Forbidden Boy

Jules nodded. “I guess so. It was really hard for me, actually. But I think it turned out okay.”

“It turned out better than okay,” Chloe gushed. “And like you said, we’ll always have the beach, just as Mom saw it.” Even though an undertone of sadness gripped all three of them, the Kahns shared a warm smile.

Julia

As the begi

169

Chapter Eighteen

!

The music at the Fishtail was pumping at earsplitting volume and Julia

It felt so good to just hang out and be a couple without stressing over who might be watching. Even if they tech-nically were the only ones who knew they were out as a couple. After work, they’d headed to happy hour with some of the guys from the crew, at a bar farther down the boardwalk. After happy hour, Mitch and Hunter in tow, they’d stopped by the Mean Bean to pick up Lucy and head over to the Fishtail to meet more friends from school. So many weeks of relative isolation had left Julia

Forbidden Boy

wished Kat were there—she was sure that Kat and Remi would totally hit it off—but then they’d have some time to hang out together when Kat got back from Madrid in a few weeks.

Julia

“I love summer.” Jules sighed, taking a sip of the piña colada she was sharing with Lucy.

“I know, right?” Lucy agreed. “I just wish it would last longer. I can’t even start thinking about school—I have too much to do before then.”

As they spoke, Justin Timberlake’s voice came thumping out of the speakers. Jules grabbed her friend’s hand and pulled Lucy down from the table. “Don’t think, then!” she shouted over the music. “Just dance!” The girls laughed as they jumped up and down, winding their bodies to the beat. “Way to bring sexy back!” 171

Hailey Abbott

Julia

“Um, I don’t think sexy ever left . . .” Lucy joked back, jabbing Julia

Julia

After a few hours, the party began to wind down, with couples strolling off in pairs and kids riding off on their bikes in every direction. Julia

172

Forbidden Boy

“Ready to head out?” he whispered into her curls.

She nodded and looked to her friends, who all looked ready to call it a night. Together, still bobbing their heads to the music, they all headed home.

Mitch and Hunter drifted away from the group first, to go meet up with some of the other guys from the cross-country team for a poker game; then Lucy’s co-workers left one by one. As Lucy, Julia

“Huh?” Julia

“The guy you were telling me about at the art store,” Lucy clarified louder. “The hottie you’ve had your eye on all summer?”

Julia

“You’re right, Jules. He’s cute—really cute!” Lucy giggled. “Oh my gosh, I almost missed my house.” Lucy looked up sheepishly before dashing off for home.

“Good night, you guys! Nice to meet you, Remi,” she practically cooed.

Remi finally slipped his hand into Julia

Hailey Abbott

later, Julia

Remi rolled over and propped his head up on Julia

Julia

Julia

Forbidden Boy

perfectly content just weaving her fingers in and out of it all night. She looked down and saw that Remi’s big eyes were staring up at her, filled with a mix of curiosity and expectation. “Are you actually still asking me?” Remi nodded.

“You’re really going to make me say it?” Remi nodded again.

“Okay, fine.” Julia

Even Remi looked a little surprised at this one.

“What?” Julia

“What?” he asked gamely.

“How about you come here and kiss me?” She gri

“You don’t need to ask me twice.” Remi pulled himself up from the ground with a laugh.

Soon they were rolling over each other in the sand, laughing and kissing the kind of slow, greedy kisses that go on for days. They kissed like they were trying to breathe each other’s air. Julia