Kie's POV:

Tomorrow it will have been one year since Luke passed away. I know Luke wasn't father of the year, but he was still JJ's dad and I knew JJ would have some emotions about it so I was on a plane to the Outer Banks.

My mom picked me up from the airport and she drove me home. It felt nice to sleep in my childhood bedroom, home with my parents.

The next morning, I got up and my mom dropped me off at the Wreck where JJ would be working as it was Saturday. I walked inside and didn't see him so I headed to the back and saw him sitting in my dad's office with him.

He turned and saw me and smiled as I hugged him. He wrapped his arms around me and asked, "What are you doing here?"

"It's your dad's one year, I figured you might want some company" I said as he broke our hug

"JJ, take the day off and both of you come home for dinner tonight"

JJ and I left the Wreck and I got in the passenger seat of his truck. He looked at me and asked, "Where to?"

"I don't know, what do you want to do?"

"Have you eaten?" He asked

"No" I said and he started his truck

He drove to the small diner on the cut where we had our first date. We went inside and sat at our table. JJ ordered us the huge chocolate chip pancakes and the waitress brought them over and said, "Enjoy, I've missed seeing you guys in here. I'm so glad you're still together"

"Thanks" JJ said

She walked away and JJ looked at me and said, "Sorry, I hope this isn't too awkward"

"Not at all, I've missed these pancakes" I said taking a bite

JJ took a bite and we talked about random things as we ate. JJ paid and I said, "You aren't supposed to pay, this day is for you"

"Too bad, you know you don't pay" He said

"Well, thank you" I said as we left the diner

We got back in his truck and he asked, "When do you go back to Florida?"

"Sunday night, why are you trying to get rid of me already?"

"Never" He laughed

We drove to the shack, that's what he used to call his dad's house but it looked totally different now. He brought me inside and the house was so different inside too. Everything was updated, walls, kitchen, even the layout.

"Wow, it looks amazing" I said as he showed me the rest of the house

He had added an addition to the house, it was really nice. I was very impressed with all the work he's put into this house. He also had my dad's boat out on his dock. My dad and JJ have become best friends.

We were back outside now and JJ said, "Still got a shit ton of work to do but it's getting there"

"It's incredible what you've done so far, Jayge"

His phone rang and he answered it. He walked away as he talked and he came back and said, "That was one of my clients and I gotta go over there"

"A real client or like a hook-up? I asked

JJ laughed and said, "I'm not doing that anymore, she's a real client and she's old and she just needs a lightbulb changed. Wanna come with me?"

"Can I?" I asked

"I asked, didn't I" He smirked

We went to his truck and he drove to the cut to this older house. We got out and he knocked on the door and this old lady came to the door with her walker. She was adorable and she was so happy to see JJ.

"Oh, JJ, thank you so much for coming over. The light in the kitchen just stopped working and I was trying to cook dinner and just can't see. I don't have anyone to come over and help me so I called you"

"I'd be happy to help"

"I'm so glad and is this that beautiful girlfriend you always talk about?"

"This is Kiara" JJ said introducing me to her

We went into the kitchen and JJ grabbed the dead lightbulb and replaced it and it was working again. She tried to pay JJ, but he didn't accept the money. We said goodbye to her and JJ walked me to my side of the truck and waited for me to get in before shutting the door. He then got in and we left the old lady's house on the cut. That was incredibly sweet of him.

We went to the Wreck for lunch and then I told JJ we were going somewhere. I drove his truck and stopped at a store. I ran inside and bought a bouquet of flowers and then I drove to the cemetery where Luke's ashes were buried.

"What are we doing here?" JJ asked

"Just dropping flowers off"

He didn't want to be here and I knew that. I laid the flowers down and JJ said, "Cool, let's go"

"Jayge"

"I'm not going to have some emotional breakdown, I'm fine" He said

"Okay, let's go" I said knowing his emotional breakdown was going to happen at some point before I left, it's the whole reason I'm here

He was driving back to his house when I noticed he still had a Polaroid of me on his sun visor.

"You still have that?"

"Yeah, you're sexy as fuck in that picture... Could be a bikini model" He said flirty

It was a picture he took of me in high school when we were still fake dating. I was in a red bikini on the HMS Pogue with JJ, John B, and Pope. I was holding a beer and giving JJ the finger taking a picture of me but I was still smiling.

We went to my parent's house for dinner where they made a nice steak dinner and after we played a game together. I've missed this more than I've realized. It was getting late and my mom offered JJ the guest room but he said he was going to head home. He hugged my mom, dad, and then me.

"Will I see you before you leave?" JJ asked me

"I don't leave until tomorrow night"

"Wanna grab lunch and then I'll take you to the airport?"

