softly.

Suddenly all is right with my world, and I can’t even remember why I was annoyed before. Any time I’m with Celeste, everything makes sense. It’s like I’ve been lost in a maze, and she’s the light that shows me the way out. I don’t know how, but my life and my heart have been changed forever now that I’ve fallen for her. I know deep in my soul that I’ll never be the same, and as I stand here among this chaos, I know that she’s it for me. She’s my forever.

“Gah, get a room. You guys are gross,” Emerson says and winks at Celeste.

“I’d love to,” I say softly, and I watch Celeste blush.

“Have you eaten?” I ask, and Celeste nods. “Good, are you ready to get out of here?”

“You can’t steal her yet, we were just about to dance,” Emerson complains.

I place Celeste on her feet, not wanting to end her good time too soon, even though I really want to be selfish and have her all to myself.

“You want to come dance with us?” she asks and smiles up at me.

My heart squeezes, but I shake my head. “I’m afraid I’m not good at dancing. But I’m happy to watch.” I smack her on the ass, and she squeals as she goes up on her tiptoes for a quick kiss and then moves to the dance floor with Emerson.

People are crowded around the patio that’s got a DJ to one side. I’m not at all shocked Jackson has someone set up for this. He’s always so extra.