Magnolia Parks: The Long Way Home (Magnolia Parks Universe, #3)

by Jessa Hastings

My mind waterboards me with memories of her. Our first kiss on holidays, how she smelt like coconuts. Her coming down those stairs at Holland Park for our first date. Slow dancing to Billie Holiday. Her blushing cheeks and her wide eyes on mine the first time I got changed in front of her. The way she looks at me when I’m driving her places. The first time I snuck her up into my room at school, Jonah went for a walk to give us some space — tripped, dislocated his knee — went missing for hours. Barely cared though, because I touched her boobs for the first time. Took her top off for the first time that night too — lit a fire in me. Our tree. Her at my rugby games in my hoodies on the sidelines. How her face goes in the morning. Undoing the buttons of her school uniform, her watching me with round eyes swallowing heavy, still as a statue, breathing all quick. All the bread in her hands on our first date.