Coastal Runaway (Coast to Coast #1)

Thirty-Four

thirty-four

Keegan

What’s that glorious smell?

I opened my eyes to find Maeve in her usual spot next to me in bed holding two mugs of coffee.

“This is becoming too regular of a morning greeting,” I said as I sat up and rubbed my eyes.

“Good morning to you too, you big grump.”

“Good morning.” I gave her a small smile and reached for my coffee.

Dad and Maeve were waiting at the estate when Ryleigh and I got home two days ago. I wasn’t shocked to see them but my heart soared that they both came to get me this time.

Maeve told me that Nolan was coming for Thanksgiving dinner tonight but I had yet to see him. He tried to call but I just couldn't face him. I spent the last few days facing the fact that his words were said in anger but based in fact.

The last few days were good for me. Ryleigh, Maeve, dad, and I cooked good food, watched cheesy movies, and dad even let us put a face mask on him. It was the girl time that we all needed—even dad—but it did little to take my mind off of the broody boy that stole my heart.

I knew everyone was trying to cheer me up, and I was appreciative that I had a family that cared so deeply for my well being.

“Oh! Happy Thanksgiving!” Maeve sang. I glared back at her.

“Okay, the gremlin is in full swing this morning. Noted.” She winked and stood from the bed, heading to the door, “we have a surprise downstairs. So get dressed and hurry down.” She said right before leaving the room and closing the door behind her.

The only surprise that I wanted was to walk down and find Luke standing in the living room ready to profess his love. I laughed at my own ridiculous thoughts.

He didn’t chase you.

Again.

I changed into leggings and Luke’s hoodie, and made my way downstairs. I stood confused on the bottom step as I took in the foyer covered wall to wall in boxes.

“Are we moving?” I asked.

Maeve popped out from behind a box, “no, silly, daddy went and got all of mom’s old Christmas decorations out of storage. We’re going to have a good old fashioned Kelly Christmas this year!”

“All of them?” I whispered in shock.

Maeve nodded and I could see her eyes watering.

Dad told me about my mom’s love for Christmas, but I didn’t think our talk actually sank in. We talked for hours about how she collected decorations for years and there would never be an inch of this house that didn’t have specific decor catered to the space.

I saw pictures of this property looking like a winter wonderland, something straight out of a Hallmark movie, but growing up it was never like that. It wasn’t like dad was Scrooge or anything, he just hired interior decorators to create a subtle and classy Christmas aesthetic for the season instead.

For dad to get the boxes out of storage, it was a big deal.

“It was time.” Dad stood in the entryway to the dining room, “your mom could never wait until after Thanksgiving. She would spend the entire morning decorating the house and cooking at the same time. I’m not even sure how she did it. But, she would’ve dreamt of the day you girls were old enough to help her.”

I sniffed and wiped a single tear from my eyes, “woah, okay, getting sentimental before breakfast, got it, didn’t know that was the vibe today.” Everyone laughed, “let’s do this.”

Maeve jumped up and down cheering. Ryleigh peeled herself out of bed a little later and the four of us spent the morning turning the entire estate into something out of an issue of House and Garden Magazine while dad told us stories about mom.

Once we were done and the sun was starting to set, I headed up to my room to change for dinner. As I entered my room, I paused; there was a box on my bed with a big bow on it.

“I thought you deserved a new outfit for dinner,” Maeve said from behind me in the doorway.

I walked up and ran my fingers along the deep red velvet bow that was on top of the box. Lifting the lid, I reached inside and picked up the beautiful, yet understated red dress.

“This is beautiful. Thank you.” I wrapped her in a hug.

“I love you, Keegs.”

“I love you, too.”

Okay, I’ll admit it, I looked good . Almost too good to just sit at my dads dining table for a dinner where you eat so much that you had a food baby for two days.

The dress Maeve gave me seemed almost custom tailored to my body. It was a simple, red A-line cocktail dress that cut straight across my chest and had skinny spaghetti straps. The skirt flared slightly at my hips and reached mid-thigh. It was simple, yet brutally sexy.

I looked down at the matching red platform heels that I wore. I didn’t think heels were necessary, but I was practically held down as they were strapped to my feet. My hair was half-up with a few pieces hanging in the front. My makeup was simple but with a bold black winged liner that made my green eyes pop.

When I made my way downstairs, I spotted Nolan immediately. He looked up when he sensed me coming and walked forward until he wrapped me in a suffocating hug.

