Secrets of the World's Worst Matchmaker (The Baileys Book 7), стр. 25
“That night by the lake before I went to college,” he says.
“That was a long time ago and we didn’t have witnesses.” I play off his comment as if that night is like any other one of our memories. Ones that don’t pierce my heart because once again I’m losing him.
“Juno?” Colton has a specific tone he uses when he’s obsessing over something. “We need to talk.”
Our eyes lock. We can’t cross that line now. We can’t have the conversation I think he wants to have now.
I shake my head. “Later.”
“I’ll come by tomorrow at lunch,” he says.
I nod although every cell in my body is screaming no, he’s getting married.
“And switch!” Mrs. Johnson claps.
One of the middle-aged women slides between Colton and me while her partner puts his arms around me. But my eyes don’t stray from Colton’s and his don’t leave mine.
All I can remember is that night before he left for Colorado State.
Thirteen
Juno
Seventeen years old
“Come on.” I pull Colton down the pathway of our house toward the lake on our property.
“Why are we going to the lake? I thought we were going to watch The Hangover?”
I slide my arm through his and lean my head on his upper arm. He’s grown so much through high school. The other day I noticed the way even his forearms are corded with muscles. He’s going to forget me when he goes away to college.
“We will, but I want to give you a goodbye present.”
“We wouldn’t be saying goodbye if you would’ve come with me.”
I look up at him and smile softly. Going to college together was the plan when we were young. But when my parents died, my plans changed. I can’t leave Austin here alone to raise the twins.
We all get money for college or a business from my parents’ inheritance, so I need to spend as little as possible so I have enough to start my matchmaking business. It just makes more sense for me to go to college here in Alaska.
“You’ll be back. Lake Starlight is your home.”
He nods. “Eventually, but if I don’t end up going to vet school here, then we’re talking eight years.”
I shake my head. “Can we not talk about it right now?”
We arrive at the lake, the moonlight reflecting along the surface of the dark water. Small lanterns I put around a blanket at the edge of the water glow in the dark. My heart races as his footsteps fall to a stop and he looks at me.
“What’s going on?”
I take his hand and lead him to the blanket. “I didn’t want to just watch a movie in my basement where Kingston or the twins could come in and join us. I wanted to be alone with you.”
A small smile tips his lips as though he’s surprised that I would want that.
Just wait.
“I got all your Lake Starlight favorites. Strawberry pie from Lard Have Mercy, cookies from Sweet Suga Things, and Austin wants me to tell you it was him who went to Carol’s Crabby Shack to pick up hushpuppies and crab legs.”
I fall to my knees on the blanket, but Colton stays standing and takes in all the food and the lanterns.
“Juno.” He shakes his head. “This is amazing.” He drops to his knees and looks me in the eye. It spurs a rush of nerves. “Thank you.”
“You’re my best friend. Did you think I wouldn’t do anything before you left?”
He shrugs. “I would’ve been happy to watch The Hangover. I just wanted my last night to be with you.”
I push back thoughts of this being his last night in Lake Starlight. He’s leaving me, but I want him to. Colorado State has always been his dream, and he deserves it and so much more.
“Let’s eat before it gets too cold.” I open up the takeout Austin picked up for me.
We eat in near silence except for the crickets making their music.
“Oh, I almost forgot.” I abandon my food and walk over to the bench next to the lake.
My dad installed the bench for Grandma Dori because the lake is a place of reflection for my family. During family gatherings, she disappears here to think about my grandpa. I always wonder if I’ll find the same kind of love that she shared with him.
I turn on the speaker so that music interrupts the crickets.
We eat our crab and talk about his new roommate, who he’s talked to over the phone. He doesn’t think he’ll get along with him. I can tell how nervous Colton is to be away from home and not know anyone at his new school. We promise to write letters, emails, and text all the time. And we count how many days he’ll be gone before he returns for the short Thanksgiving break.
After we’re both full from our dinners, “Need You Now” by Lady Antebellum comes on the radio and Colton stands, holding his hand out for me.
“Dance with me,” he says.
“I can’t dance.” I shake my head, cleaning up our containers.
“As a gift to me?”
“Hey, I got you that nifty shower caddy thing.”
He chuckles and continues to hold his arm out to me. “Come on, Juno. One dance.”
I accept his hand and rise off the blanket. His arms wrap around my waist, and I lock my hands behind his neck. We’re so close, my nipples peak under the thin T-shirt I’m wearing. Since we’re both in shorts, the hair on his legs rubs on my thighs as we circle around in one spot, our feet barely moving, but our emotions swirling like a tornado building momentum.
Tears build in my eyes and I lay my head on his chest, trying to commit the sound of his heartbeat to memory. I can’t remember a day when we haven’t seen one another, other than when his family goes on vacation.
His arms tighten around me and his chin rests on the