His throat worked, Adam’s apple bobbing as he brought his hand up to cover mine. We sat like that in the driveway, the car engine ticking as it cooled, neither of us in a hurry to move.
Headlights swept across the driveway, and a dark car pulled near ours. My throat went dry. My pulse shot straight up.
“He’s here.”
My hand flew to the door handle, then I froze, nerves buzzing so loud they drowned out everything else.
“Go talk to him, Luna girl.” His blue eyes held mine, unwavering. “I’ll go hang out with Ollie and Nova. This one’s yours.”
My breath came fast, but I nodded, clutching his hand like it was the last solid thing before the storm.
“Go,” he repeated, giving me the faintest smile, the kind that said he’d be steady no matter what waited outside.
Jer leaned against the hood of his car with his arms folded as he waited. The light caught the ink that climbed his throat, curling around the base of his neck. My gaze drifted lower to his jorts. God, only he could pull those off, denim cutting high enough that the tattoos on his thigh were fully on display, bold lines twisting over skin I knew too well.
“Hi,” I whispered, my voice so small it almost got lost in the hum of cicadas.
He shook his head, and a beat later, he closed the distance between us, walking toward me until I was wrapped in his arms.
“I-I didn’t know.”
“How would you?” I whispered back.
He slid his hands down until they found mine. “I should have known. I should have put it together. Luna?—”
I shook my head sharply, cutting him off before the guilt could eat him alive, and pressed my palms to his chest. “No. What you gave me is my life back. You gave me permission to be safe in my sexuality. You showed me that if someone controls you, it doesn’t have to be like he did. What you gave me is priceless.”
“But I’m an asshole. I’ve been so hot and cold. I’ve been?—”
“You’ve been scared because I harbored a secret I should’ve told you a long time ago.”
“Luna... ” His thumb trembled as it brushed my cheek, hesitant, almost afraid to touch me at all.
My throat worked as I swallowed, every word catching like barbed wire. “Jer, I never told you because I didn’t want to say it out loud. I didn’t want you to look at me differently.”
“There’s nothing—nothing—you could tell me that would make me look at you as anything but mine.” He hesitated before asking, “Can I show you something?”
“Please... show me. Do you want to go inside?”
“Absolutely not,” he said firmly, shaking his head.
He slipped his hand from mine as he strode toward his car parked in the driveway. He leaned into the passenger side, riffling through a pile of envelopes before pulling one out. When he turned back to me, the paper looked worn, folded too many times.
We stepped onto the porch together, the wood creaking, and he handed it over, his hands trembling.
“What is this?” My brows furrowed as I unfolded it, scanning the bold print.
I blinked hard, rereading, as if my mind was tricking me.
Donation Confirmation
Prevent Child Abuse America Project:$300,000
Foster Kids of America Initiative:$300,000
Both lines bore the same words beneath them:In honor of Luna Pierson
My chest squeezed so tight I could barely breathe. “Jer... ” My voice broke on his name as my fingers trembled over the ink. “You— this is... ”
