Page 127 of Tourist Trap

"Hey, hot stuff, think I can get you to look at my undercarriage?" I ask when I stand above him. The tool he's holding falls to the ground with a clang, followed by a thump, and guilt eats at me as I hear him curse, clearly having hit his head before his booted feet move him smoothly out from under the car.

"Claire? What are you doing here?" he asks, looking confused and worried.

"Think you can take a break?"

"Is everything okay?" he asks, stripping off the gloves he's wearing and tossing them to the ground without a second look. He quickly stands up and moves toward me.

"Everything is great," I say, reaching for him, but he steps back like he just realized something.

“I’m greasy, babe.”

"I don't care," I whisper, stepping closer and putting my arms around his neck.

He bends as if on instinct and presses a quick kiss to my lips.

"Is everything okay? Why aren't you at work?"

"I got a job offer," I whisper. His body goes tight, and he looks over my face like he isn't sure how to take that news. I smile again. "From Helen."

His body loosens a bit, and a smile starts to pick at the edges of his lips. "Assistant Director of Recreation until she retires next year." That smile spreads into a wide grin, and his arms tighten on my waist. "Helen says to tell you you have to thank her for convincing me to stay here forever." I whisper those last words against his lips.

“You’re staying?”

"I was already going to stay. But now I have a job so I—" I can't finish my sentence because Miles is lifting me, spinning me round and round, his smile now a full beaming grin as I let out a giggle.

When he sets me down, he presses his lips to mine, dipping me back like some old movie. "Now you're stuck in this tourist trap forever," he whispers against my lips once he lifts me back up.

"Happily," I whisper back.

EPILOGUE

Claire

A year later

The summer celebration behind the Seabreeze is even better than last year, but that’s because this year, all of my favorite people are here.

Two days after the Fourth, my parents rented a house in Seaside Point, and my sisters, Nate, Jules, and Sophie, all came for a week. Thankfully, Helen was more than willing to work a bit extra this week, though Nate and Miles had a blast picking on me when I worked a lifeguard shift yesterday.

But today, in the cove behind the Seabreeze, all of my favorite people are in one place, and my heart is so full it might explode.

“Okay, girlfriend,” I say, jumping up and down beside Sophie, who has a fishing pole in hand. The bobber keeps going under the water, a fish on the line. “Now reel her in, nice and gently.”

I have fished a grand total ofonetime this time last year when I won the yearly competition, but right now, I might as well be an expert.

“It’s really hard,” Sophia says through gritted teeth.

“I know, that just means it’s a big one,” I encourage her excitedly.

“I can’t do it,” she says, her face going red with effort.

“Sophie, Sophie, Sophie.” Sutton starts chanting, and then Jules, Sloane, Lainey, and I join in, Decker coming in and bringing it down an octave as well. From behind me, I assume either Grant elbowed him when he stops chanting and yells, “Ow!”

“You’re supposed to be on our team, man,” Grant says.

I look over my shoulder at Deck, who is glaring at my best friend’s older brother.

“Are you really mad I’m cheering for a seven-year-old girl?” he asks.

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