Number One pulls my attention back. “Nah, I was hoping June would have picked my name. Dude, she’s ridiculously hot.”

My hands ball into fists under the table.

The guys all collectively laugh.

Groomsman Number Three speaks up. “Yeah, right! Take our word for it, June’s not leaving here with anyone.”

Suddenly, I’m deeply invested in their conversation. “Why do they need to take your word for it?”

“Because we’ve all tried and failed,” says Number One.

My stomach drops. “All of you?”

They each nod, but Number Two answers, “You know her one-date rule, right? She’s a legend around here. We’ve all gone out with her thinking we’d be the one to get that sacred second date, but nope.” He loosens his tie and slips it off his neck. “She’s really strict. Barely managed to land a kiss on the cheek after my date.”

“Ha! You lucky duck,” says Number One. “She wouldn’t let me get my lips anywhere near her.”

Number Two chuckles lightly. “Sucks. I had a great time with her on our date. She’s funny and chill. I was actually hoping to get that second date.”

Yeah, I already know all this about June. I also know she’s a spitfire, looks beautiful when she first wakes up, has zero qualms about holding a slippery fish so she can shove it in your locker, and has the most sensual pillowy lips I’ve ever seen. These are just a few of the reasons I’m so into her. And why I stiffen when Carly pulls out the seat beside me and sits down.

“So, Ryan. We haven’t gotten to talk that much.” She leans in too close, settling her hand on my leg. “Wanna find somewhere more private where we can chat?”

I remove her hand from my leg. “No, thanks. I’m good.” And don’t touch my leg.

Carly’s eyes widen like she’s never been turned down before in her life. Actually, maybe she hasn’t. But I don’t appreciate that I’ve been entered into a game I was never asked if I wanted to participate in to begin with.

She huffs out one short, offended sound and then gets up to walk away, clearly seeing in my face that I’m a dead end.

Groomsman Number One shoots up from his seat and goes after her. “Hey, Carly, wait up!”

I turn my eyes back to the dance floor. June gives a blinding smile and laughs as Stacy pretends to reel her in like a fish. Now she’s shopping for groceries and waxing the car. She’s one of a kind. And you know what? Not someone I’m going to let slip through my fingers again.

I stand up, pull my phone out of my pocket, and dial Nia as I round the table toward the dance floor.

“Hello?”

“Nia, you’re in charge a little longer. I’m not coming home Sunday.”

“Wait, what? Ryan wh—”

I end the call because I’m on the dance floor now, and June has just spotted me. A song with heavy bass is blaring over the speakers, and everyone is jumping and pumping their fists in the air like they are at a club. But when June spots me, she freezes—dead center of the floor, a statue among chaos. Music, lights, and people are swirling around her, and she keeps perfectly still.

I push through several people—including Jake and Evie, who I’m pretty sure will not enjoy seeing what I do next—and when I make it to June, her glittering eyes go wide. I don’t hesitate. I don’t slow down. I snake my arm around her waist and cup her jaw with my other hand. She takes in a sharp breath, and I feel her heart hammering against my chest.

“Are you about to kiss me?”

“If you’re okay with that.”

She nods, eyes round as saucers as I lean down and press my lips to hers, heat rushing through my body at the first touch of our mouths. Commotion is happening all around us, but I don’t care or notice. I’ve been waiting twelve years for this kiss, and all I can focus on now is how June feels pressed up against me, how her body melts into mine as my mouth explores hers. There’s not even the slightest bit of hesitation from her.

She responds move for move, pressing up on her tiptoes, breathing in deep, and clasping her arms around my neck to pull me in closer. She doesn’t want me to stop. My lips part, and I taste the mint Chapstick on her bottom lip. It’s just a kiss—it shouldn’t undo me completely, but it does. Desire grips me from all corners. The taste of her, the smell of her, the feel of her, it all pulls me in and spins me around her finger. And just as June’s hand grips the back of my head, I remember this is all happening in the middle of a crowd.

I peel my mouth away from hers and take in her face. Her lips are red and swollen, eyelids slowly fluttering open until my favorite color of green pierces me.

“I changed my mind,” I say over the music, running my thumb along her jaw. “I want that date.”

June blinks and swallows before she says, “…Okay.”

Chapter 19 June

“That was some serious lip locking on the dance floor last night,” says Jake over the phone as I’m folding clothes on my bed. I use the word folding loosely.

“Lip locking? Are you in a ’90s Mary-Kate and Ashley movie right now?”

“What do you want me to call it?” I’d rather him call it nothing, because I’m not thrilled that my big brother saw the best kiss of my entire life as it was taking place.

But Jake and Evie were at the wedding, so they saw the whole thing. Everyone did. Everyone except for Stacy and Logan because they were too busy staring at each other with googly eyes. But the moment Ryan and I parted, the whole dance floor exploded with whistles and applause. My face will now be a permanent strawberry. Stacy thought the applause was for her and Logan. I’m good with her thinking that.

“Oh, I don’t know…it’s just a wild idea, but you could call it a kiss?”

He laughs, and then I hear Evie somewhere in the background yell, “That was not a kiss! I saw tongues moving! If Sam had been there, I would have covered her eyes!”

My stomach tightens. “Am I on speaker?”

“Yep, sure are.”

I groan. It’s Sunday, so I feel the need to ask, “Who else is there listening?”

“Everyone,” says Jake like it’s no big deal that my entire giant family of nosy southern loons is listening in on my private conversation about sucking face with a man.

“Hi, sugar!” says Mom in a bright tone. “I wish I’d been there. Your dad couldn’t have picked a worse night to get a migraine. But I heard all about it from Suzy Johnson.” Just to catch you up on how fast word travels around our town, Suzy Johnson is my mom’s hairstylist. “I went in this morning to get my roots touched up and heard everyone talking about how Ryan Henderson was practically resuscitating you on the dance floor! Now, catch me up to speed because, last I heard, he made you madder than a mule chewin’ bumblebees.”

“Which one is Ryan again?” That’s my dad chiming in now.

“He’s the boy from high school that June was always swearing she didn’t like, but we all knew better.”

I lay my phone down on the bed and walk to the kitchen to get a glass of iced tea because I know they don’t really need me for this conversation. I also pop a bag of popcorn before going back to my room and picking up my phone again. “…no, that was Brad. You’re still not thinking of the right one. We hated Brad, but I always thought Ryan was a sweetheart.”

“Okay, guys, I’m going to let you go now!” I say, taking advantage of Mom’s need to breathe.

“WAIT!” everyone shouts in unison on the other end, making me smile.

“What time are you coming over?” Jake asks.

My family gets together every Sunday. During the summertime, we have one long sunup-to-sundown pool party. Family comes and goes as they want, but usually, we all end up staying the whole day. It’s a good time. And during the winter, when it’s too cold to get in the pool, we play games and watch movies.

I know it’s normal to hate your family, but mine is generally unhateable. They are sweet, and accepting, and completely intrusive, but it’s actually one of their most lovable qualities.