“Why are you quacking?” I yell walking down the path toward them.

“Hey Ry,” Dylan says, stopping on the sidewalk. I turn around in time to see him reveal a jar of sugar from behind his back.

“What is that?”

He smiles. “I wanted to give you some sugar.”

I take the jar off him. “Huh?”

Then his arms are around my waist, pulling me toward him. He smiles, right before he dips his head, his mouth warm and soft and wet against mine.

My body melts into his, one arm around his neck, the other too busy holding onto the jar. The force of his kiss has me bending backwards, gasping into his mouth. I smile against his lips as he slowly pulls away.

“Have a good night,” he says, releasing me completely.

“Wait.” I grab his hand. “Did you just tell me you wanted to give me some sugar and then kissed me?”

He laughs, his blue eyes bright against the evening sun. “Yes, Riley. I did.”

“Such a grandpa joke.”

“You love it.” He starts to walk backward, his smile getting wider. “And you love me.”

“I do.”

“And I’m madly in love with you, Riley Hudson.” He stops in his tracks, scans me from head to toe, before running back to me. His hands go to my face, cupping my cheeks and tilting my head up. “Hey, when I get back, maybe we can go away for the night? It’ll be all romantic and stuff. Hearts, flowers, the works.” He presses his lips to mine again. Just once.

I flatten my palms on his chest and look up at him. “I don’t want hearts and flowers, Dylan.”

“No?”

“I want your heart and soul.”

“Well, you already own that.” He smiles before turning around, leaving me standing in my front yard, my smile wide, my heart full and my future walking away from me.

I go to speak, but Cam beats me to it. “Hey everyone! Dylan’s got a boner!”

* * *

Dylan: How’s it going?

Riley: Good. You there yet?

It’s a dumb question. They only left a half hour ago. Still, it hasn’t stopped me checking the phone, checking the time, waiting to see which one of us would crack first. Luckily, it was him. And lucky for me, his texting has gotten a lot better since he started talking more with Mikey.

Dylan: Nope. Another hour or so.

Riley: Are you having fun?

Dylan: Not as much fun as I would with you.

Riley: You left me hanging, Banks.

Dylan: That was the plan. Keep you wanting more.

Riley: Your plan worked.

Dylan: Oh yeah?

Riley: Yep. Text me when you get there, okay? Be safe. The girls are yelling at me to get off the phone.

Dylan: Okay. I miss you.

Riley: Me too.

Dylan: I love you.

Riley: I love you, too.

Dylan: Riley?

Riley: Dylan?

Dylan: Nothing. I just love you.

* * *

Dylan: We just got to the cabin.

Riley: Thanks for letting me know.

Dylan: You’re welcome. Riley, you know I love the way you are, right?

Riley: Yes. Why?

Dylan: I just don’t want you thinking you need to change the way you look. I think you’re real pretty but if you want to do something then I don’t mind. I was just kidding with what I said.

Riley: You own my heart, Banks.

Dylan: And the rest? I like that spot right behind your ear. The one that makes you squirm. And your ass too. And your tits.

Riley: Lol! You were doing so well! This taking it slow thing must be hard for you.

Dylan: I’m always hard for you.

Riley: I’ll fix that when you get back. Maybe on that overnight trip you mentioned?

Dylan: I’ll steal Jake’s fucking car and come back right now. I’ll book it online. You can do that, right?

Riley: Omg. Such a guy.

Dylan: I have to go set Logan’s dick on fire. I’ll call you later.

Riley: WHAT!

I look up from my phone to see five sets of eyes watching me. We’re sitting in a circle on the floor. I have no idea why. “What?” I ask, shrugging. “I miss him.”

Amanda shakes her head. “It’s one night, Ry.”

“By the way, Dylan’s about to set Logan’s dick on fire.”

“What?” Mom says, spitting her wine out of her mouth. She was going to make it an alcohol free night but I told her about the book clubs I’d hosted and the drinking that went on. I didn’t have an issue with it. She shouldn’t either. Besides, it’s one night.

One night. Five friends. One mom. Pajamas. Food. Candy. And, apparently, one Drunk Lucy. “Ms. Hudson, if I ever have children and look like you at your age I’ll be one happy fucking whore.”

Kayla giggles. “Sorry, Ms. Hudson. Lucy curses like a sailor when she’s drunk.”

“Call me Holly…” Mom says, “…and bitch can say whatever the fuck she wants.”

“Mom!”

“Let me be young and careless, Riley. Just one night.” She pours another glass of wine. “Besides, you can’t talk to me about being inappropriate, sweetheart. I’m in the bedroom next door and the walls are thin.”

“Mom!”

“Oh yeah,” Lucy says. “I bet you guys have been going at it like rabbits since his cast came off.”

I shake my head. “No.”

“Bullshit,” Mom says. “I hear everything.”

“We haven’t had sex,” I tell them, like I’m on the stand and pleading innocence.

Mom rolls her eyes. “No woman makes the noises you make on foreplay alone.”

I scoff. “That’s because you don’t know Dylan.”

“Gross,” Mom says, her nose in the air.

“Seriously?” Amanda asks. “You guys haven’t since…”

“Nope. We mess around and do other stuff but not sex.”

“Why not?” Heidi says.

“Because we kind of rushed it at the beginning. I mean, we had sex before we were even together and—”

“You did?” Mom cuts in.

I smirk. “Right on that kitchen counter.”

“Riley!” she squeals.

And we crack up laughing.

“So Dylan didn’t want to wait at the start?” Heidi asks.

“Uh oh,” Mikayla murmurs, chugging her wine like she’s preparing for a showdown.

“No.”

“Huh,” Heidi says. “It took forever to get him to want to have sex with me.”

I gag.

She laughs. “Sorry. It’s just strange.”

Lucy chimes in. “Dylan was a virgin when you guys were dating so…”

“You weren’t a virgin?” I ask.

Heidi shakes her head.

I ask, “How many guys were you with before D?”

“One.”

“Who?”

The girls look at Amanda.

“Gross,” she says.

“So wait!” Mom throws her hand in the air. “Riley, you had sex on my counter?”

I nod.

Now she gags. “Gross.” Then she looks at Heidi. “And you’ve slept with two of the boys in the group?”

Heidi raises her hand. “Yes, Ma’am. But Logan and I never really dated, we just… you know. Besides, now I’m dating a guy who asked Riley out.”