Page 146 of Tell No Lies

He put his arm around my shoulders and led me to his truck. “Just dinner and a movie. I wanted to give you a chance to relax.”

“That sounds perfect. Thank you.”

In the car, Mike turned up the radio and headed onto the highway that ran along the coast. This was my favorite drive, especially when I could sit back and stare out at the ocean. Once we were past the majority of the homes, there was an unobstructed view for a few miles until the next city.

I looked over to Mike and caught him watching me. “You need to keep your eyes on the road, mister.”

He laughed and turned his attention forward. “You look so peaceful. I haven’t seen you like this in a long time.”

My smile grew. He was right, though. I hadn’t felt this relaxed and safe in weeks. “Thanks to you.”

His hand slipped into mine and held tight. I cherished moments like this, when I could shut out everything happening in my life and focus only on the present and enjoy who I was with.

We drove for a few more miles before Mike pulled off to the side of the road and parked. With one more squeeze, he released my hand and jumped out before running to open my door. “I had plans to go somewhere nicer, but after watching you, I thought you might like this more.”

I looked down the road in both directions, trying to guess what he meant, but nothing jumped out. He put his hands on my shoulders and turned me around to face the ocean. My heart sped up, just a bit. This wasn’t the plan. What was he doing?

“I parked a little far away so we could walk on the beach. Then, when you’re hungry, we’ll eat there.” He lifted one hand and pointed to the pier a little way down the beach. On the very end, there was a restaurant perched over the open water, with waves crashing against the pillars.

“There?” I couldn’t contain the smile on my face. He slid his fingers down my arm and slipped his hand back into mine.

“Yeah, we’re going to the diner on the pier. You’ll love the view from out there.”

I followed his lead across the road and sidewalk to the endless sand. From this vantage point, you could see miles of sand in both directions and the ocean, until it fell over the edge of the horizon.

For the first time in days, there was no sense of anxiety or being rushed around. All that mattered was Mike and I being together with our feet sinking into the sun-warmed sand and the salty breeze coming in off the water. Perfection in its purest form.

Every time I turned to look at Mike, my hair flew in my face. After several failed attempts to flip it back, he burst out laughing, and I finally gave up. I lifted my free hand to pull my hair back and twisted it over my shoulder. As much as I loved the ocean breeze, my hair didn’t seem to agree. Once my face was clear, he leaned down and gave me a quick, sweet kiss on my cheek.

“If someone asked me to describe my perfect moment, do you know what I’d say?”

“Throwing a game-winning touchdown with college recruiters sitting front row?” I was teasing him, and it felt good.

“Well, that does sound pretty great, but no. This is it. If I could live in one moment forever, I would choose right now, being here with you.”

I stopped and turned to him. “That’s the most romantic thing you’ve ever said to me.”

His smile reached his eyes, which sparkled down at me. “Then I’m an awful boyfriend.” He moved the hair from in front of my face and held it to the side while cradling my cheek in his hand. “Any time I have with you is great, but this is perfect.”

He leaned down and kissed me lightly once before pulling back. His gaze seared into my soul.

In this moment, everything felt right, and I wasn’t ready for it to end. I slid my hands up around his neck and pulled him down to me. Kissing him was sweet. Not the same fireworks that came with Carter, but sweet and romantic. Something that, if cultivated, could become a deep, true love. I hoped.

Twenty

There were only a few upsides to being grounded. My grades had gone up, I was getting Brandon’s money’s worth from our Netflix subscription, and I had time to fit in extra barre workouts. The downsides were hard to ignore once I got burnt out of doing pliés while catching up on my shows.

I missed hanging out with my friends, not that I had much time for that outside of dance and school.

I missed Mike, although I had seen him just a few hours ago.

I missed going for runs outside.

I missed having the option of being free to do whatever I wanted.

What if I needed something from the store, right now? I would have to either call a chaperone or wait for Brandon to get off work and pick it up for me. What if there was an emergency of some sort, and I had to leave? There would be an angry mob of family and friends waiting for me when I got home. I missed the freedom I once had. Now, I might as well be back to living under my mother’s roof, following her list of approved actives and strict schedule.

I was on my back, staring at the ceiling, when there was a knock at the door. My legs had a mind of their own, propelling me through my doorway and into the kitchen. Evidently, they were just as bored as my brain.