Page 31 of Make You Miss Me

Now that I can no longer feel my toes, it’s time to eat.

I’m craving some fried seafood and a milkshake, so we head to one of Trent’s favorite takeout spots, which happens to be the same place I discovered my love of shrimp burgers three summers ago.

It’s a cute mom-and-pop type of place and considering the line is wrapped around the building, it’s safe to say Big Oak is a local favorite.

With our bags full of fries and fresh-caught shrimp on a bun, we drive to Trent’s special spot.Thankfully, it’s not long before he’s pulling off onto a short dirt road.

Hopping out, we grab a blanket from the back and head over to the lookout.

The sun is setting in the distance and the picturesque views take my breath away.

From here I can see the bustling boardwalk along with the beautiful sand and ocean.The orange hue of the sky as the sun sets makes it that much more impressive.

“Wow, it’s gorgeous up here.”

Trent comes to stand next to me, stretching out his arms. “Yeah, it’s one of my favorite spots to come and just chill. I’m glad you like it.”

“Like it? I love it… I feel like I’m in my own world here, it’s amazing. Thank you for bringing me here, I guess it pays to be banging a local.” I wink at him with a stupid grin on my face.Wrapping my arms around his waist, I nestle my head into his chest.

After a few moments of silence, he speaks up, “Come on, let’s eat. Our food is getting cold and I don’t want to hear your stomach growling anymore.She sounds hangry.”

I swat at his arm. “She’s not hangry!” I pat my belly. “We just know good food when we smell it!”

Nothing has ever felt as right as I do right now, sitting on the blanket snuggled up next to Trent with our full bellies from the delicious food. The sun setting ahead of us, turning the sky into a magnificent array of colors.

I look over at Trent, who happens to already be staring in my direction. His eyes filled with questions I know I probably don’t want to answer, but I ask anyway.

“What are you thinking?” I ask as I stare at his face. The magic hour is upon us, and I swear he looks like a model in some high-end ad campaign.

Damn, he’s a gorgeous specimen of a man.

“I’m wondering how I got so lucky running into you at Masqued.” He smirks at me. “Think about it… Of all the places in New York my brother could have taken me to, he took me there.”

“Yeah, the universe sure is funny that way, isn’t it?” I retort.Me and the universe are currently at an awkward standstill in my mind.

“Do you believe in fate?” he asks.

“You know… I never really thought about it up until recently,” I answer truthfully.

“Put it this way, I was never supposed to work at Masqued. I entered a competition for costume design through a program at my high school. Sloan, the owner of Masqued, saw some of my designs at the show and asked me if I’d be interested in drawing up a couple of options for the new club she was opening.”

“Really? Wow, they must have been something special if she asked you privately to draw up something for her?” He beams at me with pride.

“Yeah, I guess so.” I smile back.

“Okay, so explain this to me then, if you were just designing outfits for Masqued, how did you start working there?”

“Sloan asked me to come in to see Masqued so I could get a feel for the club to help with my design inspirations.It wasn’t open yet, but the staff was there training, and the interior was basically completed. My first thought when I walked through the door was damn, I need to work here.The vibe was exactly what I needed at that time. I wanted an escape from my reality, and Masqued gave me that. So, after I completed my costume design ideas for Sloan, I asked for a job. Of course, being that I was only eighteen then, I had my restrictions, but we made it work.”

“Wait… so did she use your designs for the uniform?” Trent asks. I love that he pays attention to every detail.

“Yes, she did.”

“Fuck me, I dreamt about you in that outfit for weeks.”He groans.

“Oh really? I have plenty more mockups where that came from, I’ll have to give you a show.” I wink at him.

“Okay, so if you love designing so much, why don’t you try going to school or taking up an internship?” he questions.

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