After I slammed my locker door shut, I turned to join the sea of people meandering the halls of Harbrook High. Another day in the life with kids I’d known since birth. Shuffling through the crowd, I made my way to second period without so much as lifting my head. The voices that said hello, and the familiar pats on the back never changed. Every day was just like the last. There were never new faces, and I’d grown bored with the old ones somewhere around junior high.

Until today.

I hovered over the desk I’d sat at since the year started, but instead of it being empty—waiting for my ass to grace its presence and warm the seat—there was a girl where nothing should have been. The light streaming through the window behind me cast my shadow over her tiny frame. I’d been prepared to kick her out, until she lifted her gaze and tossed my world on its side just before it sent me spinning.

The way her eyes caressed my body until she found my gaze, the soft pink glow on her cheeks, her long, dark hair falling over her shoulder to cover her breast…it all stole the air from my lungs. I’d never seen eyes so green or skin so smooth. There wasn’t a flaw on her perfect face, and her lips—holy hell, her lips begged to be kissed.

When my heart resumed beating and my chest filled with air once again, I finally managed words. “Hey, I’m James.” Smooth, Carpenter, really fucking smooth.

“Hi.” She waved her delicate hand in greeting. “I’m Cora.” Her name rolled off her tongue like a song, pure and angelic, but sultry and seductive.

Before I could ask her to switch seats with me or decide to sit next to her, an unwelcomed interruption barreled into my shoulder. “Carp, looks like your ass is relocating to the back.”

My head jerked to the side to find my best friend, Neil Samson, with a wicked grin plastered on his face. He was moments away from embarrassing the shit out of me if I stood here like a lost puppy a second longer. I allowed him to move me as he proceeded to his normal hiding place in the last row, but then my eyes held hers until they were forced away.

“What the hell was that, man? You act like you’ve never seen a new kid in class.” Neil’s voice carried around the room. “And since when are you into nerdy-chic chicks, anyhow?”

Backhanding him across the chest, I found a seat as close to Cora as possible. “Dude, shut the hell up. What’s your problem?”

He held up his hands in surrender. “Nothing. Chill out.”

Mrs. Johnson stood in front of the board, anticipating the sound of the bell to start teaching. This had been my least favorite class all year. I sucked at chemistry and struggled to maintain a C in order to keep my spot on the basketball team, but my desire to skip this period all changed in one introduction.

“Why go for the brainiac who looks like a loud noise would make her jump? I wouldn’t be surprised if she was afraid of her own shadow.” Clearly, Neil didn’t see what I saw when Cora came into view.

There was nothing nerdy about her; quiet maybe, but that was quite possibly the fact that she was the new kid in town. She might be a star athlete, smart, and gorgeous, too. Neither of us knew a damn thing about her, but I planned to find out everything I could.

All through class, my focus stayed trained on her, wondering what she was like and where she’d come from. No one showed up here who hadn’t been born in the county limits, ever. People either grew up in this town or they retired here. Geneva Key was home to more money than Fort Knox and fewer and fewer younger generations. Those of us who grew up in this blip of a community left the first chance we got, and I didn’t know a soul who’d escaped and came back. There was no way to earn a living on this island—either people owned property that had been handed down through family lineage with hefty trust funds, or they’d found the tiny town after making their millions elsewhere and decided to call Geneva Key home.

I was part of that first group, as were most of the kids in this school. My parents ran organizations I couldn’t tell anyone the first thing about, but none of them were located on the island, and most of their work involved international traveling. At least that was the story I was told when they’d left me with nanny after nanny growing up, and then alone when I’d hit an age that I started getting busy with the hired help. The idea of their fourteen-year-old son having sex with the au pair was more than they could handle. And if they hadn’t caught us, I never would have complained. There’s something to be said about an older woman teaching a teen the ways of the world…or the bedroom. And Sofia had done just that—prepared me to be a man.

I’d been so lost in my thoughts—that had veered off on a rabbit trail about my au pair—I’d missed the opportunity to find out how the raven-haired beauty had landed in our beach cocoon. My plan was to be at her desk when the bell rang and escort her to next period, maybe ask a few questions along the way, but that didn’t happen. And my attempt to find her in the halls proved futile—not that the five minutes between periods offered me much chance to learn anything of substance.

When lunch rolled around, I strolled into the cafeteria with my horde of friends in tow. The basketball team was a tightly knit group of guys, and we owned this school and this town. I’d managed to make captain my junior year, and they were like my flock. I loved every one of them and had since pre-school. Today, my sights were set on something far more attractive than tall guys who belched too much and had a tendency to smell like they’d just finished a grueling practice.

There she sat, alone, at a table against the far wall in the corner. She’d chosen a spot away from the bustling of teenagers in favor of a quiet nook. Even if she hadn’t been sitting by herself, the tray in front of her would have given her away as a newbie. No one who’d been here any length of time ate food made in the cafeteria.

