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She released me and sniffed, turning her head for a moment before meeting my eyes once more. “No. I’ll be good. I promise. No more tears. It’s just . . .” Her gaze flickered over my face. “You look so grown up, and you’ve really come into your own this year. I’m just so proud.”
“It’s okay, Mrs. G,” Ella said, coming up beside me and squeezing my hand before she stepped forward and wrapped my mother in a giant bear hug.
Over the last two months, her appearances at our house had become a regular thing, and my mother loved her. In fact, she couldn’t stop talking about her. Now, whenever she had a dilemma or needed someone’s opinion on negatives, a photo shoot, or even what to wear on a date, she’d mumble, “I wonder what Ella would think,” then immediately slipped into the other room and gave her a call.
“Oh, honey, you look beautiful,” Mom said, breaking their embrace. And she was right.
Ella’s blonde hair cascaded over her shoulders in silken waves. A bright pop of pink colored her lips, turning her eyes a rich chocolate. She even made the dark green cap and gown look good.
“She took my line,” I said, offering her a peck on the cheek.
Ella grinned back at me before something over my shoulder caught her eye, and she lifted her chin in a nod. “Look who’s here.”
I glanced behind me and smiled as Thorne, Scarlett, Penelope, and Topher strode toward me, surrounded by several of Thorne’s massive body guards, who parted the throng of graduates and their families like the Red Sea.
I slapped Thorne’s hand and brought him in for a hug and patted him on the back. “I didn’t think you could make it.”
“I only have tonight and then I have to fly back to Chicago, but no way was I going to miss my girl and my best bro graduate.” Then he rubbed his hands together. “I heard you have a speech? And you didn’t even need a pep talk to prepare.” He glanced at my mom and winked. “Man, they grow up fast, don’t they?”
I rolled my eyes. “I’m glad you’re here.”
Behind them, Penelope’s dad appeared, along with her little sister Sara, and my mom’s eyes instantly brightened.
“Flora,” he said. Reaching out, he took her hand in his and placed a kiss on the back of it while Mom blushed from her toes to her hairline. The two of them met at a town barbeque only a week after the masquerade ball and had been dating ever since. Honestly, she was the happiest I’ve ever seen her, and he was a genuinely good guy. Even if it was weird my mom was dating Penelope’s dad.
I pulled my gaze away from them, back to my friends. “This is it. Technically our last day at Lakeview.”
“Crazy, right?” Scarlett shook her head.
“You guys got me beat. I can’t officially get my diploma until next month after I finish filming.” Thorne grimaced.
“Right. But at least you don’t have to work for your father the rest of the summer before you start school in the fall,” Topher muttered.
“Yep. You definitely have us beat.” Penelope patted his chest and laughed. “Good luck with that.”
At the same moment, she and I glanced over at our parents, who were currently playing a competitive game of tonsil hockey.
“Oh, gross,” Penelope moaned.
“Seriously?” I averted my eyes. “Can you guys save it for the after party or something? There are children present.”
Everyone laughed, but Penelope wrinkled her nose. “I swear I’ll never get used to that.”
“It is weird, isn’t it?”
“Totally,” she agreed, but deep down, I knew Penelope loved it. From what I knew about her family, Mr. Ewe deserved to be happy, and I knew for a fact my mom did.
Scarlett grinned. “Well, I for one, love it.”
Mom rolled her eyes and waved us away. “Yeah, yeah. Enough from the peanut gallery. Don’t you have somewhere to be?” she joked.
The moment the words left her mouth, a gravelly voice came over the speaker and asked everyone to take their seats and all graduates to line up in the gym.
“That’s our cue,” Penelope said and turned toward the school with Topher while Thorne kissed Scarlett goodbye, then joined my mother and Mr. Ewe.
Beside me, Ella reached down and gripped my hand as I said goodbye to my mom, then turned back to her.
“Are you ready for this?” she asked.
