The Last Everything

I Found You(10years ago)

The bell above the diner door was a fickle sound. It rang with a rhythmic, predictable monotony, but every single time the brass clapper hit the metal, my heart did a frantic little stutter in my chest.

It had been exactly seven days since that party—seven days since I'd punched a guy in the face, walked out of a frat house in emerald green silk, and challenged a stranger with green-blue eyes to find me if he was smart enough. I didn't know why I was holding my breath. I had spent years trying to be invisible, yet here I was, scanning every customer who walked into The Gilded Spoon as if my life depended on seeing one specific face.

"Are you expecting someone, or are you just planning on staring a hole through the glass until it shatters?"

I jumped, nearly dropping a bottle of ketchup. Becca was leaning against the counter, an arched eyebrow and a knowing smirk firmly in place.

"What? No. I'm just... checking the weather," I lied, fumbling with the condiments.

"Right. Because the weather usually walks in on two legs and wears a leather jacket," Becca teased, bumping her arm into mine. "Liv, I've seen you. Every time that door dings, you snap your head around like a caffeinated owl. Spill. Who is he?"

"I don't even know if—"

Ding.

The sound was sharp, cutting through the lunchtime rush. I looked over, and my breath hitched. There he was. JP stood in the doorway, the afternoon sun catching the sharp angles of his face. He looked out of place in our greasy-spoon diner, wearing a well-fitted dark tee that showed off the ink on his forearms. His eyes swept the room with a focused intensity until they landed on me. Then, he smiled—that slow, devastatingly confident smirk that had irritated me so much a week ago.

Beside me, I heard Becca's breath hitch for an entirely different reason. "Oh my god... Olivia. That's who? You've been waiting for JP?"

I turned to her, my brow furrowed. "Wait, what? You know him?"

"Girl, yes! That's Nick's roommate and best friend," she whispered urgently, her eyes darting between the two of us. "You better be careful, Liv. I'm serious. I hear the stories from Nick. JP doesn't do 'relationships.' He's a ghost. He sleeps around with half the campus and disappears before breakfast."

"Becca, I know. He told me himself last week," I said, trying to keep my voice low as he began walking toward us. "I'm not looking for a fairy tale. I told him we could be friends. That's it."

"Just friends? With him?" Becca gave me a look of pure skepticism. "Right. Just don't catch feelings, Liv. Because a guy like that? He'll break your heart just to see how the pieces fall. Here he comes. Act cool." She flashed a bright, professional smile and pivoted to a different table before I could grab her sleeve.

JP stopped at the counter, leaning his elbows against the laminate surface. "Hey," he said, his voice a low vibration that seemed to bypass my ears and go straight to my spine.

"Hey," I replied, forcing myself to wipe down a section of the counter that was already spotless. "So. You found me."

"You sound disappointed," he noted, his eyes dancing with amusement. "Want me to tell you how I found you?"

"I'm sure you're dying to brag about your detective skills," I said, finally meeting his gaze.

"It wasn't that hard, actually. I knew your name was Olivia, aka Liv. David—between icing his jaw—told me you were eighteen and still in high school. Then, while I was complaining to my buddy Nick about a girl who vanished into the night, he mentioned his girlfriend's best friend was an Olivia who went by Liv. One look at a picture of you two together, and I knew exactly where to find the girl in the green dress."

I groaned, leaning my forehead against my hand. "Damn it. Here I was thinking I'd finally managed to escape the college drama. I was so happy. Then you walked in and crushed my peace of mind."

JP laughed, a rich, genuine sound. "Well, too bad. We had a deal. You said if I found you, we could be friends. You can't break the contract now. What time do you get off?"

I glanced at the grease-stained clock above the grill. It was 2:30. "I have an hour left. Why?"

"Good. I'll be outside leaning against my truck. Don't make me wait too long."

"Excuse me?" I bristled. "I have plans already. I have a life outside of waiting for you to show up."

"I know you do," he said, winking as he began to back away toward the door. "And today, your life involves hanging out with me. See you in an hour, gorgeous."

