Coastal Runaway (Coast to Coast #1)

Four

four

Luke

As the party went on I tried to forget about the bombshell that was Keegan Kelly. From where I sat, she floated around my periphery like the popular socialite that she had become. Her change was startling; gone was the girl who hid herself in a crowd with loose sweats and in her place was a woman who commanded the room.

I sipped on my beer, just watching. Nolan wasn’t joking when he told me that she had a personality transplant as soon as she moved here. It’s like she turned into one of the very girls that she despised in high school.

I never understood why she left. I knew that Keegan was a runner but I never understood why she never came to her senses and called me.

What happened in the twenty minutes that I was getting her coffee?

She threw that all away. She threw you away.

Frustrated, I stood. Being around her was dangerous. I knew that I should have hated her. She took off without an explanation and without caring enough about me to say goodbye. I knew that she didn’t care enough to stick around, but my heart still ached for the girl who once held it. I wanted to protect myself. I had to avoid getting drunk on her laugh or her sarcasm when she was in the room.

I needed to take a walk, clear my head. I chugged my beer and went to search for a bathroom. I rounded a corner in the general direction that Nolan pointed. Just as I reached for the handle, the door opened, and I ran smack dab into the one person that I had been avoiding all night.

Out of habit, I said “Hey, Tig.”

The words were dry in my mouth.

God, how was she even more stunning now than she was three years ago?

She glanced up at me with fire in her eyes. I expected her to look away, but she didn't. Gone was the girl who got so nervous that she couldn’t look me in the eye when I smiled at her, and in her place was a woman who didn't take anyone’s bullshit. The little dork that I once knew was nowhere in sight; this was a different beast entirely. She looked at me with defiance… and something else.

Hatred .

Rolling her eyes, she bitterly spat, “Don’t call me that.”

When she shoulder-checked me to leave, I grabbed her elbow. I couldn’t stop myself from the traitorous way that my body reacted to her—she was like a magnet. I spun her until we were tucked against the wall. Furious, and eyes wide at the restraint, Keegan glared up at me. The music of the party continued faintly over the roaring that suddenly filled my ears.

“Are you ever going to tell me why you ran? What the fuck happened, Tig?” I demanded. She winced at the use of her nickname.

She scoffed, “Don’t act like you are so clueless. Stupid isn’t a good look on you.”

Her sarcasm pulled me in slightly closer, and I said, “Glad to see that your attitude survived your transformation.”

She rolled her eyes again, apparently her new favorite gesture these days, and sneered, “be careful, your jealousy is showing.”

I knew that we weren’t going to get anywhere like this. I wasn’t going to get any answers and she was going to continue to shut me out. I leaned away from her and let her walk away. I watched as she pushed off the wall and sauntered down the hallway with a confident sway in her hips. She seemed completely unfazed.

After using the bathroom, I found Nolan and Aiden chatting up some ridiculously hot blondes by the fire pit. I made my way over to the boys and didn’t interact with Keegan for the rest of the night.

When a third girl joined the group and sat on my lap for the remainder of the party. A few times, I noticed Keegan staring daggers at the new girl who was glued to my side. At that moment, I knew that I would do more than just get drunk on Keegan’s laugh this semester. At that moment, I knew that nobody else would have the fire that I craved in a woman quite like Keegan Kelly did.

And at that moment, I knew I was completely fucked.

If I thought I was fucked before, I was unprepared for the sight of Keegan walking into the kitchen every morning that week in different variations of a cheerleading outfit. Keegan had filled out in the time we hadn't spoken, and it was noticeable.

New fantasy unlocked .

She barely looked in my direction since I moved in, let alone spoke to me. I still couldn’t help but compare her to the girl who used to know all my secrets. The girl that I knew would never be seen as a cheerleader, but I’d be damned if this newfound confidence didn’t suit her— and it was hot .

Today marked move-in day for most of the student body at CCU but the Kelly siblings moved in earlier this month due to most of them being student athletes. As student athletes, they were required to attend a week-long training camp to start the new semester on high note. I learned it was called “Athlete Training Week” and it traditionally ended on move-in day with a pep rally on the quad hosted by the athletics department.

I was brewing a pot of coffee when Keegan and Maeve came walking into the kitchen in their matching uniforms. They wore a white, long-sleeve cropped tops with the school logo stitched into the chest. They paired that with white pleated cheerleading skirt and white sneakers. I had to consciously keep my eyes averted because while my brain was aware that we had reasons not to like Keegan Kelly, my dick came to life every time we were in the same room.

“Are you coming to the rally later, Luke?” Maeve asked for the sake of politeness. While I was pretty sure that Maeve was privy to all of the brutal details of that night, she had been making an effort in the last week to not let it affect our relationship.

“I was thinking about it,” I said, addressing only her, “I want to check out campus and scope out where all of my classes will be.”

“You’re going to love it! Campus is so beautiful. Maybe we can give you a tour this afternoon.” Maeve bubbled, practically jumping for joy.

A scoff came from the other side of the kitchen as Keegan was filling up her travel coffee mug. “Come on Maeve, we're going to be late.” She grunted, walking past me without a glance.

“I don’t even get a kiss goodbye? Honestly, that's just rude.” I snickered to ease the tension. She paused, turning to meet my stare. I shot her a wink and sly smile. Her cheeks pinked momentarily before she schooled her features back to a cold glare. She dramatically rolled her eyes and walked out the front door.

Interesting. Maybe I still affected her more than she was letting on.

I turned to Maeve, “Thanks for the offer but I think I’ll be okay.”

Maeve just giggled, shaking her head. She stopped to give me a light kiss on my cheek before following her icy sister out the front door.