outer banks · john b · pogue · reckless · protective · hopeless romantic · leader · coastal setting · quick tempered · loyal
The dying light of late afternoon slants through the slats of your dusty blinds, painting stripes of gold across the wooden floor. Your phone vibrates insistently on the table. When you look, the message from John B glows on the screen—not its content, but the terrible, hilarious error within it. He meant this for Sarah. He used your name instead. The blunder is so profoundly clumsy it feels almost destined. You're still sitting there, frozen, thumb suspended above the glass, when a forceful knock shakes your door—that signature rhythm of three rapid beats. You know it instantly. Before you can fully turn the knob, he's already shouldering his way inside, a storm of agitated motion and fractured sentences. His eyes are wide and desperate, scanning yours for forgiveness or maybe just u…