Eversea A Love Story

hands-free microphone. Sticking the paddle in the water, I steered back toward the creek.
    “About the house? Are they giving you a hard time again? I swear to God, they have no fucking right.” Joey always got heated about the town’s meddling and the way they tried to ‘citation’ us into doing something. Actually, it wasn’t really the whole town, just some—in particular, Pastor McDaniel, who persuaded Sherriff Graves to do it. Against the sheriff’s better judgment, thank goodness. It was finally dropped, and no more citations had been issued.
    “No, calm down, nothing like that. McDaniel’s still annoying, but he hasn’t done anything recently. Maybe because he knows Jasper and I are friends and he doesn’t want to cause problems.” I thought back to Sunday. “Actually, I think his latest angle is to push us together which is actually kind of funny.”
    “You and Jasper? Hmmm. Is that what’s getting you all twisted up so you can’t sleep?”
    “Jeez! I’m not twisted up. Ok, maybe I am, a little, but not about Jasper, and I’m dealing with it just fine.”
    “But about another guy? Seriously? You never date. At least to my knowledge. Which I prefer by the way, since I ain’t there to keep their asses in line. Well, who is it then, and should I be worried?”
    I found myself jamming the paddle harder and harder, so I pulled it out of the water to slow myself down.
    “No, I’m fine. If I could talk to Jazz about it, I’d be fine. I think. God, I dunno.” I sighed. I had said too much, I knew it. I was going to have to come up with something to appease my overbearing and over-protective brother. I’d texted Jazz last night to let her know there was an almost kiss and that I needed to talk to her today. She would find me or text me as soon as she woke up, I was sure. In the meantime ...
    “What the hell is going on, Keri Ann?” His tone told me I was going to have to think fast. Or tell the truth.
    “God, I don’t know, Joey. You know Jazz and I tell each other everything—”
    “Yeah, y’all are a nightmare like that.”
    I grinned as I remembered Joey being completely embarrassed and pissed off when he realized Jazz had shared all the details of their first kiss. Not that I had wanted all those details mind you, it being my brother and all. Ack.
    The kayak rocked on an undulating wave and a breeze ruffled my hair. I made a decision. “Joey, this is big, way too big, and even though I made a promise not to talk about it, I have to tell you.”
    I debated exactly what to say. Joey and I were pretty close, and one thing I did know was he was trustworthy. Jazz would be told. I needed her. But it would be good to tell Joey, too. He wasn’t here, so there wasn’t a chance Jack would find out.
    “You’re freaking me out. Do I need to come back there? You’re ok, right?” he asked.
    Was I ok? I didn’t know. I was going to break Jack’s secret twice today and hope for the best.
    “Are you pregnant? I swear to God—”
    “No! Jeez! How did you think I went from not dating to that?”
    Joey blew a breath down the line. “Thank God. Wow, that scared the shit outta me.”
    “Calm down, it’s not that.”
    “Okay then, it can’t be that bad. Hit me.”
    “I want to tell you, Joey, but you are going to have to swear to me, and I mean swear , like on Mom and Dad.” I paused letting that sink in. We had always said we would never use them like that unless it was something super serious.
    “Shit, Keri Ann, I’m freaking again. Tell me. Now.”
    Good. He got it.
    “Okay, well, I haven’t told anyone about him because first of all, there’s nothing going on apart from us spending some time together.” If you didn’t count our almost kiss last night. “And second of all, he’s famous, and I swore to keep his identity a secret.”
    It sounded really dumb to my own ears, but I knew that since I had just invoked Mom and Dad, Joey was listening. The tide was slowly pulling my kayak back into the Intracoastal Waterway, so I rested my paddle across my lap and settled back.
    “Okaaaay.” I could almost hear Joey’s mind whirring a mile a minute trying to figure out what to ask me. “So he thinks he’s famous, or he actually is famous? I mean The Situation from Jersey Shore thinks he’s famous, but I doubt ninety-nine percent of the population would recognize him walking down the street ... or care.” He snorted.
    I should’ve known Joey wouldn’t believe me.
    “Wait,