Coastal Runaway (Coast to Coast #1)

Twenty-Five

twenty-five

Luke

Maeve stood in shock, “Oh my god, Luke…” She walked to me and pulled me into a hug, “I never knew.”

“You never asked.” I hugged her back, “it was like the moment that Keegan left, the entire Kelly family upped and followed her. Leaving me behind.”

“Except Nolan,” she whispered.

I nodded in agreement, “except Nolan.”

“What if he never forgives me?” I asked after we separated.

“He’s going to be hurt that you guys kept it a secret, but he’ll get over it. I mean when Keegan told me I wasn’t really shocked.”

I sighed with a nod.

“Can I ask you one thing?” Maeve asked, “why didn’t you chase her? If you loved her the whole time, why did you just let her go?”

I started pacing the kitchen. “and say what? ‘You ripped my heart out, but come back and date me, even though you don’t want to because if you did then you never would've left’?”

This was all my fault. She ran because she thought that I put her in the same category as all of my other high school one night stands. She had no idea that I was ready to make long distance work. She had no idea that I pined for her for years waiting for the right opportunity to be with her.

“That summer changed her,” Maeve said quietly, “she thought that she had to become someone else so people would value who she is.”

“That's ridiculous. She's perfect.”

“Yeah, I know that, and others do too. Just look at what she has been able to do through socials. People love her and it isn’t because she is a cheerleader, it’s because her smile makes you feel things.” She leaned on her elbows on the counter as I continued to pace, “I always looked up to her for not being afraid to be exactly who she was. It broke my heart when she ran away, and it broke her heart when you didn’t come for her.”

I felt hot all over. It never occurred to me that Keegan was there listening that morning. Never occurred to me that she ran because of a misunderstanding. I had to go find her to explain. I pulled out my phone as I headed to the front door.

Where are you?

She texted back almost instantly.

Ice Queen

Throwing some stunts in the field house. What’s up?

I chuckled at the changed contact in my phone. I didn’t notice Keegan changed it after I told her that it was me and Nolan’s nickname for her after she ran away.

Stay there.

I grabbed my keys and wallet before turning back to Maeve, “Thanks for telling me.”

She simply winked and headed back out to the pool.

I sped to campus as fast I could, and prayed that I didn’t get pulled over. I pulled into the parking lot of the field house, the car barely stopped before I was out and running inside. I spotted Keegan immediately.

It was like I could sense her as soon as we were in the same radius. She was in the middle of a tumbling run when I shouted her name. Distracted, she lost her footing and landed with a thud.

I ran up to her side and slid to my knees, “Oh god, I’m sorry, are you okay?” I checked her all over for injuries.

She giggled, “I’m fine, but don’t you know it's bad form to startle someone when they’re upside down?” She reached up and ran a thumb over the crease between my eyebrows, “what’s wrong?”

“I’m sorry,” I blurted.

“You already said that,” She laughed as she sat up.

“No. I’m sorry. I had no idea you overheard Nolan and I in the kitchen the morning after the graduation party.” Her face fell and she hugged her knees.

“It’s in the past.” She wouldn’t look me in the eyes.

I placed my fingers under her chin and lifted until her gaze met mine, “you don’t get it baby, I didn't mean what I said.”

“What?” She whispered, “but I heard you. I heard you tell Nolan that I was begging for it. I turned and left before you could both laugh at me more.”

“Well, if you had stayed, you would have heard us laughing because what I said was ridiculous. You would’ve heard me tell him that I’m in love with you.”

“You were?”

“I was. I am. I’m so in love with you Keegan Kelly. I have been in love with you for as long as I can remember.”

She sucked in a breath as her eyes started to water. A single tear fell down her cheek and I swiped at it with the pad of my thumb.

“I love you too,” she whispered.

I grabbed her cheeks with both of my hands and kissed her deeply. She opened her mouth for me and my tongue swept inside. The kiss was sensual, and downright sinful.

Keegan pulled away suddenly, “I left you.”

I laughed, “Trust me, I know. I was there.”

