Page 2 of The One for Forever

I pushed my skirt out of the backseat, getting tangled up in tulle before I managed to free myself. With a half-hearted wave, I walked up to my front porch, and the cab drove off. All the windows of my house were dark. My parents were away for the weekend. Yep, I was so trustworthy that they’d left me to my own devices on prom night. Thank goodness I hadn’t mentioned that fact to Landon. He probably would’ve gotten even more gross ideas.

Cliff’s house next door was dark, too, which meant his dad wasn’t home. Our cul-de-sac was sad and lonely. Just like me. Instead of going inside, I sat on the porch.

I’d been looking forward to senior prom since… Well, freshman year basically. Who hadn’t? I’d been on all the committees. I’d helped run the fundraisers. I’d even pitched in on decorating the hotel ballroom we’d rented for the event. It was supposed to be the capstone to our year.

But this year, anything good had been followed by absolutecrap.

I was sitting on my porch step, mid-wallow, when headlights turned onto our street. A huge, black lifted truck. A vehicle I’d know anywhere. My head dipped, hoping he might not notice me. But I was a pale pink puffball. How could henotnotice me?

His truck pulled into the driveway right next door, and the moment the engine cut off, Rex Easton was out and striding toward me across the lawn. “Quinn? What’s wrong? What happened?”

“Oh, hey Mr. Easton.” All casual, like we’d just run into each other in the frozen foods aisle. I tried rubbing my cheeks, but I was probably making the mascara streaks worse. “I’m okay. I was just heading in.”

Rex frowned at me, crossing his muscular arms. He wore snug jeans, his usual scuffed boots, and a black T-shirt. He was a professional bodyguard. And way more handsome than an almost-forty-year-old dad had any right to be.

More handsome than my eighteen-year-old self should’ve been noticing.

“Quinn,” he said sternly. “Why aren’t you at prom?”

“I left early.”

“Did your date drive you home?”

“No. I called a cab.”

He didn’t like that answer. The pulsing muscle in his jaw said so. “Why?”

I didn’t answer.Please let it go, I begged silently.Leave me to wallow alone.

He didn’t.

Rex walked over and sat on the bottom step of the porch, a few feet away from me. “Are you hurt? Did your prom date do something?”

I shook my head, skin burning. “He didn’t touch me. Nobody was molested.”

He cleared his throat, eyes widening. “Hurt feelings count too. But something clearly happened. Because you’re sitting here by yourself in your prom dress, and you’ve been crying.”

“Would you believe if I said I’ve got allergies?”

“Not even close.”

I rubbed my face again. “It was just general disappointment. Nothing to write home about.”

“I don’t believe that either.” He clasped his hands together. “There’s no shame in being sad. I’d be the biggest hypocrite in the world if I claimed otherwise. You’ve walked in onmecrying.”

My eyes filled with tears again, but I forced my gaze to meet his.

The Eastons had moved in next door a little less than a year ago, after Rex had retired from the Army. He’d been a Green Beret, running around saving the world in the most dramatic way possible. At least I assumed so, based on the googling I’d done, since he didn’t talk much about his twenty years in the military.

His son Cliff and I had bonded instantly. We were both onlys, both on the track team. I couldn’t imagine switching schools for senior year, but Cliff had acted like it was no big deal. He made friends easily. Lots of friends.

I was far more likely to stay in and bingeCriminal Mindson a Friday night than go to a wild party. I had a bad habit of avoiding crowds and confrontation. There was a reason I’d chosen the track team over basketball or volleyball. Joining the debate club this year had helped me speak up more. But where Iwas shy and self-effacing, Cliff was breezy and outgoing and just a little ditzy.

We’d kissed once, and we’d both agreed never to repeat it. Zero romantic chemistry. But endless chemistry as best friends.

Yet even better was spending time with the whole Easton family. They were the kind that had dinner together almost every night. Shared private jokes and kisses and hugs. Cliff’s mom and dad had been high school sweethearts, but still deep in love. A stark contrast to my own parents, where half the time, one or both were traveling for business and they could barely stand each other.

The Eastons were the family I’d always wished I could have.

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