Page 87 of Banter & Blushes #1

CAROLINE

C aroline wasn’t panicking.

She simply … strategically distanced herself from the situation.

After the kiss, things had been perfect. For exactly six hours and twenty-four minutes. Now Beck had disappeared again.

No text. No porch swing. Not even a sarcastic note taped to her binder, which had gone missing again.

And Caroline, who absolutely did not panic, was now standing on the boardwalk outside The Holler the words caught in her throat, a rush of unexpected tears pressing at the corners of her eyes.

“Beck…” she said, exhaling his name like a prayer.

She could barely believe this was happening.

“Ask me again,” she managed, her heart hammering with possibility.

“Caroline Hollis, will you?—”

“Yes.” She cut him off with a kiss, throwing her arms around his neck, and dissolved into a fit of laughter and tears. “Yes, yes, yes! I hope you know what you’re getting into,” she said, a playful tremble still in her voice as she looked at the ring on her hand.

“A perfectly planned life with you?” Beck said, running a finger along her jaw. “It’s exactly what I want.” He leaned in to kiss her.

Boomer’s voice broke through the window. “ATTENTION, BLUEBELL BAY—Max Bennett’s girlfriend has officially arrived!”

When they finally pulled apart, Beck tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “Poor Max.”

Caroline leaned into Beck’s shoulder. “You think he knows what’s coming?”

“Not a chance.”

She smiled. “Not much time until things kick off for the summer.”

“There’s plenty of time,” Beck said. “For something else to catch fire.”

“You mean the fireworks?”

“I meant Gigi.”

They both laughed. Despite all the coffee, chaos, waffle crumbs, boardwalk serenades, and bingo cards, Caroline knew exactly why she wanted to share Bluebell Bay with the world.

It was her future.

And Beck was her forever.

Thank you for reading Small Town Schemes & Summer Kisses .