I turned to Neil, who’d almost run into me when I’d stopped to admire her. “I’ll catch you guys later.”

His head moved with mine to the girl with a book in her hand and her food untouched. “Seriously, Carp, do not get sucked into whatever that is.”

“Thanks, Dad, but I think I’ll be all right.” I didn’t wait for his reply or bother listening to the grumblings of my teammates as we parted company.

With each hello directed at me or invitation to join a crowd I’d never sit with, I just threw my hand in the air or gave them the James Carpenter award-winning smile the ladies all loved to see and kept moving.

I didn’t bother asking if the seat in front of her was taken; it wasn’t. And by the looks of things, I didn’t have to worry about anyone trying to move in on the fresh meat. My backpack slid down my arm and onto the table as I sat across from her. She watched me silently while I retrieved my lunch from inside my book bag, but I acted like I didn’t see her until I was ready to face her. I could feel the stares from around the lunchroom, and when I glanced up, I saw girls who’d spent years trying to get my attention gawking with their mouths slightly ajar, taking in the sight.

“I guess no one told you not to buy lunch?” I scoffed at the sight of the gray hamburger on an even duller-looking bun. I speculated those were fries next to it, but I wouldn’t have bet money on that guess.

“Not much of a choice. I didn’t have a lot of time to prepare for a new school.” Even the sadness in her words didn’t take away from the smile in her voice.

“Unexpected move?”

Her head bobbed slowly.

“Where are you from?”

“White Plains.” She took a sip from the bottle of water in front of her. “New York.”

“Why the hell would you leave New York for Geneva Key?” My teeth sank into the bright-red apple I’d missed eating between classes.

“I didn’t have much of a choice.” Her head cocked to the side when she’d repeated herself, and she studied me for just the briefest of seconds.

I wouldn’t be surprised if she were memorizing the crystal-blue eyes watching her or the way my brown hair sat perfectly messy on top of my head, or possibly, the way the muscles in my jaw tensed as I chewed. Girls had found far less interesting things to adore about me.

Cora returned her attention to her book and dismissed me as quickly as she’d answered.

Unsure of what to do with a girl who didn’t fawn all over me, I tried again. “Your parents move here for some odd reason?”

“No.”

Her response wasn’t cold, more like vacant. I couldn’t help but notice people had resumed their meals and no longer gave us any attention.

“So you wanna tell me what brought you here?” It came off more agitated than I intended. I wasn’t irritated with her, just the situation. She clearly wasn’t aware of what opportunity sat in front of her.

Cora closed her book and pushed her tray aside to set the novel down. I didn’t recognize the title, nor did I particularly care. I was more interested in why this gorgeous girl was sitting alone in an unfamiliar town not wanting anything to do with anyone around her.

“My parents were killed in a plane crash last week. My grandparents brought me home with them after the funeral. We got here last night.”

Holy shit.

That was not on my radar.

I stopped chewing and stared at her. The way her emerald-green eyes dulled made my heart clench painfully. Words weren’t going to ease her pain, and neither was my cocky attitude. With the half-eaten apple in one hand, I reached across the table with the other. My fingers rested on hers before curling in with the slightest bit of a squeeze. She fought against the tears that filled her aching eyes, but one escaped against her valiant effort. Mindlessly, I set the fruit down and wiped the lone tear from her cheek with my thumb.

“You want some of my peanut butter and jelly?” I could have slapped myself. She was orphaned less than a week ago, and somehow, I believed half of my sandwich would ease that pain.

She chuckled the tiniest bit, and the tears cascaded down her beautiful face. The loss radiated in her eyes, but God, I’d give every last cent in my trust fund to keep her smiling.

“Captain of the basketball team eats PB and J for lunch? And you said the school food was bad.” It wasn’t as funny as it sounded coming from her lips.

“My reputation supersedes me.”

“Yeah, something like that.” She’d suddenly become shy. Her eyes cast down, and the corners of her mouth fell flat.

“Sorry, I’m a tad arrogant at times. You’ll have to excuse that. It’s just part of my charm.” I bent over, craning my neck to coax her into meeting my gaze. “So tell me, Cora, have you ever been to the beach in December?”

My chest tightened, hoping she’d take the bait, desperate to find a way to spend time with her. I’d never had the instant attraction to anyone that I felt for her. It might have been nothing, yet it might have been everything. Unless she was willing to let me in, there was zero chance we’d find out.

“I’ve never been to the beach at all.”

“Do you have plans after school?” My pulse raced with anticipation.

“Don’t you have basketball practice or weights to lift or some other equally macho thing to do?”

“Yeah, but I’m done by five. I can stop by your house and pick you up.”

“You don’t know where I live.”

