Page 98 of The Moment Promised

“Wants you to have fun. Come on, love. Live in the moment promised with me.” He smiles seductively.

I look at him warily, but I accept his outstretched hand, and get out of the car.

The salt fills the air, and I can already sense the way I am going to feel when I finally dive into the calm sea. Maybe its effects will wear off on me.

A gust of wind blows my hair and takes away the surrounding sound. All I hear is mother nature singing her lullaby.

After a few more talks with my mom, she quickly realized what she has with Jason is not love. It’s abuse. He’s blown up my mom’s phone and mine with texts asking where we were along with several angry voicemails. I took the liberty of blocking his number, and my mom handed me her phone in case she was tempted to unblock him in a moment of weakness.

I thought it was the strongest thing ever.

We reached out to a lawyer. I took pictures of the bruises on my mother’s ribs and the one on Finn’s cheekbone which is now a faded yellow. I put all the evidence that Jason hurt the people I love in a folder on my laptop, along with the video I took when he beat up Finn.

The lawyer Burt found told me what I already knew. The video was pretty much useless. We might be able to use the pictures and claim we feel unsafe around him to file for a restraining order, but I want him locked away so he can never hurt so much as a fly again.

But we need better evidence.

My legs burn with overflowing energy, I run. I run so fast, Finn struggles to keep up with me.

My laugh echoes in the wind embracing me and I don’t stop. Not when my lungs beg for more air, not when my muscles strain to keep up, and not when I hear Finn dropping towels in the sand.

The setting sun airbrushes the world around me with gold. The sand looks less grainy, the water is as flat as glass, the palm trees are as perfect as a painting.

When my feet are submerged in the gentle waves that meet the shore, I slow to a walk. Finn was right, I needed this.

“Wow.” I jump at Finn’s sudden closeness.

He stills me before I can turn around. He tilts my chin, that begs to see him, back toward the ocean. The surface of him presses against my back, my head goes with the heavy fall of his chest.

“You’re the most beautiful girl in this whole fucking world, Adeline.” His hands skim the hem of my shirt, lightly brushing the skin on my abdomen.

“I’m not,” I whisper, letting my head lull back as my eyes fall heavy against his touch.

“Oh, yes you are.” His breath hits the side of my neck, sending tingles exploding throughout my body.

The air leaves my lungs, and everything spins as he swiftly turns me around. Before I can even process the shift in position, his lips are on mine and everything surrounding us disappears.

He kisses me like it’s the first time, always. He picks me up in front piggyback, and then takes off running.

I laugh into the nape of his neck, and a rush of giddiness overtakes me. I squeeze my arms tight around him to keep from falling.

A flock of seagulls rain on our parade—well that’s one way to put it. I reel back, eyes wide and burst out into heavy laughter.

Finn doesn’t laugh, but his eyes are as wide as mine as he sets me down. He doesn’t break eye contact as he brings a hand to the top of his head. He slowly examines the white on his fingers: seagull poop. “Those mother fuckers.” He takes his time, growling out the words.

I grip onto my kneecaps and let the waves of laughter roll out of me.

“You done?” I hear Finn’s voice, but I can’t stop laughing. Not until warm, wet fingertips brush my cheek. “Finn!”

Now he’s the one laughing.

I mutter a colorful string of curse words under my breath, then run to the ocean to wash the bird poop off my cheek.

Finn follows suit. I dive beneath the surface too many times to count, Finn by my side doing the same.

“You see that bridge over there?” I ask between plunges.

“Yeah, what about it?” He tilts his head, jumping up and down trying to get the salt water out of his ears.

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