Total pages in book: 29
Estimated words: 26557 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 133(@200wpm)___ 106(@250wpm)___ 89(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 26557 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 133(@200wpm)___ 106(@250wpm)___ 89(@300wpm)
“Prom.” I say the thought hitting me like a brick to the forehead. “She said she never had a prom. She loves that movie, Pretty in Pink with that pink dress and the guy in the Rolls--. Like the one I had. The fire…”
“Yes, the fire. But, do it. Yes, get a limo, figure out how to make it a night to remember. Take her out and let the world see.”
“Thanks, mom.”
“My legs don’t work but my ears are fine. And these walls are thin. I’m happy for you son, but I don’t really want to hear all that. Lennie kept it quiet but you? You gave it away Cade.”
CHAPTER 8
Lennie
“Where are we going? This dress is ridiculous!” I carry Lennie to the waiting car out in the front of the house.
I spent the day making plans as she and mom baked cookies and went to town for some girl-time and got their hair and nails done.
When I showed Lennie the pink dress, she burst out laughing but I told her, this was one of those times, she needed to trust me and do as she was told and put it on.
I’m in a light blue tux, the worst one I could find at the local formal shop and seeing me in my outfit had tears running down her cheeks.
“You just be patient.” I set her down on the curb and straighten the layers of pink tulle or whatever the fuck it’s called. “Okay, you can open your eyes.”
She opens and yelps on a little bunny hop as I swing open the door on a bow. “What is this!”
“My lady.” I sweep my hand forward as she curtsies and slides into the passenger seat. “This is so Pretty in Pink vibes! I love it! Where the heck are we going dressed like this?”
I close the door of the vintage Rolls and slide behind the wheel, top down and ease the behemoth of a car into the street with mom waiving us on from the porch.
“You’ll see. Hold my hand.” I reach over and grab her fingers as we make the short drive back to Beech Street.
“This is just like your favorite car. The first classic car you bought and restored.”
“Yep.” He nods and that pang of guilt hits me in the stomach knowing it was the car I sat in that night before the fire.
As soon as we turn the corner, the lights on the front of the high school twinkle, the candles inside the dark school flickering and welcoming us along with the sound of Depeche Mode.
“Are you freaking kidding me right now?” Her laughter lights up my heart as I park the car and slide over the hood to open her door.
“It’s prom night baby. You and me and the prom we never had.”
“This is not even real.”
I walk her hand in hand to the open doors. I dropped some huge money to pay off whoever was necessary to give us access to the closed school, then another six figures to have it decorated and set up just like the movie.
Inside, lights hang from the ceiling of the old gymnasium, the scent of roses and every flower I could get delivered fills what was a musty old school gym.
Right on cue, the music changes and “I want to know what love is” comes on as I twirl her onto the center of the dance floor and dip her low, taking a quick bite of her neck before hugging her tight and doing my best ‘80’s slow dance sway.
We laugh and dance and drink the spiked punch and eat dry cookies for the next hour.
I bend her over in the corner of the gym and deep dick her to some Lionel Richie and Spandau Ballet until she’s singing and screaming and laughing and loving and I never want this night to end.
“You’re mine, baby. Forever. You know that, right? You’re never getting away.”
“I don’t want to get away. I just don’t want you to ever—”
She tucks her chin, tapping her fingers which I know in Lennie-speak, means something is hurting her.
“What? Don’t want me to what?”
“I don’t know. Figure out maybe I’m not everything you want and you’ll leave. My dad didn’t want me. My mom sort of didn’t want me for a long time, then when she did, she left anyway. And you? What if—”
I kiss away the question. Dancing with my lips on hers until there’s no more doubt in that little sweet head of hers.
“I’m never leaving you baby. There’s nothing you could ever do that would make that happen.”
She leans into my chest, the last of the music fading into the night as she whispers, “I hope that’s true, Daddy. I really do.”
CHAPTER 9
Cade
“Tell her.” Mom stares at me over the top of her glasses.
“Mom—”
She points a finger. “Tell. Her.”