Page 20 of Starry Skies, Stolen Kisses, and My Best Friend's Brother

“It sounds like they already know how to deal with picky customers.”

“They also know if they pull this off, they’ll make a killing.What we’re paying them for this weekend is more than they usually make in a month.And this is just the beginning.”

“That’s what will set us apart from the other options.Seth, you’re really good at this.You’ve thought of things that I never even dreamed would make a difference.And yet every time you open your mouth and tell me something else that needs to be done, I think, ‘genius.’What you’re about to offer here is something that is found nowhere else.”

He shakes his head.“The problem with revolutionary is that it’s risky.This could all fail.”

“But it won’t.You know why?”

“Why?”

“Because of you.You know what you’re doing, and you’ve sacrificed a lot to make this happen.It won’t fail.”

He grabs my hand.“Thanks, Mae.For everything.You’re amazing, you know that?”

I take a long step back because I’m seconds away from falling right onto his lips.“I’m going to find Abi and see if she’s got any more videos of Levi the Lumberjack.”

“He’s going to kill you both when he finds out what you’ve done.”

“He’s got ten thousand followers on TikTok already.Even if he does kill us, it’ll be worth it.”

* * *

Seth: So did she have any videos?

Mae: Videos of what?

Seth: Levi.Unless you just used that as an excuse to sneak out of work early to see your secret boyfriend.

Mae: Oh.That was hours ago and I’m practically asleep now.

Seth: The temptation to ask what you’re wearing….

Mae: Careful.You might make my secret boyfriend jealous.

Seth: I hear he gives killer foot massages.

Mae: That he does.Makes me want to sneak into his room and demand to know where he was.

Seth: I expect if you did, his world would never be the same.

Mae: Good thing I have self-control.

Seth: Before I say anything else that might make your secret boyfriend jealous, I should let you get some sleep.

Mae: Come on.One more thing.

Seth: One more what?

Mae: Thing that will make my secret boyfriend jealous.

Seth: You will star in all my dreams.Good night, Mae.

Mae: Love you.

Seth: Love you too.

We’ve said that we love each other thousands of times, and we always do it before we go to sleep at night.It’s always been in a friendly brother-and-sister kind of way.But something feels different about it now.I glance out the little window next to my bunk and stare at the stars.I think of Cassiopeia, Perseus, and Andromeda.They’re my favorite constellations, and I love their stories.I just hope my story has a happy ending as well.

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