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He narrows his eyes and asks, “For what?”
“For everything. For tonight. For who you always are with me. For giving me the perfect senior prom.”
Ronan pulls me down to him and kisses me long and deep. “You make me so happy, Kate. I’m the luckiest guy in the world, so why wouldn’t I try to make this night perfect? You deserve it.”
We lay there in each other’s arms until I break the silence. “I didn’t want to go to Amanda Isaacson’s party because when we first started going out, she said she’d wanted you for her own for a while.”
I don’t like to hide anything from Ronan, but I’ve kept that to myself for nearly a year. Now that it’s out in the open, I feel better. But I don’t know if it was a mistake to tell him that.
He leans back away from me and stares at me for a long moment. “I didn’t want to go to her party because I only wanted to be with you. I’ve never been interested in her, even though I know she’s been into me for a while. I only want you, Kate.”
I smile and let out a heavy sigh of relief. Ronan really is the most incredible guy in the world.
As I turn off the road onto the long driveway to the King estate, I smile as I think about how utterly happy I was that night. It really was the perfect prom, and that was all because I was with the only person I’ve ever truly loved.
Is there any chance at all we can ever get back to who we were then?
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Kate
Nobody’saround this time when I drive up to the King house. I don’t see Ava’s car either. Did I misunderstand when she said to come over around lunchtime?
I check my watch and see it’s quarter after twelve. Maybe she’s running errands and will be back soon.
For a moment or two, I hesitate to go into the house because the person I’m supposed to be coming to see isn’t here. I’d love to see Ronan, but I don’t want to be too obvious about it. Ava told me that he’s started to come out of his room in the past day or so, but she’s worried something might upset him, and he’ll go back to holing up in there.
I’d hate to set his progress back any, so I hang out around the kitchen door to wait for her. It’s a gorgeous summer day like we get in the northeast. Not very humid with a ton of sunshine, it reminds me of every great summer day I enjoyed growing up.
“You don’t have to wait outside, if you don’t want. You can go in.”
I instantly recognize that voice as Ronan’s, and turn around to see him walking from the side of the house. He’s shaved and looks like the man I used to know instead of that angry, scraggly person from the other day.
“Oh, hi. I didn’t want to intrude. Ava said to come over around lunchtime, but I guess I’m early,” I say as I study his face, happy to see the Ronan I knew and loved.
He stops in front of me, and I watch as he slowly hides his right arm behind him. “She and Sabrina took Matty shopping, I think. I’m sure they’ll be back soon.”
I wait for him to ask me to come in the house or ask me if I want to do something, but that’s just wishful thinking because he makes no move toward involving me in his day before walking toward the door. I hate that I don’t know what to say to make him stay, but I’ve never been very good with that kind of thing. We introverts prefer to have people bring us along with them instead of inviting ourselves.
Disappointed, I stand there as he walks inside the house. There was a time that whenever Ronan and I were in each other’s presence, we had a ton of things to talk about and loved being near one another. I had hoped that maybe seeing me again would make him remember those days.
After I check my phone and find I don’t have any messages from Ava, I reconsider coming here. I like Ava and enjoy getting to know her, but I can’t deny seeing Ronan is my true reason for visiting. If he’s not going to even want to spend a few minutes with me, should I just give up?
Just as I think that, my phone vibrates with a call from Jessie, so I answer it, knowing I sound like someone just ran over my dog. It takes her exactly a nanosecond to recognize I’m unhappy.
“What happened?”
“Nothing,” I answer honestly.
“Then why do you sound so awful? Where are you?” she asks in that demanding tone of hers.
I look around the beautiful grounds of the King estate and say, “I’m here visiting Ava. She’s not back yet, so I’m waiting for her. It’s a nice day, so I don’t mind staying outside and catching a few rays.”
My lame attempt at being chipper falls flat, but that’s not surprising. I wouldn’t have believed me either.
“What kind of people make a woman stay outside while she waits for someone?”
Taking a deep breath in, I exhale and try to explain. “They aren’t making me wait outside. I could knock on the door, and I’m sure they’d let me in. I just don’t want to.”