Coastal Runaway (Coast to Coast #1)

Twenty-Two

twenty-two

Keegan

Luke

Go on a date with me.

I’m sorry, was there a question there that I missed?

Luke

Go on a date with me, brat.

I think that was actually even less of a question.

Luke

Please, baby?

I like it when you beg.

But… okay.

Luke

Don’t get used to it. Be ready tonight at 6.

I scrolled through the messages at least a hundred times today like a giddy schoolgirl. Luke and I have hung out alone tons of times, but a real date?

Why were my palms so sweaty?

It's just Luke.

We liked Luke.

We might have even loved him.

Nope.

I snapped out of my thoughts. While I was enjoying the time we were spending together, especially naked, I had to remind myself constantly that we’d been there before and it blew up in my face.

I fluffed my hair again, the long curls tickling my back. I debated my outfit for hours before settling on a black Skims maxi slip dress and a pair of Chanel sandals. Casual but subtly sexy. Appropriate for dinner or an activity. I had no idea what the plan was for tonight. We agreed to keep this a secret; it would be suspicious for us both to walk through the house dressed up saying that we're going on separate dates.

No one was around when I got downstairs. Honestly that was a blessing so I didn’t have to lie about my plans for the night. Earlier Luke told me to say I was going to dinner with Maggie and walk down the driveway to where he would be waiting.

As I got to the bottom of the driveway, I took out my phone and snapped a picture; it was a sight that belonged in a rom com. Luke was leaning against a white Audi A5 convertible with the roof down. He had one leg propped against the car and his hand was running through his hair as he looked off into the distance. He looked nervous.

He was wearing a pair of black pants that cut above his ankles with tan boat shoes, and a cream knitted polo tucked into his pants. He looked up after I tucked my phone back into my purse, and while I couldn’t see his eyes past his black RayBans, the most delicious smile crept onto his face and it made my core heat.

“You look. Wow,” he said as he slipped a hand around my waist.

“You look pretty wow yourself.”

He placed a light kiss on my forehead before opening the passenger door, allowing me to slip inside. He closed the door and rounded the car before taking his place behind the wheel.

“This isn’t your car.” I stated the obvious.

“Actually…” he chuckled and then trailed off.

“Wait, this is your car?” I beamed at him.

“I bought it a few years ago as a young and dumb purchase. I just had it shipped here this week.” He almost looked sheepish, like I would judge his spontaneity as a teenager. As a kid he used to talk about all of the cars that he would buy just to piss off his dad. I was really not shocked that this was his subtle act of rebellion.

Sean Cavan would’ve seen this car as too cheap; not on brand with the luxury of the Cavan name. It was utterly ridiculous.

“I like it.” I slipped my hand into his and squeezed.

He took off down the road quickly and I laughed. I simply couldn’t be bothered to care about the hours I lost on my now ruined hair as I raised both hands above my head into the wind and cheered.

“This right here. This is why I bought this car.” He smiled over at me as I closed my eyes and let the nerves dissolve into the brisk ocean air. This was going to be a good night.

Luke took me to a small, intimate rooftop restaurant tucked away in the heart of LA. You had to give your name at the door and there was a very exclusive reservation list, which eased my nerves that we would run into someone that we knew. When the elevator doors opened, my breath left my lungs.

The space was stunning. It was larger than I expected and there was a priceless view of the Hollywood Hills. The floor was made of large, aged, gray and white checkered tiles. There were vibrant, pink and white flowers flowing over the stone walls of the patio, and twinkling lights hung from every wall, illuminating the tables with a soft glow which created a cozy atmosphere.

A hostess led us to a two person table on the edge of the restaurant. Luke pulled out my chair and placed a small kiss to my lips before taking the seat across from me.

The entire night felt so natural as we sipped wine and talked like old times. Luke rarely let go of my hand throughout dinner, and after we finished eating he ordered us martinis that we sipped while taking in the sunset.

“I can’t get over how gorgeous this view is,” I said, staring out, watching the sun sinking behind the mountains.

“Me either,” he whispered.

I glanced over at him and found him staring at me instead of the skyline. I could feel the blush creeping onto my cheeks as he winked at me.

Once he paid the bill, we stood and walked hand in hand towards the elevator. I wrapped my arms around his neck as his hands came to my ass. I reached on my tiptoes to place a kiss on his lips.

“This was absolutely perfect. Thank you,” I whispered against his mouth.