“I’m sorry. I panicked.”

I stood and reached down for her hand to pull her to her feet, “I know Tig, it’s okay. I’m just relieved that the truth is out there now.”

We shared a knowing look. The truth was far from out there .

With Keegan finished with her practice, she grabbed her bag and I walked her to her Jeep.

“Can we go for a drive?” She peered up at me.

I opened the passenger door for her and gestured for her to get in, “where to?”

“Santa Monica.” Her glassy eyes met mine.

I nodded and tapped the Jeep door twice before heading to my car and following her to the pier.

We got two funnel cakes and sat at the edge of the pier with our legs hanging off swinging above the ocean. We talked for hours, laughing about everything and nothing at all. Then I followed her home and took her to my room where I finally made love to the girl who had single handedly shattered my heart and glued it back together.

I stood in line nervously waiting to check in for my LSAT. This exam could make or break my chances at getting into a good law school. As sad as it was, this was one of the first things that I had to earn for myself. My entire life had basically been handed to me through connections and wealth. Hell, that’s the only reason I was even at CCU. But my fathers wealth wasn’t going to help me pass this. No, this I had to do on my own.

I heard a text come through my phone.

Love Of My Life

Good Luck! You’ve worked so hard for this! You’re going to kill it!

How do you keep changing your name on my phone?

And thank you, baby.

Love Of My Life

I have my ways. Love you xoxo

I love you, too.

I called her the moment I got out of the exam.

“So how did it go?” Keegan asked over my car speakers.

“I think it went well. Hopefully it’s good enough for one of my top schools.”

“I’m sure you did amazing! And you’re sure you want West Coast schools? What about Columbia?”

“Columbia isn’t for me. The West Coast is looking better and better each day.” I smiled.

“Well, I’m proud of you for deciding what you want to do and sticking with it—” She paused as the doorbell rang on her end.

“Someone is at the door, I gotta run.”

“Okay, baby, I’m going to get a drink with Nolan and Aiden to celebrate. I’ll let you know when I’m on the way home. I love you.”

“Have so much fun and let me know if you guys need a ride home. Love you, too,” Keegan said before she hung up the phone. I’ll never tire of hearing her say those three little words.

When I got to the bar, The Trojan, I spotted Nolan and Aiden. I pulled out the stool next to them and ordered a beer .

“There he is!” Nolan shouted, “Everyone, my best friend is going to law school!”

“I’m not in law school yet,” I laughed at his usual antics, “I just took the entrance exam. I don’t even know if I passed.”

“You totally passed. I saw you in the stacks, you were focused as fuck.”

I thought back to when he caught me studying at the library while Keegan was between my legs. My cock stiffened a little at the thought. It was kind of hot that she didn’t stop, so forbidden knowing that we could have been caught at any moment.

“Yeah, there was just a lot going on that day.” I shrugged and took a long sip of my beer, letting the amber liquid ease the tension in my body.

“It went well, though?” Aiden chimed in. I nodded and he clapped me on the back, “good, bro, proud of you.”

“Have you heard from your dad?” Nolan asked.

“Nope,” I said, popping the ‘P’ dramatically, “he still thinks this whole thing is some kind of rebellious breakdown.”

“Yeah, well, he’s insane. It’s not like you’re begging on a street corner. You want to go to law school for Christ's sake.” Aiden finished off his beer and motioned to the bartender for another round.

“Speaking of women—” Nolan looked at me.

“No one said anything about women.” I lifted a brow towards him.

“As I was saying, speaking of women, we were talking and we think you should invite your girl over for dinner.”

I started to panic. This was getting out of hand. Lies were stacked on top of lies. “I’ll ask her and let you know,” I said simply.

That seemed to get him off my back for now; he dropped the subject and started talking about some new girl that he met on the beach with killer D-cups. I chugged my beer, picked up the fresh one the bartender left for me, and threw that one back as well. Everything was starting to lay heavy on my chest, and I was afraid that if some of the problems didn’t get resolved soon that the wave would drag me under and I’d drown.