“I missed you,” he said into my hair.

“I missed you, too,” I said leaning into his embrace.

“Do you hate me?” He asked.

I laughed, “I think I should ask you that question.”

He leaned back so that he could look me in the eyes, “I could never hate you, Keegan.”

A teary smile spread across my face. I knew that Nolan and I could get through this.

“I didn’t mean what I said to you. You aren’t selfish, you might actually be one of the most selfless people I know. You’re allowed to make a choice for yourself for once.”

“Thank you.” I wrapped him into another hug.

I looked around just in case there was also a grumpy boy sitting in the living room but he wasn’t there. A pang of disappointment hit me before I pushed the feeling down. My family was here with me and I was grateful for that. Luke had every right to not come after me—the things I said were really awful.

As if Nolan could sense that I was spiraling in my head, he looped his arm in mine and guided me towards the back of the house, “come on, there’s something on the patio I think you should see.”

“Uh, it’s November in Connecticut. I’ll freeze,” I laughed but he dragged me to the door anyway.

“I think you’ll be okay, just go.”

I furrowed my brows confused before opening the French doors that lead to the patio that usually got no use at this time of year thanks to the frigid temperatures. As I stepped outside, the air left my lungs.

The patio was covered in twinkle lights illuminating the space in the most beautiful warm glow, and standing right in the middle of it all was Luke Cavan holding a bouquet of red roses.

I froze, unable to move as he approached me.

He reached out his hand, “dance with me?”

I nodded, taking his hand and letting my mind drift back to the first time that he asked me that question… the night this all started.

Luke placed the flowers on a small table before wrapping my hands around his neck. He stepped in closer as he wrapped his hands around my waist. So much of this felt the same, yet so much was different—I was different.

Kiss Me started playing through the outdoor speakers and I couldn’t help but laugh, “really?”

He squeezed me tighter, resting his chin on my head, “it was Maeve’s idea.”

”I’m sorry,” I blurted out, “I didn’t mean the words I said to you. I thought I was doing what was best for you.”

“I know, baby, but you know what’s best for me?” He pulled back to look down at me, “you.” He leaned in and placed a light kiss on my lips.

“You realize my entire family is staring at us through the window right now right?”

He chuckled but almost immediately schooled his features and looked serious. “Three years ago, I let you walk out the door. I’m never making that mistake again,” he whispered against my lips, “you can run, Tig, from coast to coast. But I’ll find you every time and take you home to me.”

I leaned up on my tip toes and kissed him harder this time, delving my tongue into his mouth with a groan. His hand found my chin and he tilted me back for better access.

“Oh, and Keegan?,” he pulled away and I managed to hum in response, “stop eavesdropping on my conversations. It ends poorly for me.”

I burst out into laughter, “I can’t help it if you’re terrible at keeping things private.” I shrugged.

“Next time, maybe I’ll just have to punish you for it.” He winked.

I scoffed, “Brute.”

“Brat.”

“I love you,” he whispered.

“I love you, too.”

He lifted me off of my feet and spun me around cheering until I was laughing so hard that it hurt. When he placed me down, I looked up at the icy blue eyes that haunted me for so long. Except now they were looking back at me with nothing but love.

“Give me your phone.” He placed his hand in between us.

”Why?” I dragged out the word—suspicious.

”Just trust me?”

I handed him my phone and he opened TikTok, pointing the video right at us.

”Hey everyone, I’m Keegan’s boyfriend, Luke. I just wanted to come on here and tell you that you’ll be seeing a lot more of me and that I am shamelessly in love with this woman.” He smiled and placed a kiss on my lips before turning back to the camera, “oh and thanks to everyone who voted that I was ‘fire.’ Kisses, talk soon.” He winked and pressed post.

I laughed, “I cannot believe you just did that. My phone is going to blow up with comments about how hot you are now. ”

“Yeah, but it’s all yours, Tig.”

“It’s always been you,” I whispered.

We kept dancing and making out on the patio until Nolan shouted out the door that we’re disgusting and that dinner was ready.

We sat around the table in the house that I grew up in, laughing and talking more than we had in years. Luke didn’t drop my hand the entire night and snuck kisses in every few minutes, right out in the open. That night he wrapped me in his arms and whispered how much he loved me into my ear before I drifted off to sleep.

I might have changed when I ran away all those years ago, but deep down, I was still that shy little girl who fell for the jock. Luke loved every part of me, and I was starting to love those bits of me too.