Page 26 of Lavender Moon

“Hey, silly girl,” I stare back at her with a small smile as I await my fate.

“Kaleb…” she finally exclaims and instead of getting a drink thrown on me, I get her instead. She’s in my arms in half a second, her body crashing against mine. The impact and her arms roping around my neck is so beautifully rapturous and I feel like I just found my home after wandering around lost for three years. I don’t let the surprise take away from soaking this moment in though. I have my arms wrapped completely around Luna Isaaks. My face is burrowed in her hair, and I can smell that she still uses her mom’s salon shampoo. That smell is now mixed with some kind of flowery orange scent that I could absolutely get drunk on.

“Oh my God, it’s been so long!” Her voice is as warm as her hug as she utters them right next to my ear, and it almost feels like a lullaby. “How are you, soldier?” she asks, breaking away and bringing her hands up over her mouth, her eyes radiant with a smile. Even under the neon lights, I can see that her cheeks have gone a little pink, and I realize I still haven’t done any talking.

“You look amazing,” I tell her and I’m about to inwardly curse myself out for not even answering her question, but fuck it. I’m at a loss for words, and she does look amazing. I grew up seeing her in all the casual outdoor clothes, and her swimsuit was always a treat, but I never imagined what it would be like to see her in a sexy dress like tonight, and it makes her look feminine on a different level. Yes, I have to remind myself to keep my eyes on hers, and not let them venture to where they yearn, but it’s the essence she’s giving off that’s doing me in.

“Thank you,” she blinks coyly with a soft laugh. “That’s really sweet.”

“Sorry,” I clear my throat, “I’ve been alright. How about you?”

“Really good, thanks,” she nods with a smile so genuine I know she’s telling the truth, and not just saying it because she’s supposed to. She looks radiant. My attention is deterred however, when one of her friends at the table clears their throat.

We both turn to the raven-haired girl on the right, giving us a sly look while she stirs her drink with her straw.

“Okay, Luna, you’ve got some explaining to do.”

Lu gives a shy chuckle and blinks and my heart thumps out a few hard beats when I realize we both still have a hand on each other. “Everybody, this is Kaleb,” she holds her other hand up at me, and I hook the thumb of my free hand in my jeans pocket as I give each one a nod. “We’ve known each other since we were kids.”

“Kaleb from camp!” the girl on the end pipes up, and it’s hard with the flashing lights in the club to tell what color her hair is, but it looks blonde with some other colors mixed in. I think I remember her though. She was a counselor in Luna’s cabin. Cassie? “I totally remember you! You and Luna were inseparable!”

“Lucky Luna,” a redhead, hipster-looking girl sings out jokingly as she eyes me up and down, and Luna cracks half a smile, shaking her head at her before turning to me.

“So… do you live here now? I mean, you’re not stationed anywhere?”

I blow out a long breath, raising my eyebrows which earns me and endearing, closed-mouth smile from her up at me. I want to tell her everything, but a noisy bar with her friends present is hardly the time and place. “It’s a long story,” I finally settle on before leaning in closer and giving her hip a squeeze. “We should catch up.”

Before she can respond, her friends call her name and wave for her attention at the same time Alex appears at my side.

“Kaleb,”

“Yeah?”

“Miranda’s waiting for me at the hotel, I gotta go,” he reports, though I barely hear him as I’m staring at the way Luna’s dark-haired friend is whispering in her ear. Her eyes dart to mine and her pink lips press together.

“Alright, man, you good to drive?” I finally tear my eyes away from her to listen. We slap hands when he assures me he is, and I turn back in time to see Luna’s friends all standing from their stools and grabbing their belongings. “What’s going on?”

“I’m being abandoned because my friends think I need to catch up with the hot soldier as they put it.” Luna rolls her eyes endearingly, and my heart inflates just slightly at the word hot.

“You haven’t seen him in how long?” Cassidy, that’s her name, points out with a wave of her hand. “And you run into each other by chance? You guys have to hang.”

I knew I liked her.

Luna looks to me, her brown hair swishing around her bare shoulders, and looks up at me with those soft brown eyes. “We can do this anytime you want, K, you don’t have to stick around.” She shakes her head offering me an out. “And they’re my ride, so… ” she tips her head in their direction.

“I can take you home,” I cut her off before she can bow out. I know she’s trying to save us both some awkwardness, but she’s not going anywhere. Not after how long I’ve waited. “Stay with me, Lu.” I give her the stare down, a small but playful smile in place, just like I always did before. “I’ve got nowhere to be and all night to get there. I’d love to spend time with you and hear what your silly ass has been up to,” I add firmly.

Her smile is tight but warm as it slowly stretches across her face, and finally she nods. “Okay.”

“The bar on the second floor is a bit quieter,” I recall, giving her a knowing smile. “Can I buy you a root beer?”

* * *

Luna

I can’t believeI’m sitting here with the boy from my summers as our knees brush against each other under the bar. As we made our way down here, my blood warmed as I noticed he now walks a bit taller and straighter, but still looks like the Kaleb I last saw in those well-fitting jeans and tattoos all over, only his eyebrow piercing is gone now and he’s filling out that Henley a bit more. Before he was lean and fit, but now he’s grown to be so muscular and strong. I felt in his embrace when I threw myself into his arms when I realized I was looking at the special someone I never thought I’d lay eyes on again.

Even now, I still can’t believe I’m looking at him as he tells me about his budding career in the military. My heart both beams and hurts for him and the things he’s accomplished, but also what he’s had to endure to do so.

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