Ace is beautiful, the pale moonlight washing over him in ways that highlight the shadows on his face. When he speaks, he’s focused solely on whatever he’s talking about. He points out his favorite star constellations and tells me all their stories. He might just be the most captivating human being I’ve ever met. I’m still listening to him talk when he suddenly sits up and shrugs off his leather jacket.

I’m confused until Ace rolls his shirtsleeve up and points at his solar system tattoo. “Sometimes, I bring my telescope out here, and I can see some of the planets when I use the right settings. It’s what inspired me to get this.”

I smile, lying back on the blankets. “I hope you know your tattoo still contributes to your bad-boy reputation.” I giggle when he hits me with a throw pillow. “What? Am I wrong? You’re a sixteen-year-old with an illegal tattoo!”

“How can you lecture me about what’s illegal when you’re a thief?” he asks, raising his eyebrows. “You’ve stolen my heart, after all.”

I attempt to scowl. I really, really do. It just doesn’t work, not when I have all this bright lightning zinging through me. “That was terrible.”

“I don’t think you have much of a problem with it,” he says, lips twisting into an impish grin. “You can’t even frown at me.”

I force my lips into the best frown I can manage, but he just keeps grinning. I hold it for maybe ten seconds before I huff a laugh and shove his chest. “Whatever.”

“I win,” he says and darts in to kiss my cheek before I can so much as blink. “Lie down with me, I’ll tell you the story of Orion.”

I start to nod when my phone rings, a picture of my dad flashing across the screen. I sit up abruptly, my breath caught in my throat. “Fuck. Oh my God. Oh my God, what do I do?”

Ace is half tangled in the blankets as he tries to sit up, looking equally startled. “Uh. Do you want to get back in the car? Maybe you can pretend you’re with your brother or something?”

I scramble up, almost falling off the truck bed in my haste. Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one. “You got my brother’s number the other night, right? Can you call him?”

Ace nods, climbing off the truck after me, typing rapidly into his phone. My heart is jackrabbiting, attempting to burst through my chest as I run around the side of the truck.

We slip into the front seats and my phone falls silent. I wince, knowing my parents are going to be upset I didn’t pick up immediately.