“I’d do anything for you, Tig.”

I was smiling up at him when someone to our right cleared their throat. I looked over to see a very smug Sinclair staring at us with an arched brow.

“Funny seeing you here,” he said as he brushed past us, “don’t worry, your dirty little secret is safe with me.” He winked at us before walking to a table and taking a seat with his parents, who I met on a few occasions.

Luke and I rode the elevator to the ground floor in silence. This was what I got for letting my guard down, thinking I could have a normal night while keeping what’s happening between us hidden from the world. I had a sinking feeling in my stomach as we drove home that this was all going to blow up in my face.

Luke dropped me off at the end of the driveway so I could walk up to the house while he did a loop and arrived in the drive way about ten minutes later, so we wouldn’t be caught walking in together. I went upstairs and changed into a cute matching set before crawling into bed. A little while later I felt the bed dip and Luke engulfed me in his arms. I exhaled and settled further into him.

He kissed my hair and whispered, “it’s going to be okay. We’re going to be okay.”

I nodded but I knew in my heart that this was more complicated than he was letting on. I thought this time would be different, but my heart was worried that if this secret got out that I could lose both the boy that I loved, and the brother who always supported me.

I couldn’t help but shake the feeling that everyone was staring at me. While I had grown to embrace the attention I received, this felt different somehow, more malicious. I got up from the table in the union building that I was studying at and headed out to the quad. Maybe I just needed some air.

It’d been two weeks since Sinclair caught me and Luke kissing on our secret date. I was initially nervous that he would go shout from the rooftops about what he saw, but nothing came of it. Luke and I hadn’t gone on another date even though he’d asked at least a dozen times.

Look, it wasn’t that I didn't want to go out with him. But, I was trying to get my head on straight about what was happening here. I knew we should just tell the family and get it over with before they found out from someone else, but as soon as we acknowledged our relationship to the world, it became real. And when it’s real then that would give Luke the chance to break my heart again. Publicly this time.

As I walked down the path I picked up my pace to avoid the feeling of prying eyes. A group of girls approached me giggling. Okay, everyone was definitely staring at me. I tried to squeeze past them but they blocked my path.

“It’s okay, sweetie, we have all put our trust in the wrong people.” One of them sympathetically placed a hand on my shoulder.

Shrugging the stranger's hand off of me, I looked at her confused, “I’m not sure what you’re talking about.”

“Oh wow. You haven't seen it. This is so awkward,” she laughed and I had a sinking feeling in my stomach.

Did Sinclair tell my brother?

Did someone see us and post a photo?

I had a following on social media but I was generally not in the gossip rags. There were only a few times where the paparazzi blasted my most intimate details to the tabloids. Normally though, it happened when my dad was being covered in the news regarding some big deal or merger. As far as I knew there hadn’t been any news surrounding our family in a while.

She pulled out her phone and scrolled for a second before handing it to me. My eyes went wide and I froze in place as I read the headline KavTech Dynasty Reputation Threatened By Daughters Leaked Nudes.

I blinked and scrolled down to find naked pictures of myself that were anonymously posted to a CCU gossip page. I handed her phone back muttering, “I need to go,” and then I took off.

I was fully sprinting towards my Jeep when I smacked right into someone. Hands gripped my shoulders and held me steady.

“Woah there, slow down,” Sinclair said with a chuckle, “why in such a rush Keegan?”

It all clicked into place. I never was someone who sent nudes until I met him. He convinced me by saying that he missed me when the team was on the road and he wanted something to remember me by. I thought it was harmless, not understanding the slimy snake of a man that he really was.

“How could you do this to me?” The stinging behind my eyes fueled me as I took a step back. This man would not get the satisfaction of seeing me cry.

He leaned into my space, “next time your little boyfriend wants to throw a punch, think about how the loser's actions will affect you.”

Taken aback, I put my hand to my mouth.

“But tell me, how would Nolan feel about his best friend fucking his little sister?”

I reared back and slapped him across the face, the ringing in my palm causing me to clutch my hand. He touched his cheek and snarled at me.

“You made a mistake fucking with a Kelly, douchebag.” I turned and continued running until I got in Baby Blue and drove home.

I let the tears fall and screamed into the air as I sped down the highway.

This was what I got for letting my guard down. For trusting my heart with someone. I spent so much time building my walls and leaving the vulnerable little girl behind only, at the end of the day, for nothing to be different.

Used by another man.

Stupid little girl.