One Last Kiss

ONE LAST KISS A STONEVIEW STORIES NOVELLA LOLA KING Copyright © 2023 by Lola King All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise without written permission from the publisher. It is illegal to copy this book, post it to a website, or distribute it by any other means without permission. This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental. Designations used by companies to distinguish their products are often claimed as trademarks. All brand names and product names used in this book and on its cover are trade names, service marks, trademarks and registered trademarks of their respective owners. The publishers and the book are not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book. None of the companies referenced within the book have endorsed the book. All songs, song titles an lyrics contained in this book are the property of the respective songwriters and copyright holders. Cover art by Wild Love Designs Alpha reading by Lauren Pixley CONTENTS Content WarningPlaylistChapter 1Chapter 2Chapter 3Chapter 4Chapter 5Chapter 6Chapter 7King of My Heart: Rose’s Duet Book 1Also by Lola KingAcknowledgmentsAbout the Author CONTENT WARNING This book is not recommended to readers under the age of 18. This is a dark bully romance and contains scenes that some readers may find triggering. If this is something you are not comfortable with, please do not go any further. For a full list of triggers, please contact Lola at [email protected] Enjoy! Lots of love, Lola ♡ PLAYLIST SPOTIFY LINK Violets - Josh Golden Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve - Taylor Swift Overwhelmed - Royal & the Serpent Battle Scars - MOD SUN Lie to me - Tate McRae, Ali Gatie Love Runs Out - Martin Garrix, G-Eazy, Sasha Alex Sloan Electric Love - BØRNS 1 Violets - Josh Golden Jamie Steam pours out of our small bathroom as Jake opens the door. I’m in our kitchen, putting two plates of garlic fried rice, eggs, and hot dogs on the table. Who knew Filipino breakfast would become one of Jake’s favorites? Walking out of the bathroom with nothing but a towel around his waist, he inhales deeply. “Mm…smells good in here.” “Don’t get used to it,” I tell him as I cross the small room to meet him. “I just had to keep myself busy so I wouldn’t freak out.” “Freak out about what?” He grabs my waist and pulls me up, dropping a wet kiss on my lips. His hair drips onto my green dress and I try to push him away, but he tightens his grip. “Jake! I just got dressed, don’t get me wet!” I moan a complaint. “But I love having you all wet,” he smiles against my lips. He straightens up and lets me go. “What’s wrong, baby? Why are you freaking out?” I point at the kitchen table. Two sealed envelopes rest between our plates. Our gazes cross and the world stops for a minute. Drowning in his midnight eyes, I forget about the anxiety I’ve been wrapped in all morning. “Alright,” he nods, understanding what’s going on. “I’m going to get dressed and we’re going to open these together.” I nod silently and wrap my hands around both his biceps before squeezing, loving the hardness. He makes a little show out of flexing them to make me laugh before heading for the bedroom. “I can’t believe Maganda,” he huffs as he closes the door to the bedroom. “I got you a dog so she would protect you, and she spends most of her days hiding in our bed.” “Leave my girl alone,” I scold him as he approaches the table. “Alright,” he says once we’re both sitting. My leg is bouncing under the table and he puts a firm hand on it. “What do we have here?” He looks down at the envelopes. “Grossman and Silver Falls.” He scratches the heavy stubble he now sports all the time. “I don’t like this,” I murmur. “I don’t like this at all.” I applied to eight med schools. And I already got rejected by five of them. Some of them weren’t even my favorites to begin with—their location really wasn’t ideal—but they were amazing schools, and I was heartbroken when they denied me. I’ve always been the best student in my year. I was Stoneview Prep’s Valedictorian. But college has been a completely different experience. I was freshly in love and happy in freshman year and I didn’t focus as much as I should have. It wasn’t only that, the level at our college is much higher than I ever expected. I work all the time, I do study groups, and I miss out on sleep because I stay at the library until midnight most nights. My Biochem professor has become my best friend and I spend most of his office hours with him. He’s helped me so much to try and keep my GPA high. It’s not been enough, though. Because after going to two rounds of interviews, I was still denied by Harvard, George Washington, Brown, Stanford, and Florida state. I know they’re the absolute best med schools, but that’s what I’ve always wanted and expected for myself. Now we’re staring at NYU Grossman School of Medicine and Silver Falls University. Both would be amazing for the location, the reputation, the fact that I would graduate from two of the very best. But if I don’t get in? I have no contingency plan because I’m a total idiot who thought she was smart enough for the top schools in the country and didn’t even apply to average schools. “Oh my gosh, how could I be so stupid?” I whimper, my head falling into my hands. “Angel,” Jake says as he captures my