Page 79 of You Found Me in the Dark
“Yeah, when I was sixteen and trying to impress girls,” Cam muttered, but he was already caving.
“So, what you’re saying is nothing’s changed?” Harper asked, smirking.
I watched the whole thing unfold, amused. Wren turned to look at me, tilting her head slightly. “You’re in, right?”
She didn’t even have to ask. I would’ve gone to a damn knitting circle if it meant seeing her smile like that again.
“Yeah,” I said, my hand instinctively settling on her hip. “Bonfire sounds perfect.”
She beamed and leaned into me like I’d just handed her the moon.
Cam sighed dramatically, running a hand through his shoulder-length hair. “Fine. But I’m not carrying the firewood.”
Harper laughed. “You’ll carry it if I ask you nicely.”
He muttered something under his breath that sounded a lot like whatever, but I caught the way his eyes lingered on her just a second too long.
Yeah. This night might get interesting.
49
WREN
The sun was dipping low, casting golden streaks across the driveway as I loaded the last few things into the trunk of my Civic. The cooler—stuffed with booze, pop, water, and enough ice to drown a small village—was already wedged in next to a pile of blankets and a grocery bag full of s’mores supplies.
It was a little after seven, early enough to stop by the beachside shop and buy firewood before the place closed. Everything was coming together, and I was so fucking excited.
I bent down to rearrange the foldable chairs when I felt strong hands slide around my waist from behind.
“I got it,” I started to say, but the words caught in my throat as I felt the warmth of his chest press against my back.
“Didn’t ask,” Reed murmured against the shell of my ear.
He spun me gently in his arms, the trunk still open behind me, the scent of sunscreen and bug spray lingering faintly in the air. I looked up at him, heart skittering in my chest like italways did when he looked at me like this—like I was the most important thing in the world.
His finger brushed under my chin, tilting it just enough. “You’re so fucking beautiful, you know that?”
I rolled my eyes, but the blush that bloomed across my cheeks gave me away. “You’ve already said that today.”
“And I’ll say it again tomorrow. And the day after that. If you’re lucky, maybe I will get to tell you how beautiful you are forever.” He said, leaning down to press a slow, warm kiss against my lips. It wasn’t rushed or heated—just full of something that settled deep into my bones. Something real.
“I love you,” he whispered against my mouth.
It still made my stomach flip, hearing it out loud. I wrapped my arms around his neck, grounding myself in the quiet of his voice and the strength of his hold. And for the first time, I said it back.
“I love you, too.”
We didn’t pull apart until I heard the screen door creak open. I peeked over Reed’s shoulder to see Cam heading toward us. Harper had disappeared back inside to use the bathroom, but I figured we had a few more seconds of peace.
“C’mere,” I whispered, tugging Reed back for one last kiss before the moment slipped away.
He grinned against my lips and squeezed my ass one last time before letting go. “Let’s go, Little Birdie.”
The windows were down, warm wind tangling my hair as we drove along the coast toward the beach. The sky was painted in streaks of tangerine and lavender, and the music was just low enough to talk over. I had Lena on my lap, and we were both turned towards Harper’s as she grinned down at her phone.
“Okay,” she whispered, nudging me. “I’ve been talking to thisguy on Hinge for, like, four days, and I need your honest opinion.”
I leaned in, letting my eyes scan the photo she pulled up. He was cute—tall, artsy-looking, with messy brown curls and a crooked smile. A little too curated, maybe, but not in a bad way.