"Yeah, text me" I said

JJ left and my mom looked at me and asked, "Are you sure you don't want to spend the night with him?"

"Mom, I have a boyfriend" I answered

"I wouldn't tell" She joked

"It might not be a good idea for him to be alone tonight..." Mike said

"Then you call him and have him stay in the guest room" I said to my dad

My dad actually called him and told him to come back over and spend the night. Shockingly, JJ came back over. I was already in bed but my mom told me that my dad and JJ were going to play a game of cribbage. I fell asleep and woke up to JJ sitting on my bed.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you up" He said

"It's fine, what's up?" I asked

He didn't say anything and I said, "Come on, get in"

He laid down in bed with me and he was crying. I lightly rubbed his back and he said, "Thank you for being here on the one-year anniversary. You knew I'd eventually fall apart"

"I did and that's exactly why I'm here"

"Do you regret it?" He asked and I didn't know what he was talking about

"Do I regret what?"

"What happened in the bathroom at the Wreck"

"No, I don't... Do you?"

"No"

"But it can't happen again, I'm dating Matt" I said before he got any ideas

"I know.... But for real, even though you have a boyfriend now, thank you for being here for me"

"You don't have to thank me, but you're welcome"

"I miss him... I mean the good days when he'd come home from the track after winning money and bring take out or when I was a kid and he taught me to hit a baseball. He wasn't always like that"

"I'm glad you have good memories with your dad"

"A few, I have more good memories with your dad than my own"

"He loved you like your his own son. Just promise me that you'l always cherish those good memories with your father"

"I promise" JJ whispered back as he looked at me

We both moved closer and I said, "Come here"

He knew that that meant, I laid on my back and he laid on his side/stomach with his head on my chest and his arm wrapped around me. I lightly rubbed his back and played with his hair as I said, "I'm proud of you for how strong you've been dealing with all this"

JJ fell asleep in my arms and I fell asleep too. I woke up and he was already gone. I went downstairs and my mom was in the kitchen and I said, "JJ slept over"

"I know, he was up late with dad playing cribbage"

"No, I mean JJ slept in my bed with me"

My mom gave me that look with eyebrows raised as if she was giving me a look asking if we had sex.

"No, gross" I said

"Gross, really?" She asked

"I'm dating Matt now, I wouldn't ever cheat. But I'd appreciate this stay between us"

"Your secret that you and JJ are bed buddies is safe with me" My mom laughed

"Mommmm" I said as she was trying to make another joke

"I made you some breakfast" She said putting a plate in front of me

I ate and then I went upstairs to pack my suitcase and get ready to leave. My mom brought me to the Wreck to say goodbye to my dad and then JJ picked me up and he took me to our diner for lunch. We shared a meal and then he brought me to the airport.

"Kie, was last night weird for you?"

"You mean sleeping together? Sleeping in the same bed" I clarified

"Yeah"

"No, I'm glad you came in"

"Me too" He said

The drive to the airport felt so short. JJ got out and his truck and he grabbed my suitcase for me and noticed his necklace had fallen out of his shirt. He always had his shark tooth on and that was outside, but there was another chain that was under his shirt and I didn't really pay attention to it until now.

He caught me looking at his chest and he said, "My eyes are up here"

He was just joking as that's something I've told him before.

"Jayge" I said softly looking at what was on his necklace

"What?" He asked clueless and then he looked and saw the necklace

"Shit" He said tucking it back in his shirt

"You still wear my promise ring?" I asked shocked

"You weren't supposed to see that"

I walked up to him and I pulled the necklace back out from under his shirt. I put the ring on my finger as far as it would go while still on the chain.

"You haven't taken it off?" I asked thinking back to the day that I gave it back to him

"No, I haven't... I didn't really know what to do with it. Do you want it back?" He asked

"I meant do you want to hang onto the ring? Or you could throw it in the marsh? I just..."

"No, you keep it and you can do whatever you want with it" I said acting like I didn't care

I took my finger out of the ring and tucked the necklace back under his shirt. I hugged him and I rested my head on his chest. He held me in his arms and kissed the top of my head.

"Goodbye, Kie" He said

"Bye, Jayge" I said breaking the hug and walking into the airport

When I got back to Florida, Matt picked me up and brought me home. He asked all about my trip and I told him it was nice to be home for the weekend.

"Did you see JJ?" He asked

"I did"

"Is there something going on?" He asked

"No, not anymore. Not since we got together, I promise.... Will you stay with me tonight?" I asked Matt

Matt smiled and said, "I'd like that"

Matt came inside with me and I unpacked and got ready for bed. Matt and I were laying in bed and he pulled me closer to him.

"I missed you"

"I missed you too" I replied as he kissed me goodnight