Page 55 of Always a Chance
“But we’re us, Johnny. We don’t kiss.”
“I’m sorry.” His breath was warm as he hovered inches away. “I didn’t read the manual.” This time, he kissed me harder, deeper, as if he’d wanted this for a long time. But that wasn’t possible.
“Tali,” he breathed against my lips. “I—”
“Talia.” Aidan’s voice broke us apart as he yelled down the beach. “Talia, come quick. It’s your sister.”
I’d never know what Johnny wanted to say that night because everything changed. When they pulled Gianna from the water, I couldn’t see anything else. Not Michael, as his muscles strained laying Gianna on the sand. Nor Erin Lang starting the CPR she’d learned as a lifeguard.
Johnny tried to hold me back, to pull me into his arms, but I couldn’t stand him touching me. All I heard in my irrational brain was, “There’s no way they’d let anyone who wasn’t a senior in.”
If it wasn’t for that statement, for him, I’d have found her before she ever decided to go for a swim. I could have saved her.
* * *
NOW
The sun had startedto rise by the time I got home, tired but content. After the rain let up, Johnny and I spent the day walking around town until we dried out. We grabbed dinner at a food truck and went to the beach. It was empty after the rain, so we pulled two chairs out from the Surf Hut and watched the stars appear in the sky.
Eventually, we’d fallen asleep to the sound of the ocean.
Dad was already up when I walked into the kitchen. There was no time to rest before I got to work.
“Are you just getting home?” he asked.
“Yeah.” My dad still hadn’t earned the right to parent me again.
He shrugged. “Well, Gianna told me you were with Johnny, so I hope you two had a nice time.” He said nothing else before picking up his travel mug and heading for the front door.
It was early to leave for work, but my dad had always been a bit of a workaholic. I slipped into the bathroom and turned on the shower. Stripping out of my clothes, I stepped under the spray, letting it loosen my muscles.
A smile curved my lips as I played the night before back in my mind. Over the years, Johnny and I spent many nights watching the stars, but this was different. It had never been like that. Sneaking kisses, holding hands, settling my head in the crook of his neck.
I sighed when my phone rang, and I had to quickly shut off the shower, wrap myself in my towel, and fumble the phone from the pocket of my discarded pants.
“Hey, boss.” I held it between my ear and my shoulder as I looked at myself in the mirror.
“Talia, glad I caught you. How’s the feature coming?”
“I thought you scrapped it.”
“The publisher asked me to, and I agreed, but I know you. Do you have anything for me to look at?”
A smile played on my lips. Maybe it would be easier to get him to run it than I’d thought. “It’s all just recorded on my phone. I’ll transcribe it this morning and send it over.”
“Good. I’m not promising you any digital space. You know that, right?”
“Yeah.” I sighed. “That’s been made very clear.”
“I’ll see what I can do with the board. You’ll be back in the city soon?”
“Yeah, and sir…”
“You don’t need to ask, Talia. If the feature doesn’t run but is good enough for digital, I can convince the board you’re right for the team.”
The weight I’d expected to lift at the news remained on my shoulders. “Oh, okay. Thanks.”
We said our goodbyes, and I left the steamy bathroom, changing quickly in my room before setting up my computer. Felina and Gianna must be out because there was no noise coming from my sister’s room.
