Eversea

How did he look at me?" I whispered, suddenly craving validation of Jack's feelings from anyone but myself and my subjective imagination. Joey sighed, resigned. "Like you were the last chopper out of Baghdad, the last IV in the field hospital, the last funnel cake at the fair. Jesus, I don't know.

If I'd known you were in my future, I would have chosen differently.

You have a habit of carrying me up stairs". I laughed nervously as he effortlessly ascended. "I'm part caveman, you know, I can't help it. Something about you brings it out in me.

He was like a bright and beautiful rogue planet. He pulled the entire galaxy into a gravitational wobble until he got close enough to suck you in and tilt your axis head over heels.

If you had chosen differently, you would have never found me.

You know you're in the Lowcountry when the steering wheel in your old red pick up is slippery from humidity, the news on the radio is all about the projected path of the latest Atlantic hurricane and the road kill you narrowly miss smearing further is a five foot long alligator.

Great. I get to meet Jack Eversea, the Jack Eversea, and I act like a complete imbecile. It was so good Jazz wasn't here, she would have clobbered me by now. For that matter, she would have clobbered him and dragged him back to her lair.

I was never one to pull a band aid off slowly. Besides, we could be struck by lightning right now and I don't think I'd feel it or care. I want you inside me, Jack. Now. Not slowly, but like right now.

The truth of the matter was no boy I knew lived up to the fantasy I’d created from the many books I’d read, and I wasn’t going to settle.

The upside of fall was the tourists had gone home. The downside was the county stopped spraying for mosquitos and no-see-ums, so the little fuckers got to gorge themselves in a type of 'eat local' frenzy.

I plugged my ear buds into my phone and put Keane on shuffle. Those boys always knew how to speak to my mind.

Because I might melt. Literally. ANd because I may never survive it.

My tight black spaghetti-strap dress threaded with gold was a tad short. And by short, I mean it was like wearing a belt. I’d bought it with the idea of branching out from my usual Keds and jeans and pairing it with leggings. But no, not tonight. If I dropped anything, it was going to stay on the freaking ground.

Jazz: I just squealed out loud at the traffic light. Ppl looking at me weird. OMG—can’t believe convo we just had! But seriously, if he breaks your heart, I’ll break his beautiful face—See you this PM. Xoxoxox

If I couldn’t handle these almost moments, then I decided I should just turn them into moments. If I was going down, I might as well go down hard. I stepped a little closer.

I had zero excuses to continue hanging out with Jack Eversea. I had to head home. I also had to figure out how to stop referring to him by his full name in my head.

How did I get here? I was just minding my own business and someone lobbed a grenade into my life 0 in the form of Jack Eversea.

He was glorious in his perfection, like a dark angel.

Home to a girl’s most secret fantasy. I just hoped said fantasy had managed to find a t-shirt.

Hot shame swarmed over me at the naive, star-struck, and broken hearted little girl he saw me as. And it made me mad as hell.

And yes, she had a laminated list of her top ten sexiest men who she apparently would always be allowed to sleep with even if she was married.

After they hatch, they can get distracted by bright and artificial lights and instead of meeting their destiny, they are lured to their deaths.

Oh my God! What was I going to do? How did I get here? I was just minding my own business and someone lobbed a grenade into my life—in the form of Jack Eversea.

I narrowed my eyes, making a colossal effort to keep them on his face and not stray down his glistening ... I slipped just once ... yes, glistening chest. Seriously?

The upside of fall was the tourists had gone home. The downside was the county stopped spraying for mosquitos and no-see-ums, so the little fuckers got to gorge themselves in a type of ‘eat local’ frenzy.

you only live once, so do everything twice

To some, whose idea of seaside towns included the blue water of Caribbean or the clear emerald green of the Florida Panhandle, the colors of the Lowcountry could be a little dull. But to me, they were beautiful. Soothing. It was real.

Out on the water, I could breathe and think.