Total pages in book: 168
Estimated words: 162369 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 812(@200wpm)___ 649(@250wpm)___ 541(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 162369 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 812(@200wpm)___ 649(@250wpm)___ 541(@300wpm)
If you loved them once, you will love them twice.
For some reason, the short quote resonates in my heart. Deciding to save it for my box of treasures at home, I slip the tiny paper into my purse. Before I zip it closed, I notice my phone screen has a message notification.
My finger trembles slightly as I slide it across the screen to read the message.
Alex:
Maybe I’ll still be out here when you get home.
My heart skips a beat.
He said you. Not you and Lily.
Smiling, I turn my attention back to my friends, but my mind is elsewhere, drifting back to a painting I did a long time ago of two figures sitting by the lake, their heads leading against each other, staring up at the stars.
Chapter 26
PENNY
By the time the limo drops us off at the house, I’m filled with so many conflicting emotions about the text exchange with Alex that I practically barrel over the twins and Lily to get out of the car faster. Catching Mitch’s wounded expression, I give him a quick, friendly hug and thank him for a fun night. Lily follows my lead, telling the boys we’ll see them in school next week.
“Your dad’s probably in the studio or by the lake. Should we go say good night before we go inside?” I ask Lily.
Part of me hopes she’ll say no. I want to find out if time alone with Alex on this beautiful spring night might get him to reveal any feelings he might have for me. Yet, I’m also terrified to find out that maybe I’ve been reading too much into things. He might not have any feelings beyond friendship for me at all. That would be horrible. If I can never feel that sense of contentment with Alex like I did the night of Cherry’s death—if I have to go through the rest of my life feeling lost, homesick, and pining for him forever—I’ll be shattered.
Lily pulls the clip out of her hair and shakes her head. “I sent him a text on the way home. I just want to go upstairs and take a shower. This dress made me itchy all night, and my feet are killing me.”
I stand with her at the base of the porch steps, contemplating what I should do. I can just go inside, get ready for bed, and read until I fall asleep like I always do. That’s really what I should do. Because no matter how I feel, I can’t ignore that he’s my best friend’s father, and he’s twenty-one years older than me. And I live in his house. Logically, this isn’t a fire I should be playing with.
But the temptation of going down to the lake to see Alex is making my heart race like I just drank a gallon of coffee. That buzzy energy is coursing through my veins, creating a magnetic pull to him that’s impossible to resist.
As I teeter with indecision, something inside me decides to ignore all signs of fires and run with the indescribable pull because I hear myself casually telling Lily, “I think I’ll just go say hi and tell him about our night.” With a little laugh, I add, “I’ll assure him the twins didn’t get handsy on us.”
Who am I trying to fool? The last thing I want to talk about is a high school dance.
“Okay, I’ll probably see you in the morning then.” She climbs the steps. “Penny?”
“Hmm?”
“Thanks for doing my hair and makeup and helping me pick the dress. I really felt pretty. I never would've gone without you.”
Smiling, I say, “You are pretty. Every day. But you seriously looked gorgeous tonight. And thank you for agreeing to go. I wouldn’t have gone without you, either. I’m glad we ticked off one of our last teen milestones together.”
With that, she disappears inside the house.
The tiny round solar lights outlining the dirt path illuminate the ground enough for me to make my way through the dark field. I keep my eyes peeled in case any opossums or foxes decide to dart out of the woods and scare the bejesus out of me. Alex’s trail cams are always recording wildlife on his property.
At the end of the path, I pause for a moment and take a deep breath when I glimpse Alex’s silhouette at the edge of the pier. Amber string lights are wound around each wooden post, giving the scene a magical glow. My heels clicking against the weathered wood announce my arrival, and I catch the slight turn of his head.
“There you are.” His low, gravelly voice sends goose bumps over my flesh.
“Here I am.”
Taking my shoes off, I sit beside him, letting my feet dangle over the edge above the water.
“Was prom everything you hoped and dreamed it would be?” he teases.