He turned and walked out before I could launch a rebuttal. I stood there, stunned, until Becca slid back over to me.

"Your boyfriend Nick is the one who gave me up," I grumbled.

Becca laughed, a loud, unabashed sound. "Who would have known Nick's best friend would be so obsessed with my best friend? It's poetic, really."

"He's not obsessed. He's just... persistent. He said I have plans with him when I get off. He's literally sitting in the parking lot."

Becca's smile faded into a look of genuine concern. "Liv, seriously. Be careful. Those college guys have a way of getting into your head—and your pants—before you even realize you've given them the key. Trust me, I've seen it happen to better girls than us."

"Becca, you have nothing to worry about," I said, my voice hardening with a resolve I hoped I could keep. "I'm not catching feelings for a man-w***e, and I'm definitely not sleeping with him. I'm just... testing a theory."

"What theory?"

"That I can handle him," I said, grabbing my tray. "I'm going to clean my tables."

At 3:30 sharp, the shift ended. In the cramped employee locker room, I shed my grease-scented uniform. Becca watched me as I pulled on a pair of high-waisted leggings and a soft, off-the-shoulder cream sweater.

"Good thing you brought actual clothes today instead of your usual 'I'm-hiding-from-the-world' baggy hoodies," Becca noted, leaning against the lockers.

I looked at myself in the cracked mirror. The leggings hugged my curves, and the sweater showed just enough skin to feel feminine but not exposed. I slid into my favorite white flats. "I said I wouldn't catch feelings, Becca. I didn't say I couldn't make him fall for me."

Becca's jaw dropped. "Liv! You're playing with fire."

"I see it as a challenge," I said, a spark of the girl from the party returning to my eyes. "He think's he's the hunter. Let him think that for a while. Just don't you dare go telling Nick."

"My lips are zipped," she said, mimicking a locking motion over her mouth. "But I'm shocked he's actually still out there. Usually, JP Price doesn't wait for anything."

We walked out of the diner together. Becca waved as she headed toward her car, and I turned left, spotting the massive black truck idling at the edge of the lot. JP was leaning against the grill, his ankles crossed, looking like something out of a lifestyle magazine. As I approached, I watched his eyes track me, a slow, appreciative scan that made my skin prickle.

"Ok, I'm off," I said, stopping a few feet away. "What are these mysterious plans?"

"Whatever you want," he said, pushing himself off the truck. "I just want to get to know you, Olivia. No music, no frat boys, no David."

"Why?" I asked bluntly. "Why me? Why the effort?"

"Because we're supposed to be friends," he said, closing the distance between us. "And right now, all I know is that you have a mean right hook and you look incredible in green. I want to know the rest."

"Technically, I know something about you too," I countered. "I know you're a s*x-crazy man-w***e with a roommate who talks too much."

JP winced, but he didn't look angry. "That doesn't count. And for the record, I'm not a man-w***e. I'm just single and honest about what I like. There's a difference. Come on. Get in the truck. Let's just drive."

I hesitated, looking at the dark tinted windows. "I don't know..."

He stepped closer, his voice softening, losing the cocky edge. "Liv, I'm just asking for an hour of your time. I have no intentions of trying anything. I just... I liked talking to you. You're the first girl I've met in years who doesn't take my s**t. It's refreshing. I just want a friend."

"But why me?"

"Because you impressed the hell out of me last week," he said, his eyes searching mine. "The way you handled David and his fiancée... you didn't cry, you didn't scream, you just took charge. You're not like anyone else I know. I won't lie, it's a turn-on, but more than that, it makes me want to know what else is going on in that head of yours."

I looked at him, weighing the risk. He was dangerous, sure, but the boredom of my ordinary life felt more dangerous in that moment. "Don't make me regret this, Price."

"Never," he said, jogging around to the passenger side to open the door.

The interior of the truck was pristine, smelling of expensive leather and masculine cologne. As we pulled out onto the main road, the silence was comfortable.

"Any ideas on where we should head?" he asked, glancing at me.