I wondered if she knew, although now wasn’t the time to ask such an insensitive question. “Just tell me who your grandparents are. I’ve lived here all my life. I’m sure I know them.”

“Chase. Gwendolyn and Owen Chase.”

If I’d been drinking anything, it would have ended up all over her light-pink shirt that cupped her perfect breasts like it was made to showcase them. “Seriously?” Chase as in the financial company—that Chase. They made everyone else on the island look like paupers.

She shrugged as if it were insignificant.

“You don’t seem impressed.”

“Why would I be? I don’t know them any better than I know you. In fact, I might know you better at this point. We’ve certainly had more conversation.”

“So why did you come live with them if you’re not close?”

“I don’t have any other family, and they wouldn’t let me stay with friends for a year and a half while I finished high school. They didn’t think it was appropriate for a seventeen-year-old to be gallivanting around New York unescorted.” That last part was clearly a repetition of a sentiment they’d communicated to her, probably more than once in the last week.

Again, she’d rendered me speechless, which was a difficult task. Before I could figure out something to say, Neil came strolling up to the table.

“Carp, you coming?”

Any other time, that would have been my escape. I would have been pissed it’d taken him twenty minutes to come to my rescue, except this girl was different. “Nah, man. I’m good here. I’ll catch you after school.”

“It’s okay, James. You can go. I’ll be fine.” No one at this school called me James; however, the way my name floated past her lips made me want to drop the surname and be like Madonna or Prince.

“Yeah, James. You can go.” Neil scowled at me like I’d offended him by turning down his invitation.

I looked back at the dark-haired beauty still seated in front of me. Her green eyes had dimmed again, and I hated leaving her. The pressures of high school sucked. Even though I normally called the shots, I gave in this time—my friends had been my lifeline since we were all in diapers.

“I’ll come by when I get out of practice, okay? Say five thirty or so.” I grabbed my uneaten lunch, stuffed it into my backpack, and waited for her reply with Neil standing over my shoulder. Never in my life had I felt the need to sucker punch him, until now. I was having a hard time holding back today.

She glanced up at Neil and then to me. The tiny nod she gave me only served to cause my fist to ball at my side. My best friend wasn’t acting any differently than either of us always did, but it crushed me to hurt her in the process. I didn’t stop it. I got up and hoped I could make it up to her after school.

When we were out of earshot, I punched him in the arm so hard it almost knocked him off balance. “What the fuck, Neil?”

“You can’t be serious about her? She’ll never fit in with our friends.”

“Then maybe it’s time to find new friends. Jesus. You were such a dick.”

“She called you James. Is she your mom?”

“Hey, asshole. That’s what I told her my name was. Hard for her to know differently when she’s been in the school all of four hours, and the town about eight more than that.”

“Who cares?”

I stopped in my tracks. Neil halted in front of me. I’d only had a handful of defining moments in my seventeen years, times where one instant changed my life, and this was one. “Dude, both of her parents died last week. Cut her some fucking slack.”

“Ahh, a charity lay. I get it, Carp.”

And just like that, the fist that had been balled at my side since I’d gotten up from my seat landed on his right cheek. The fight erupted faster than I realized what had happened. I saw red, and my best friend met my right hook. When we were finally separated, I glanced back to the corner I’d last seen Cora, but she was gone. And my vantage point from the principal’s office didn’t offer me another glimpse of her before the final bell.

Thankfully, Neil and I had only been given detention and weren’t suspended, but that hadn’t sat well with the coach. Even though the administration had been lenient, Coach Howard was not. He didn’t hesitate to bench us both until after Christmas break.

***

It was almost six by the time I pulled up to the Chase mansion. The lights burned brightly throughout, but there were no cars in the driveway. I didn’t have her phone number, so I hadn’t been able to let her know I was running late. When I knocked on the door, it took ages for someone to finally answer it. I’d been expecting hired help, so it came as a shock when Cora greeted me.

“Hey.” She had yet to meet my eyes, and instead, stared at my feet.

I lifted her chin and noticed the red rim beneath her lashes and the bloodshot look around her irises. “I’m sorry I’m late. I didn’t have your number to call.”

“It’s okay.” She swiped her tongue along her lips, and I traced its movement until it disappeared back into her mouth.

“No, it’s not.” Running my hand through my hair, I tugged on the roots in frustration. “I got in trouble at school and then with the team. I came as soon as they let me out. I haven’t even been home.”

“I know. I saw.”

Fuck. I’d hoped she’d left the cafeteria when I’d gotten up, and she’d missed the shitshow between Neil and me. “It’s not a big deal.”

“Look, I appreciate you trying to be nice, but I don’t want to come between you and your friends.”

I chose to ignore that comment. “Are you ready?”

Her eyes grew wide, and she glanced around and then back at me. “For what?”

“The beach.” I didn’t wait for her to turn me down. “Do you need to tell your grandparents you’re leaving?”

