Page 66 of The Last Key
KENNEDY
Friday
I’m typing awayon my phone as Devon drives us to the reunion meet and greet at the high school. Tomorrow is the actual reunion at the inn. Ever since I made the decision to stay in Brighton, it’s been a whirlwind of telling people and planning when to go back to New York to pack my stuff. Though I’ll ship some of it, other things I want right away, since when I packed for Brighton, I didn’t factor in more than a couple of weeks worth of clothes.
I also want to see my parents and Hallie. Though my mom was a little sad I was leavingandgiving up on my “career,” she was overall supportive and glad to see me happy. Hallie was also happy for me, but like Devon, I know she won’t tell me the full truth, then she’ll deal with it alone. Leaving her alone is the only hard thing about moving here. We’ve lived together for the past few years, and we’ve grown even closer since Frannie moved to Ida. Thankfully, I won’t be leaving her in the lurch with rentsince our parents own the small three-story building. But I will miss sharing an apartment with her, and I hope she’ll be okay on her own.
Eventually, I hope she’ll find the right person. Someone who will force her to let them take care of her. That’s what she needs, whether she’d ever admit it or not.
“Okay, does next Friday sound good for going back to New York to grab my stuff?” I ask Devon. “Hallie says Frannie and Mark will be there for a long weekend too.”
“Justin’s heading there on Thursday. We should go then too, so we can all have a few days together.” He squeezes my hand, which has been intertwined with his since we left the house.
“And you’re sure that’s whatyouwant?”
He smiles, then lifts my hand to his lips and kisses it. “Positive.”
“Good. Because flights are not cheap.” I grimace at my phone, then a text pops up from Hallie.
Hallie: Don’t worry, I started packing for you.
Me: What? No.
Hallie: Yes. By the way, who keeps their vibrators in their underwear drawer anymore? You have a bedside table.
I squeak in disbelief.
“What?” Devon asks.
“Nothing.”
He pulls into the parking lot as I furiously text Hallie back.
Me: Stop immediately!
Hallie: Why? I’ve already seen the naughty bits. Besides, I have one of the same ones.
Me: Wait. Which one?
Hallie: The duckie one.
Me: Shut up. But it’s amazing, right?
Hallie: The question is, is it better than Devon?
“Oh, I definitely need to know the answer to that,” Devon says over my shoulder, scaring the shit out of me. I hadn’t even realized he’d pulled into a parking space.
I quickly click my phone screen off and turn to face him.
“Hm. I’m not sure.”
His eyes darken and he leans in, pushing me back against my seat. “You’re not sure?” He drags his nose up the side of my neck then quickly sucks the skin between his lips. A whimper escapes before I can stop myself. He pulls back, grinning evilly. “Don’t you remember what happens to bad girls?”
“Maybe I like being bad.”
His facade cracks and he groans. “Damn it, Kend. I can’t go in there with a boner.”
“You started it.”
