Total pages in book: 215
Estimated words: 199344 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 997(@200wpm)___ 797(@250wpm)___ 664(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 199344 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 997(@200wpm)___ 797(@250wpm)___ 664(@300wpm)
If we’re doing this, then we’re doing it right, and I’m going to show her the best night of her life.
Glancing down, I make sure I have everything, not wanting to be that dick who accidentally leaves the corsage in the back of the car and then has to make an ass of himself by running out to grab it. I pat down my pockets. Phone, keys, and wallet are all there, but what does it matter? The only thing I truly need is Zoey.
Then raising my fist, I knock on the door and hear my mother’s familiar tone coming from within the house. “Awwwwwwww, what a big cutie. He actually knocked on the door for a change.”
Great. I was expecting a lot of things tonight, but for some reason, I hadn’t prepared for my overbearing mother. She’s about to make the next hour of our lives a living hell with all the photos and gushing. Though, maybe one day soon I might want all of these photos and be desperate to lay my eyes on Zoey’s beautiful face, even if it’s only through the screen of my mother’s phone.
The door opens a moment later, and I glance down to find Hazel with her father quickly creeping in behind her. “Ewwww,” Hazel says, a smirk pulling at her lips. “You look like one of those try-hard dudes out of a bad mafia movie.”
I scoff and ruffle her hair. “You wish you could look this good.”
She pretends to gag as Henry glances over me. “Not bad, kid,” he says. “Who would have known you could scrub up so well?”
I roll my eyes as Mom and Erica barge their way through, starting the onslaught of over-the-top gushing. “You remembered the corsage, didn’t you?” Mom double-checks, even though she can see it right here in my hand. “Tonight has to be perfect.”
“Yes, Mom,” I groan, holding up the corsage. “I’ve got everything I need.”
“Perfect,” Erica says, a grin from ear to ear. “I’ll go see if she’s ready.”
Erica takes off, and I’m not surprised when Mom and Hazel hurry up the stairs behind her. Despite everything Zoey and I have already been through, I can’t work out why the hell I suddenly feel so nervous.
Zoey’s father remains by the door, his gaze coming back to mine as we hear Zoey’s mom knocking on her bedroom door. “I always thought I’d be giving you the bring her home by midnight speech,” Henry tells me. “But . . . just make sure she has a great night, something for her to hold on to. Make some memories.”
I nod. “I will.”
He gives me a tight smile, and I see the dread in his eyes, the same way it lingers in mine, and just as he goes to say something else, we hear Erica calling from upstairs. “Zoey, honey? Where are you?”
My brows furrow, not liking the tone in Erica’s voice when I hear my mom. “I’ll check the bathroom,” she mutters to Erica before I hear her footsteps hurrying down the hall. There’s a quick knock before I hear Mom’s voice again. “Hey, my little warrior. Are you in here?”
There’s the subtle creak of the door before Mom calls out again. “She’s not here either,” she says. “Where could she have gone?”
They check the rest of the house, but when they start making their way back down the stairs with furrowed brows, I realize I already know the answer to their questions. “It’s alright,” I tell them before they start to panic that she’s passed out somewhere. “I know where she is.”
With that, I turn on my heel and jog down to my car. “Let me know when you find her,” Zoey’s dad hollers after me.
As I unlock my Camaro and drop into it, I glance back toward the parents and give a firm nod, knowing without a doubt that they’re going to worry until they know she’s safe. Then hitting the gas, I take off down the street, desperate to get to her.
Pulling up in the park barely a few minutes later, I look out toward the swings and find her sitting in the moonlight, her silver gown sparkling with her subtle movements. She doesn’t make a move to look back, but I know she senses me here.
Quickly shooting off a text to Zoey’s dad, I let them know I’ve got her, and with that, I push out of my car and make my way across the park, my gaze lingering on my girl as she gently swings back and forth.
I plant myself right in front of her, crouching down as I grip the chains on either side of her, bringing her to a stop as I look up into those dazzling green eyes. She’s fucking gorgeous, and my heart stutters in my chest as I take her in. “Fuck, Zo,” I breathe, unable to take my eyes off her as a soft blush spreads across her cheeks. “You’re breathtaking.”