Till this night

Till this night KOKO HEART Copyright © 2023 Koko Heart This book is a work of fiction, names of characters, some places and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual events, places, or persons, alive or deceased, is coincidental. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, or stored in a database in any form, without the prior permission of the publisher except in the instance of a short quote being used to enhance a written published review highlighting the book. This book shall not be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior consent. Published by Koko Heart 2023 Edited by Michelle Fewer Cover design by Francessca Wingfield of Wingfield Designs All Rights reserved Created with Vellum This ones for my Dreamteam. You guys mean the world to me. Your support, your memes, your stories and just showing up for me, EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. Like jelly tots, team. Thank you Contents 1. Juliet 2. Connor 3. Juliet 4. Juliet 5. Juliet 6. Connor 7. Juliet 8. Juliet 9. Juliet 10. Juliet 11. Juliet 12. Connor 13. Connor 14. Juliet 15. Connor 16. Connor 17. Juliet 18. Connor 19. Juliet 20. Connor 21. Juliet 22. Connor is a ducksicle and operation fake it till you make it is a go - Group text 23. Connor 24. Juliet 25. Connor is a ducksicle and operation fake it till you make it is a go. Group text 26. Connor 27. Connor 28. Juliet 29. Connor 30. Juliet 31. Juliet 32. Never plot and plan with Marcus - Group texts 33. Juliet 34. Connor 35. Connor 36. Cleo’s boyfriend is finer than yours… Group texts 37. Juliet 38. Juliet 39. Connor 40. Connor 41. Juliet 42. Connor 43. Juliet 44. Connor 45. Juliet Epilogue Acknowledgments About the Author Also by Koko Heart CHAPTER 1 Juliet Only one person would leave me standing outside of a balloon shop, holding a million pink and blue balloons and a giant black gender reveal one in the freezing cold on a Friday night. My sister, Cleopatra Cooper. The very same person that’s now ringing my phone and who’s about to get a royal bollicking from me. Luckily, I had the clever idea to put my ear pods in before leaving the shop or I wouldn’t be able to juggle the balloons and the phone at the same time, and Cleopatra would miss the tirade I’m about to unleash on her. “Cleopatra, where the fuck are you?” I hiss into the night, hoping only the phone picks up my words, and not the older couple who just left the balloon shop behind me. “You said you’d be here to pick me up, seeing as both you and Emilia—who by the way can both fucking drive—were far too busy to run this menial task for our big sister and our little niece or nephew’s gender reveal party.” Shivering as a blast of cold November air gushes through me, I clench my teeth as Cleopatra interrupts my onslaught. “Juliet, I’m so sorry. My meeting overran but I’ve sent a car to pick you up. It’ll be there in a bit. I’ll meet you at Nell’s. I’m sorry.” “Sorry, Cleo? That’s it? It’s freezing and dark. I’m on my own and I’ve been hit on by at least three disgusting drunk men who have stumbled out of the pub down the road and into me already. I know I don’t have an important career like you guys do, but this was your fucking job.” I juggle the bag of balloons and hold on super tight to the end of the gender reveal one and let its ribbon float down to the ground, as I bounce from foot to foot to try to stave off the cold. After spending several years in Thailand, the cold is something I’m still trying to adapt to. Even the year I’ve been back hasn’t been enough to acclimate me to this kind of frozen hell. “We said we were going to organise this together and you and Emilia have left everything to me. It’s your bloody job to plan events, not mine!” I hear the whine in my voice and can practically feel her rolling her eyes at me, brushing off my reaction as normal for the spoilt princess of the family. Even though I have a fair point, it frustrates me so much I change tactics straight away. I’ve not spent these years away from everyone trying to change their perceptions of me only to act like a brat and have their impressions confirmed. “Look, it doesn’t matter. Do you know how much longer the car’ll be?” I really don’t want to argue with my sister. I hate arguing with any of them, but being the baby of four girls it’s kind of hard to avoid. “Sorry Jules, it should be there any minute.” I hear a car horn honk by the road and look up. My hackles rise instantly and I growl down the phone at my sister. “Cleopatra Cooper. WHAT. DID. YOU. DO?” I punctuate every word through gritted teeth and have to fight back the scream that’s ready and waiting in my throat when I hear her laughing at me. “Jules, he was already at Nell’s setting the food up and it was the quickest option. Just be nice. Connor’s a really good guy, you know.” I start to protest and bite my tongue so I don’t tell her he really isn’t, but she interrupts me with a hasty, “bye!” and hangs up the phone. I’m left with two options: get in the car with a man I really dislike, or stand in the street, in the cold, with my mountain of balloons hoping my sister comes to her senses and comes to fetch me herself. I’m busy contemplating the two as I watch Connor jump out of his car and walk toward me with his arms outstretched like he’s ready for