Page 12 of Only Ever You
“That was my first kiss,” she says. “Thank you for making it amazing.”
I feel small in this moment, as if I can’t quite rise to it. The way it feels to stand here holding her, the way it feels to kiss her is all more than I ever could’ve imagined. Jane feels good and pure. If she knew my story, she probably never would’ve spent these hours walking on the beach with me. These hours will be a memory I tuck into my pocket and pull out on a bad day.
“You’re the first girl I’ve ever felt like this with,” I surprise myself by saying.
“I will not forget you, Parker. Maybe someday I’ll see you again.”
I walk with her back to the harbor. The last I see of her is when she presses her fingers to her lips and blows me a kiss.
Chapter Eight
LUNA
Even though I’ve seen Parker a few times in the café, and he rescued me in the ocean, a corner of my mind never stopped questioning if it was really him. This version of Parker was taller and more built than the Parker I’d spent a few halcyon hours with a decade ago.
I’d never seen him after that. I’d wanted to stay in Fireweed Harbor because it was a cute little town, but my parents had insisted on sticking to their plan to create content. We’d left the following morning.
When Parker had scooped me out of the ocean that day a few months ago, I’d been so befuddled, I couldn’t think too clearly, and doubts still crowded my mind. It wasn’t until this morning after the moose incident that I felt that same feeling with him. I feltsafewith him. And now, I had to explain why I gave him a fake name before. Even though my parents had screwed up a lot of stuff when they were dragging me along in their influencer life, they’d insisted on giving me a different public name. My mom had also straightened my unruly curls religiously.
Between my name and my straight hair, my parents hoped to protect me somehow. I guess they did a little. No one had ever recognized me since I’d left that life. All this to say, I’d nevergotten close enough to someone in real life for them to connect the dots.
My parents’ travel channel was successful enough for them to make a living, but never successful enough for them to stop. They made enough from ads to pay for gas money and whatever other bills we had. Their high hopes had only taken them so far.
With a quiet sigh, I continued boxing up donuts, mulling over how to handle this situation with Parker. Part of me thrilled to the idea that we somehow ended up in the same place. I’d never forgotten that kiss.
I’d only told one person about it, who’d promptly told my parents. Then, my parents wanted to do a whole episode on it. I had to beg them to the point of tears to talk them out of it. It was one of the few times they’d actually respected my wishes. Other private conversations I’d been forced to have on camera included my mom buying a box of tampons for me when I got my period, my mom helping me pick out a bra, and me struggling through math homework.
Surprisingly, they hadn’t filmed when I was practicing baking. They always wanted to put the uncomfortable awkward moments on camera. Those got more views and, in turn, more money. The travel itself became exhausting. While Alaska was big geographically, there were only so many chances for social interactions. Most years, we traveled to the lower 48 for the winter.
I didn’t think I ever wanted to travel again in my life. I took an unsteady breath and shook my thoughts away. As I finished boxing up the last box of donuts, Casey popped into the back. “I just sold all of those!”
I looked at the stack of ten boxes, my mouth dropping open as I turned back toward her. “All of them?” I squeaked.
“Luna, your donuts are famous.” Casey bounced on her toes. “Seriously.”
“Um, I don’t think my donuts are famous.”
“They’re famous here, and that’s all that matters.” She began stacking the boxes. When her gaze swung to mine again, she stopped. “Are you okay?”
I meant to keep it all together, but the next thing I knew, tears were splashing onto my cheeks. I didn’t know what to say. Just then, Josie came walking in from the break room. I hadn’t even realized she was back there. “What’s happening?” she asked.
The second she saw my face, and before I could even say a word, Josie raced across the kitchen and pulled me into a big hug. Like Casey, Josie gave good hugs. Actually, every friend I met in Willow Brook gave the best hugs.
“What’s wrong?” she demanded when she stepped back.
I swiped at my tears with my fingertips and sniffled. “It’s way too much to explain right now.”
Janet’s voice came from the front, calling for Casey. “I need to—” I didn’t know what I needed, but it was too busy here for me to fall apart.
Josie nodded. “You hold that thought. We have card night coming up, and you’re gonna fill us all in on what’s going on.”
I took a shaky breath as I nodded. As recently as a day ago, I wouldn’t have wanted to tell an entire group of people my whole story, yet it suddenly felt like a huge relief. I needed some advice. I also desperately wanted to stop feeling like I had to keep my past a secret. On top of that, I definitely needed help to figure out how to explain the mess to Parker.
“Okay,” I said firmly.
Josie thrust a box of tissues in my hand. I blew my nose and dabbed at my eyes as Casey hurried to the front while Janet came bustling in the back.
“Luna, can you stay and make some more donuts?” Janet asked as she made a beeline for the dishwasher with a tray full ofdirty dishes in hand. “Pretty please. We’re completely out in the front.” She glanced over her shoulder, caught a look at me, and skidded to a stop. “Are you okay, hon?”
