BOOK 1 [with seasons 1 & 2]
Aurora "Rory" Routledge is not just your average Outer Banks teen-she's John B's twin sister and the perfect partner-in-crime for summer adventures. Alongside their tight-knit group of best friends-JJ, Pope, and Kie-the R...
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Rory~
"THIS'LL only take a few seconds. I think it's in the surf shack. Yeah, it's in the surf shack." JJ's voice broke the silence as Kie rolled her car to a stop by the chicken coop at the Chateau. His eagerness to retrieve whatever he was looking for came through in the way he quickly unfastened his seatbelt. "I'll be right back," he added before jumping out of the back seat.
"Yeah, be quick," I called after him, watching as he sprinted toward the shack like he was on a mission.
Without missing a beat, he glanced back at us. "Be right back," he repeated, before hopping over a tangle of wires and darting through some bushes. I couldn't help but chuckle as I watched him.
And then—thud—he face-planted straight into the dirt.
"Oh my god." Kie giggled, shaking her head at the sight. "He's such a mess sometimes."
Trying not to laugh too hard, I cupped my hands around my mouth and called out, "JJ, you okay?"
He jumped back to his feet, dusting himself off with a sheepish grin. "I'm okay!" he yelled back, running again, pretending like he hadn't just tripped. Classic Jay.
"He's like a toddler, I don't know how you handle him," Kie mused, still chuckling. Her eyes sparkled with amusement as she looked at me.
I rolled my eyes, but a grin crept up on my face. "Honestly? He's like a golden retriever with too much energy. He's all over the place, but it's kinda endearing," I said, my voice light and playful.
Kie laughed, giving me a knowing look. "You know what, though? You guys really compliment each other. Like, it's kinda gross how whipped you both are, but it's adorable."
I shrugged, though a blush started creeping up my neck. "Well, JJ's my soulmate," I said simply, as if that was the most obvious thing in the world. "Actually, we went to that psychic lady on the pier once—the one everyone says is kinda kooky—and she told us we were soulmates. She said something about us being eternal lovers, like the ocean and the moon." I laughed a little, but the sentiment stuck with me more than I wanted to admit.
Kie's jaw dropped. "No way! The one with all the crystals and stuff? The one that talks to seagulls? She's totally nuts!" She started laughing, poking my cheek. "Look at you blushing!"
"Kiki!" I whined, pushing her hand away as I turned to face the window, my cheeks burning. "Stop teasing me!"
She just kept laughing, her joy infectious. But after a few more seconds of quiet, Kie glanced over at the surf shack and frowned. "Your lover boy's taking way too long."
"Yeah, no kidding." I furrowed my brow, leaning forward to get a better look. "JJ!" I called out again, my voice louder this time. Still no response. Kie honked the horn, trying to speed him up.
