Page 33 of Return to Us
She released a shaky breath. “Everything with you is good. It’s you, Grayson. It’s you who makes things perfect. I love you, and I want to be with you always.”
It didn’t matter that I was turning eighteen tomorrow and she was only sixteen. I knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that this was the girl I was meant to be with forever. My parents met when they were fifteen, and they were still together. I knew it could happen, and it happened with her. It would always be her. I was leaving for college in a few months, and she would be at home, but we would make it through.
I leaned in, kissing her softly. “I love you. I love you so much, Jess.”
Her hands moved up my chest, pushing the jacket off my shoulders so it fell to the floor. “Show me.”
Jack kicks my foot under the table. “You all right there?”
“Yeah, I’m fine,” I say quickly. “I just . . .” I look at Jess, who is staring at me, a faint blush on her cheeks.
“The beach house,” she says.
“The beach house.”
Delia or Jack clear their throats. “I take it something happened at the beach house?” Jack’s voice breaks the moment.
“Oh, yeah, it’s where Jess gave Grayson her V-card.” Delia so helpfully informs him.
“Delia!”
“What? You did. Please, the whole school knew it. You guys came back from the beach with no tan and a lot of smiling.”
Jess ducks her head. “I hate this town.”
“You hate that we all knew, that’s all.” Delia grins.
“Anyway, enough about the beach house . . .”
Jack leans back, tossing his arm behind Delia. “We should all go.”
“What?”
“Yeah, we haven’t gone in a long time, and I’m sure Melia would love a trip to the beach. It’ll be fun. You forced Stella to work so you could have time off. There’s no reason not to head down together.”
Delia glances at Jack and then nods. “Yes, it’ll be like old times. The four of us, hanging out and enjoying the sun. Plus, Jess is off this weekend so this is really her only chance to do something fun.”
A gnawing feeling moves through my chest. “I don’t know . . .”
“Why not? Stella has work covered, you have no plans, and the weather is going to be nice.”
I glare at Jack, wanting to choke him. “It won’t be at all awkward, right?”
“Hell no it won’t. There are four bedrooms and plenty of space.”
That’s it, he’s dead. I’m not sure how I’m going to take him out, but it will happen. “There will be five of us.”
“You and Jess can share a room.”
Jessica spits out her coffee, sending it flying right into Jack’s face. I get a small amount of joy from that.
“I’m sorry,” she says, trying not to smile as she hands him a napkin. “I can’t believe I did that.”
“He deserved it.”
Delia can barely contain her laughter. “Jess and I will bunk together, it’ll be fine. We are all adults, and Jack is right, we used to do it all the time. Come on, Gray, it’ll be fun.”
Jess looks back to me. “I’m fine if you are,” she assures me softly.
