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"Thanks" Garrett takes the keys and sets about taking down the chairs fro He pauses, looking over at ood?" he checks

I nod

"Sure?" he asks, aard "Because if you want to talk about it…"

"And then we braid our hair and paint our nails and talk about boys?" I joke, trying to change the subject

Garrett laughs, clearly relieved He’ll happily beat Trey to a pulp forabout feelings is definitely not his thing "I don’t kno et done with this," he runs a hand through his shaggy brown hair

"I don’t know," I pretend toout ketchup bottles and mustard "I think you’d look cute with a couple of barrettes, hts…"

"Shut up!" Garrett throws a dishtowel at

"Wait, where’s Jade?" I look around "Don’t tell o check" Garrett starts towards the door, but I cut hi you alone in there with her That roonition "That’s right, Ehtposition with Juliet, back before they were even officially together "Don’t even talk about it" I order his, you can’t unsee!"

I spend the first half of h purchase orders At least, that’s what I tell , but the truth is I need athat’s happened over the past twenty-four hours

Hunter

It was only supposed to be one night, that’s how I justified it to ht to taste a world I knew I couldn’t own; one night to surrender to a feeling far beyond ht of sutons were back in town again I’d always stayed out of the way of the rich kids before I had a gig waitressing at Mrs Olson’s diner, and the closest I’d co out on the beach a feels over from their non-stop party crowd I kept e the summer people could do My brother, Eirl who left town and never looked back

But so was different about Hunter

It felt like ere circling each other, all su We never said a word to each other, but I would catch hi e passed on the street, and one day when I was down by the docks I saw hi in the sail on their boat He was stripped to his swiloriously defined in the midday sun as he reached to haul in the heavy fabric I watched hi flicker to life I’d never known before

Desire

This wasn’t the frustrating tension fros I’d already experi ee awareness that seenetic pull towards hi I hadn’t yet discovered for myself And once that flaain That wanting haunted , every time our eyes met, like a secret you have to tell

It was inevitable Even I knew it You can’t resist an ache like that, so Iup et hurt It would be siht, that’s all I’d have, and then he’d be gone, back to his golden, shining life, and I’d carry on as norain

And ht with hi, I kissed his cheek and slipped ahile he was still sleeping,walk back to ht I toldI wanted He left town that day with the rest of his faain

That’s the dangerous thing about tasting so so perfect I found out the hard way that once I’d had a glimpse of that beauty, even for a brief o without The world shone dimmer, every kiss felt like a faded Xerox, and in the dark of the night, I couldn’t stop h the years, to the one time I finally felt whole in soh "

I haulwith the evening crowd "New girl not working out?" I ask, scooping up e her feet" Garrett hedges, but soon it’s pretty clear Jade won’t be sticking around any longer than the rest Either the poor girl is a naturally lousy waitress, or she’s too busy swooning over Garrett to pay attention to her tables I’ around to keep up with the crowds, refill drinks, and get food orders out fro what the person wanted

"Who ordered the cheeseburger?" I call across to Jade, when the plate’s been sitting untouched on the hatch for five gy fries"

She waves absently "The guy at the bar"

"That’s me Behind you," he adds helpfully

My heart leaps Of course he’s shown up here Thatat the end of the bar, one hand wrapped around a bottle of beer I slam the plate down in front of him He takes one look and winces "Da with a , but hts of Jimmy’s, with bad rock music on the jukebox and peanut shells on the floor, Hunter looks like he’s stepped off a yacht--six foot two of tanned, preppy gorgeous

Don’t forget ‘way out of your league’

"Feel free to go solare all the way up I’ve sent guys running with this stare: prize street fighters and burly dock workers all wilting under my wrath

But Hunter doesn’t flinch

"Nah, I like the service here It’s so… unpredictable" He reaches for a fry, and I can’t stop ant line of his forearh He ht now, but Hunter’s body is a work of art At least, it hen he was nineteen

And now…?

"I work here," I re you" He grins "I think that couple in the corner are ready to order"

I turn They’re gesturing toover to deal with them, but when I return, Hunter is exactly where I left hi up a storot the day off Monday," Hunter gives rin "How about that date then?"

"Traitor," I hiss at Garrett

"What?" Garrett protests, "You do I’ to lie for you"