Page 102 of Moonstruck Kiss

“Hi!” Ollie runs to his friends.

“Come with me, all of you,” Cutie says. “Except Ollie because it might not be appropriate for him to be there. Mia will look after them. Is that okay?”

“Good idea,” I say. “Where’s the meeting place?”

“You’ll know when we get there.”

I have more questions but I park them. Better to just get going.

I speak with Ollie and Mia while Dad leaves instructions to the lodge’s receptionist. Then we follow Cutie to the car park. “We’ll need to use your minibus ‘cause we won’t all fit on my bike,” she says with a cackle.

We pile into the lodge’s vehicle normally used to ferry around guests, with Dad climbing behind the wheel.

“Where to?” he asks.

“Just drive to the town centre,” answers Cutie.

“What did the Barkers say when you told them about this meeting?” I ask.

“They don’t know I’ve picked you up.”

I frown. “What did you tell them then?”

“That there’s an emergency town meeting at the town hall.”

“What?” all of us Quinns exclaim.

“Hey, if you’re gonna redeem yourself, Brax, you might as well do it all in one hit. A lot of people in this town aren’t sure about you. If you only speak with the Barkers, even if they believe you, I can tell you right now that some of their well-meaning friends might persuade them to not be so quick to forgive you. We’re split, and this is your chance to heal the whole town, Brax. We’re hurting because of all those rumours about you.”

I press down on my cheeks. This is turning into a nightmare.

“Cutie has a point,” Mum says gently. “But are you ready to face everyone, darling?”

I look out the window as I take a deep breath. I guess Cutie’s right. Because I hurt some beloved Mooners, I hurt the whole town. This is a place that rallies behind their own every single time. They’d even supported me and Ollie on the basis that my parents and sister are considered Mooners, and therefore, so are we.

It’s hard to imagine this scenario transpiring in Manhattan. Or anywhere else, for that matter. But this is Moonstruck Cove. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.

“Yes, I’m ready to face the music,” I say.

“All right!” Cutie pumps the air. “Step on it, Evan.”

As Dad speeds towards the town hall, I fervently hope that Joey won’t walk out when she sees me coming.

Chapter

Twenty-One

JOEY

The town hallis filling up with confused Mooners. Cutie, who called us to this meeting, is nowhere to be seen.

I spot our mayor entering from the front side door and I call to her. “Mayor Davies!”

She hurries towards me. “Hello, Joey. What is this meeting about?”

“Oh, you don’t know?” I let out a laugh. “I was gonna ask you.”

She throws her hands up in the air. “I’ve no idea. I just got a text from Cutie.”

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