Page 33

Jackson

I shuck off my overalls and hang them on the hook before turning to glance around the garage. The tools are lined neatly on the walls, the floor is spotless, and I can hear the new hire humming tunelessly from behind a car.

“Looking good, Son.”

I turn to see my dad, coffee in hand, his smile as proud as I’ve ever seen it. Thanks to the changes we’ve made—better systems, updated equipment, and an influx of business—it’s thriving in a way neither of us expected.

“You think you’ll survive without me for a few days?” I ask, smirking as I toss my keys into the air and catch them again.

“Barely,” he grunts, though there’s no real irritation behind it. “Enjoy your time off, kid. You earned it.”

He’s right. I have. Business has been good enough for me to step back a bit—something I didn’t think I’d ever be able to do. But Chloe’s coming home for the summer, and I made a promise to myself—nothing’s more important than the time I have with her.

The thought of her brings a smile to my face as I head outside and get into the car. I drive down to the beachfront, tapping my fingers against the steering wheel and turning the air con up to full blast. When I pull up into the parking lot, I climb out and lean against my car, watching for her.

And then, there she is—walking next to Sara, wearing denim shorts and a blue tee and a little gold in her brown hair. My heart kicks up a little, the way it always does when I see her.

She notices me at the same moment Sara does.

Sara says something to Chloe before turning toward her car, giving me a quick, knowing wave.

I barely register it. My focus is fixed on Chloe, on the way her smile starts slow and then expands as she walks toward me.

It’s only been a month since I saw her last, but somehow it feels like forever—and just like that, the wait is over.

“Hey, stranger,” she says softly when she’s close enough, her voice curling around me like the warm breeze.

“Hey,” I manage, and suddenly my hands don’t know what to do. Pockets? Out of pockets? She’s smiling at me, and my heart feels like it might explode.

“You look good,” she adds, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

“You look…” My words falter because how do you describe someone who takes your breath away? “…incredible.”

Chloe grins. “You’re not gonna make me walk all the way over there, are you?”

“Nah,” I say, pushing off the truck and closing the gap between us.

I wrap her up in my arms, her laughter muffled against my chest as I lift her off her toes. It doesn’t matter how many months she’s been away at school. This moment— her in my arms—never gets old.

“You’re really taking time off for me?” she murmurs, tilting her head back to look at me.

“For us,” I correct her. “Don’t get used to it, though. This place will fall apart without me.”

She rolls her eyes, but her smile softens, and her fingers curl around the front of my shirt, tugging me just a little closer. “I missed you, Jackson.”

I brush a strand of hair off her cheek, the rest of the world fading as I take her in—the freckles she swears only I notice, the warmth in her eyes, the confidence I see every time she looks at me.

“Missed you more,” I say softly, and I mean it. “How’s Sara?”

“Doing amazing, of course.

We settle into my truck like we’ve done a hundred times before and head to the coffee shop.

It’s become a bit of a ritual now—a chance to catch up without family in the way and other distractions.

She rattles off plans for the weekend—a trip to the lake, a stop at Joe’s diner, the summer fair, and a party with some old friends—and I try not to just sit there grinning at her.

As I drive back to her house, the wind streaming in through the open windows, I glance over at her and catch her looking at me, a quiet smile on her lips.

“What?” I ask, grinning despite myself.

“Nothing.” She shakes her head, her voice soft. “It’s just hard to believe we did it.”

“Is it?”

“Actually no. It isn’t. I knew we would.”

“Only a few more years to go,” I remind her. “Easy.”

“Not always easy,” Chloe corrects, “but it’s working.” She pauses and bites down on her bottom lip, leaning forward to look at me properly. “Right?”

“It’s more than working, Chlo.” I rest my hand on her leg. “Do I miss you like hell when you’re at college? Of course. But it’s all worth it.”

She smiles and nods. “It is.”

“Is Ethan back already?”

“Yep.”

“Think this summer might go a little differently than last years?”

Chloe rolls her eyes. “You know it will. My brother does talk to me occasionally you know? I know you guys have been texting all year.”

“Hey, things change. For all I know, your brother is playing the long game,” I joke, but I know she’s right. Ethan quickly came around to us being a proper couple, especially after he heard what happened with Brendan.

As for Brendan, he’s kept himself to himself since then. I don’t even know if he’s come back from college this summer. He’s not a total idiot it seems because a large part of me still wants to kill him for what he did to Chloe, and I know Ethan feels the same.

Chloe nudges me with her knuckles. “You there, Jackson?”

“Sorry, just thinking of last summer.”

“I don’t regret any of it, you know.”

“I do.” I grind my teeth together when I think about how I practically forced her into Brendan’s arms.

“How can I? It led us here. Maybe it wouldn’t have happened if things had gone differently.”

I ease out a breath. She’s right, of course. Chloe’s always right.

“True.”

I pull up outside her house and her mom is already waiting for us at the door. The smell of homecooked food makes my stomach grumble as soon as I open the door.

I hear the pots and pans clanging together through the open kitchen window as her mom warmly embraces me.

Even when Chloe isn't home, her mom still brings over dinners for my dad and me.

But being here with all of us together feels different, like we're a real family of some kind.

Ethan comes down the stairs and greets me with a fist bump.

As we sit side by side at the dining table, Chloe's hand finds mine under the table, her fingers intertwining with mine. I steal glances at her throughout the meal and struggle to remind myself that this is real.

She’s mine.

That evening, we’re back at the fairgrounds, the smell of popcorn and fried dough thick in the air. The Ferris wheel lights up the sky as the sun dips below the horizon, streaks of pink and orange painting the clouds.

“No storms this year,” I tell Chloe. “I checked the weather.”

“Thank God. One was enough.”

We end up on the Ferris wheel, her hand in mine as we climb higher, the fair growing smaller beneath us. When we reach the top, the wheel slows, and Chloe leans her head on my shoulder, a content sigh escaping her lips.

“This is the best summer yet,” she says quietly.

“It’s only just started, Chlo.”

She lifts her head, and I see it in her eyes—the same look that’s been there since the day she told me she loved me, the look that says she’s all in.

“Well it’s true,” she murmurs, leaning closer. “Because we made it.”

I kiss her then, slow and steady, her lips warm, tasting of cotton candy. It’s not passionate or desperate but it’s a reminder of us—of the strength of our relationship.

“Next summer’s going to be even better,” I promise.

“I’ll hold you to that,” she replies.

As the Ferris wheel carries us back down, I know she means it. And so do I.

Because this— us —isn’t pretend or a rebound fling. It’s the real thing, built on late nights, hard conversations, and a lot of love. And whatever the future throws at us, I know one thing for sure—we’ll face it together.

And that’s enough. It’s more than enough.

THE END