“They’re not here. No one is.”

I stopped myself from asking the obvious. There was no way in hell this girl should be alone after what she’d been through in the last week, but who was I to judge? Maybe they’d gone to the store—although, that thought made me laugh. I doubted the Chases did any of their own shopping.

Instead, I snatched her hand. She pulled back just enough to grab the handle and close the door behind her. The Chase property sat directly on the beach. We just had to walk around the massive home to the back and out to the sand. The sky had grown dusky, although a slight bit of color still clung to the horizon just above the water. It would be dark soon, but there wasn’t a cloud in the sky, and the moon was full.

We both left our shoes behind her house and embarked on the evening. Cora didn’t try to talk, and neither did I. I was perfectly content holding her tiny hand in mine, wandering the shoreline. I’d walk all the way up the Gulf Coast if she’d stay with me. When the sun had set completely, and the moonlight was all that lit the path, I finally took the chance on a conversation.

“Where was everyone tonight?”

“My grandparents left this morning for Prague. They’ll be back in a couple weeks.”

“What about the staff? I doubt they leave that place unattended.”

“Most went with them, I think. Honestly, James, I’m not sure. When I got up this morning, there was a driver waiting to take me to school, a stack of cash and a credit card on the counter, and their itinerary.”

I squeezed her hand, wondering just how lonely she truly was. The rest of us lived the same sort of life: drivers, cooks, maids, and allowances to tide us over while our parents ran around the world doing God knew what, leaving us to raise ourselves. I just couldn’t understand anyone doing it after such an upheaval in her life.

“So you’re alone in that enormous house?”

“It’s not so bad. At least this way I don’t have to talk to anyone. I don’t have to pretend everything is okay. If I need to yell or cry or laugh uncontrollably, there’s no one to stop me.” She didn’t let go of my hand. Instead, her grasp became a little tighter with that statement, as though she were afraid she might drift away if she let go.

“Have you eaten dinner?” I knew she hadn’t eaten lunch, and from the sounds of it, there had been no breakfast, either.

“I’m not hungry. I’m doing good not to be a blubbering mess.” Cora offered me a pitiful excuse for a smile, or maybe it was a grimace—either way, it was to pacify my need to comfort her.

“Were you close to your parents?” It was a tough topic I had to tread lightly around. If I pushed too hard, she might break down, and my hope was to get her to open up and share something she loved with me.

Her lips tilted up and then parted into the most stunning smile I’d ever had the pleasure of witnessing. The happiness reached all the way to her eyes, and even in the darkness of the night, I could see the vivid green almost glowing with love.

“They were my best friends. We were very close.” She hesitated before saying anything else, and I waited. “I was supposed to be with them on that flight. I’d begged to stay home to see Coldplay in Manhattan. They’d reluctantly agreed to leave me alone for the first time. Well, as alone as a teenage girl can get with people always in the house.”

I’d heard of things like this before, where fate intervened, although I’d never known anyone who’d been on the receiving end of it.

“I think my mom knew—well, not knew. Like a premonition that something was going to go wrong. I just think she thought it was going to happen to me. She left her assistant, Faith, behind to escort my friends and me to the concert. Faith got the call on our way home. She tried to keep it together until after we’d dropped everyone else off, except I could see it in her eyes, written all over her face. Even though she worked for my mom, she loved her, too. They were super close. When she finally broke the news, her soul shattered with mine. I think leaving her was worse than leaving my friends and my house and my school. She’s been around as long as I can remember.”

“Did she live with you guys?”

“Practically. Faith tried to get temporary custody of me, but she didn’t have the money to fight my grandparents, and since my parents’ will hadn’t specified who got custody, I went with my next of kin. So here I am.”

“Jesus. That’s awful. Have you talked to her?”

“Not since the funeral. It’s wrong; I should want to reach out to her, return her calls. It’s just that she’s a painful reminder of all I had to leave behind.”

“I’m glad you’re here with me.” It was stupid, but I didn’t have a clue what else to say. I’d never lost anyone close to me, and I wasn’t close to my parents and probably never would be.

She stopped with her feet at the edge of the shore and let the water roll over her toes and up to her ankles. The glow of the moon highlighted her natural beauty and made her appear almost angelic. When she stared up at me, I couldn’t stop myself from pulling her in. I needed to protect her, to comfort her, to ease her pain. Yet all I had to offer was a hug. Cora came willingly, wrapping her arms around my waist, her head resting on my chest. She was tiny in comparison, and somehow, I hoped that the difference in our size offered her reassurance.

For the second time that day, I’d experienced another one of those moments, one that would alter the course of my life. With Cora in my arms and the ocean kissing our feet, my heart fell, our souls collided, and I’d found the love of my life. At seventeen and a junior in high school, serendipity—no, fate—had delivered the missing piece of my rib in the form of Cora Chase.