Beau's Firecracker by Kate Hunt

Author:Kate Hunt [Hunt, Kate]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-06-28T16:00:00+00:00

5

Reese

Damn it.

I knew I shouldn’t have tried to flirt with him.

The worst part is that it was such a pitiful attempt. I mean, what was I thinking, putting it like that? If you need anything…

Ugh. Talk about unromantic.

I know it was less than an hour ago that I was fighting off these feelings. But after thinking I was going to be attacked by a bear—I still feel embarrassed about that—and then almost drowning, it feels like my whole life has been turned upside down.

I want Beau. I’ve wanted him for a long time. And it’s time I fully admit it to myself.

Even if he doesn’t want me back.

At least Beau didn’t make me feel awkward about my shitty attempt at flirting with him. He did the decent thing and changed the subject as if nothing happened at all. Now the two of us are preparing dinner together; he’s grilling burgers over the fire while I get all the fixings ready.

Things feel like they’re back to normal between us as we sit down to eat. A few more fireworks go off in the distance, and I don’t flinch this time. The noises just make me excited to see the bigger ones that Beau has promised we’ll soon have a view of.

“My family used to come here every year when I was growing up,” Beau says after swallowing a bite of burger. “There will be fireworks going off all around us tonight. It’s pretty cool.”

We finish up dinner and clean up a bit before getting out the s’mores supplies. When our marshmallows accidentally catch fire, we poke fun at each other, then we eat s’mores until we can’t anymore. And when the fireworks really start up, we sit silently side by side, looking up at the glittering sky in awe.

One particularly huge explosion lights up the sky, and I draw in a breath.

“Whoa,” I say.

An even larger firework follows, soaring high up into the sky and then crackling into what looks like a million sparks.

God, this is so beautiful. I feel so full of joy right now. I turn to Beau, grinning, and he smiles back at me. His smile isn’t as happy as it should be, though. It’s bittersweet.

“I’m going to miss you like crazy, Reese,” he says.

Suddenly my joy feels tinged with sadness, too.

“I’m going to miss you, too,” I say.

“I don’t just mean as a friend,” he says.

Wait…what?

I blink at him. More fireworks go off above us, but I can’t pull my eyes away from him.

“What are you saying?” I whisper.

“I’m sorry if this makes things awkward,” Beau says, watching me carefully as he speaks. “But I can’t keep it in any longer. I have feelings for you, Reese. Feelings that friends aren’t supposed to have for each other.”

Oh my God.

“I know this is terrible timing,” he goes on. “Or…I dunno. Maybe it’s good timing. You’re leaving. This way you won’t have to hang out with me pretending to—”

“I like you, too,” I blurt out.

Beau takes a second to absorb this.

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