"I'm the passenger. Wherever we end up is fine with me," I said, leaning back into the plush seat. He smirked, his mind clearly going somewhere suggestive. "Not in a bed, JP. Get your head out of the gutter."

"Damn," he laughed, shaking his head. "I thought maybe my charm had finally worn you down."

"In your dreams."

"Okay, okay. How about ice cream? There's a place about thirty minutes out. Family-owned, best strawberry in the state."

"Look at me," I laughed, gesturing to my body. "Do I look like a girl who would ever pass up ice cream?"

The shop was a charming, vintage building with a wrap-around porch and the smell of fresh waffle cones wafting through the air. JP parked and hopped out, rushing around to my side before I could even reach for the handle.

"I've been coming here since I was a kid," he explained, holding out a hand to help me down.

The truck was high, and I was... not. I slid to the edge of the seat, gripping his hand. As I hopped down, my flats hit the gravel unevenly, and I pitched forward. JP's hands were on my waist instantly, steadying me against his chest. For a second, our faces were inches apart, and I could see the golden flecks in his blue eyes.

"You're a little clumsy, aren't you, Olivia?" he teased, his hands lingering on my waist just a second too long.

"Well, you've learned something new," I said, gently pushing him back. "Ready to go home now?"

"Not a chance. You're not escaping until you've had the strawberry."

Inside, the shop was empty except for an older lady behind the counter. She looked up and her entire face transformed. "Jonathan Price! Is that really you?"

"Hey, Linda," JP said, leaning over the counter to give her a quick side-hug. "It's been a while."

"A while? It's been years! You grew up, boy," she said, her eyes then sliding to me. "And who is this? Is this your girlfriend?"

"No, ma'am," JP said, and I felt a tiny, strange prick of something in my chest at how quickly he said it. "This is Olivia. We're just friends."

"Well, you have excellent taste in friends, Jonathan," Linda said, smiling at me. "You are a stunning young woman."

"Thank you, Linda," I said, feeling my cheeks warm.

"What can I get for you two?"

JP stepped back, letting me go first. "I'll have a double scoop of strawberry in a waffle cone, please."

I noticed JP looking at me, a strange, soft expression on his face. "What? Is there something on my face?" I asked.

Linda chuckled as she started scooping. "Honey, what you ordered is the exact same thing JP has ordered since he was five years old. I don't think I've ever seen him get anything else."

"Oh," I said, glancing at him. He just shrugged, looking uncharacteristically shy.

We took our cones to a small table in the corner. "So," I said, trying to break the sudden tension. "Do you have any siblings? Or are you an only child like me?"

JP's expression flickered—a shadow passing over his eyes before he blinked it away. "I have a younger sister. She's about sixteen. Back home in Seattle."

"So even though you have a sister, you still treat other girls like they're just... disposable?" I asked, the words coming out sharper than I intended.

JP sighed, setting his cone down. "Why does liking s*x make me a 'bad' guy in your eyes, Liv? I don't lie to them. I don't make anyone do anything they don't want to. If anything, I'm the one being hunted half the time. I'm honest about what I can give, which is a good night and a ride home. Is that worse than David, who pretends to be a saint while cheating on his fiancée?"

"I didn't say it was worse," I said quietly. "It just seems... lonely."

"Why are you so touchy on the topic?" he asked, his eyes boring into mine. "Did someone hurt you? Or are you just holding out for a knight in shining armor?"

I felt my face go hot. He was digging into territory I wasn't ready to share—the reasons behind my baggy hoodies and my fear of being seen. I opened my mouth to deflect, but Linda returned to clear a nearby table, breaking the moment.

We finished our ice cream in a silence that felt different than before. It wasn't uncomfortable, but it was heavy. Every time I looked up, I caught JP watching me. He wasn't looking at my body or my dress; he was looking at me, as if I were a puzzle he was determined to solve. And for the first time, I wasn't sure if I wanted to be solved, or if I was terrified of what he'd find when he finally put the pieces together.

"Ready?" he asked softly.

"Ready," I whispered.