“You will.” He looked at me. “It’ll be weird not being with you next year.”
“Yeah, it will be. But there’s always Thanksgiving and winter breaks.”
“True.”
“And I’m totally going to be at your first game,” I said with a grin. “Even if it means driving seventeen hours to get to Boston and then heading straight home after you annihilate the other team!”
Brodie chuckled. “Can’t wait.”
“Hey, I saw a letter from your dad in the mailbox. Everything good with him?”
Brodie nodded, his smile faltering somewhat.
“He’s hanging in there. He’s facing thirty years in prison.” Brodie let out a long sigh. “But you know what? We’ll deal with that later. Tonight is prom. Our senior prom! We’re going to have an epic night with our girls. So let’s rock this!”
“Yeah, we are!” I shouted.
“I’m just glad Grace said yes,” Brodie joked.
“You and me both!” I let out a laugh.
“Of course she did. You guys are perfect for each other, man.”
“Rocky start, but yeah. She is pretty much perfect for me, isn’t she?”
“And you got the whole summer with her before heading to college,” Brodie said.
“I can’t wait to tell her about Parkside! But not right away. I want to surprise her.”
The limo came to a stop. Through the tinted window, I saw Grace’s house, and my heart did a little jig in my chest.
I pushed open the door while Brodie stayed inside. Grace’s front door opened, and she stepped out. The twins darted out behind her, one in each direction, giggling and squealing. Her mom stuck her head out with Noah on her hip and ordered the kids back inside.
Grace rolled her eyes and stepped through the doorway.
“Hey,” I said, hopping up the three stairs leading to the door and then kissing her cheek. “You look amazing.”
Her blue dress fit snug against her body. It was off the left shoulder, leaving that arm bare, but the other shoulder and arm was covered, and the hem of the dress dusted the floor as she stood there. I noticed she was taller than normal, too, thanks to some black stilettos, which was perfect. Better height for kissing, which I planned to do a lot tonight on that dance floor.
“You look great, too!” She grinned, then glanced behind her. “The ’rents want pictures.”
“Gladly,” I said, then kissed her cheek again.
Tonight is going to be absolutely perfect.
Chapter Forty-Five
Grace
Music flooded the Woodhaven High gymnasium.
“I can’t believe this is where we have PE,” I said in disbelief.
“I know, right?” Brodie agreed as he twirled Willow to him.
Electric blue lights lined the railings up above where the mock-indoor track was. The bleachers were all pulled in and covered with drapes that had been decorated with more neon-blue decorations. It reminded me of a top-notch Skye Bar I’d seen in a movie once. The kind of place that would be built out of blocks of ice and people would get their drinks poured down giant ice luges. The lights were dim, and an electric-blue-and-silver tint to the air made everything look so formal and high class.
They’d even brought in faux marble pillars and wrapped fairy lights around them.