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He laughs softly, and God, I’ve missed that sound. “She tells anyone that will listen that her son is the biggest architect in Massachusetts.”
“Is she wrong?”
His shoulders move in a subtle shrug. “It’s a bit of a stretch.” When I don’t say anything else, the two of us fall into a comfortable silence, just letting our bodies sway with the song. After a minute or so, he sighs. “You look gorgeous, McKenna.”
For the first time since we started dancing, my eyes meet his. The way he’s looking at me is so familiar and no matter how much my mind is screaming at me to turn away, I can’t. Just like Tuesday, I’m frozen in place. His eyes glance down at my lips then back up. Don’t do it.
“Mind if I cut in?”
Ivy’s voice breaks the spell he had me under. I nod and step out of his arms, giving her a thankful smile as I walk away. I really need a drink.
AN HOUR LATER, THE party is almost over and Parker has barely paid any attention to me all night. I get that he doesn’t see these people often, but if it wasn’t for us cutting the cake and the massively oversized photo, no one would know we’re together - let alone engaged. Since the dance, I’ve done my best to avoid Colton. I can’t say for certain that we wouldn’t have kissed if Ivy hadn’t interrupted, and even the idea of that is trouble.
I excuse myself from a conversation with my parents and some of their friends and make
my way over to Parker. However, as soon as I’m within earshot, his words stop me in my tracks.
“I know it’ll be a bit difficult to juggle settling into a new house with summer courses, but it’s best for me to get a jump on things.”
“S-summer courses?” I choke out.
Parker turns around, looking guilty. “McKenna.”
Suddenly, nothing he has to say is anything I want to hear. I shake my head and walk away, but he catches up to me quickly.
“McKenna, wait.” He grabs my hand.
I stop and spin to face him, quickly pulling myself from his grasp. “Don’t!”
“I can explain.”
“Explain?! Explain what? How you promised this summer would be all about the two of us? How you were so excited to spend time with me?”
“I’m still going to spend time with you.”
“When? You’re going to be at class all day and studying all night. When did you even decide to do this?”
“Can we talk about this later?”
I cross my arms. “When Parker?”
“Last night.”
Nodding as everything starts to make sense, I roll my eyes. “So that’s why you were late. You were signing up for courses.” His silence confirms that I’m right. “That’s just great.”
A familiar song flows from the speakers and straight to my ears; a song I haven’t let myself listen to in years. It’s a bittersweet memory.
What kind of eighteen-year-old doesn’t know how to slow dance? It has to be the easiest kind of dancing and yet I can’t do it without stepping on the guy’s toes. Maybe I should just skip prom all together instead of risking embarrassing myself.
“Ugh.” I groan, tossing my iPod onto my dresser. “It’s hopeless.”
“Well don’t you look happy.” A voice startles me.
My head whips towards the sound to see Colton, my brother’s best friend, standing in the doorway. He looks so soft in a T-shirt and sweatpants with his hair messy as if he just ran a towel over it. God, he’s gorgeous.
“How long have you been standing there?”
He chuckles and takes a step inside my room. “Long enough to watch you freak out. What’s wrong?”
