Page 56 of Not Made to Last

His pool.

His gym.

And my favorite kiss of all—the one in his car while we were still in his garage. It was just after midnight, and I’d just spent the past hour lying in his arms while I told him how much I missed home. Not the home fifteen minutes away, but the one in Wilmington—the home I grew up in. I told him about all my favorite places to eat. About the diner we’d go to on my birthday every year. About the playground my grandpa would take us to every Saturday morning. I even told him about the basketball courts where I taught Dominic to play. He paid attention toevery word and made sure I was done talking before he smacked my ass, kissed me once, and practically pushed me out of his bed. He got up, got dressed, then grabbed his phone and keys. Over his shoulder, he said, “Are you coming?”

For the second time in my life, I got into Rhys Garrett’s car, having no solid proof of where we were going. Only this time, I had an idea. Still, I asked, “Where are you taking me?”

His voice was deep, rough, and in the most nonchalant, yet most earth-shattering way, he replied, “I’m taking my girl home.”

I kissed him then, the way he kisses me now. As if us, together, was nothing more than a dream, and we were so afraid to wake up. Afraid of The End. But The End was onlynearingthen. It’spassedus now. Or, at least, I thought it had. And with that in mind, I force myself back to reality and push Rhys away, something I should’ve done from the very beginning.

He doesn’t argue, doesn’t resist. He simply stays silent, waiting for my next move.

Breathless, I pull out my phone from my skirt pocket and quickly turn on the flash so I can finally see where he’s dragged me into.

I roll my eyes when I figure it out because it’s perfect, really. It’s my first day of school, and I’m alreadythatgirl—making out with guys instorage closets.Ihaven’t even made it through lunch.

And now I’m annoyed. Unjustifiably so.

I search for the light switch so I can see clearly.

“Kids always break the globe in here, so the switch won’t matter,” Rhys says, all calm, as if he hasn’t just taken the exact steps that definekidnapping.

“Why would they—” I cut off when I realize I don’t care and then glare at the boy in front of me.

He smiles back.

“What are you doing here, Garrett?”

“Well, I can’t go making out with you in the halls. I’d get my ass fired.” I cross my arms, and it only makes him smile wider. His eye roll is playful, as if this is all a game. To him, it might be. “Don’t look at me like that, Cheeks.”

“Like what?”

“As if I’m the only one who has some explaining to do.”

I hold my phone between us, shining the flash right in his eyes, just so I can scan his face for any signs that he’s joking. If him being here is all some kind of prank.

He cowers away from the light, taking my phone from me and putting it on a low shelf beside him. A dim glow filters through the air, creating shadows across his features. He hasn’t changed much in the month since I’d seen him. His facial hair isn’t longer, but it’s thicker, and I hide my hands behind my back to stop from reaching out and running my fingers through it.

“You never mentioned you were going to be a Wildcat.”

“Please,” I scoff, throw in an eye roll for good measure, and repeat Dom’s words from earlier. “I may wear this uniform, but my blood bleeds Phantom, and you know that.”

His smile falters. Just enough that I notice. “Fair, but my point remains.” He crosses his arms, too, matching my position. Then he steps forward and stands to full height. I have to crane my neck to keep my eyes on his. “Didn’t you start senior year when you were—” He breaks off when my gaze drops, and I know all I have to do is wait.

Rhys is smart, incredibly so, and it won’t take long for him to figure it out. I count the seconds in my head as I focus on the floor between us.

One.

Two.

“Oh,” he says.

Oh,indeed.I was only two weeks into my senior year of high school when my grandparents died. I’d been living with my best friend’s family, but I’d been on my way here when it happened.

I never went back to Wilmington after that.

And I never went back to school, either.

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