That Forever Girl

by Quinn, Meghan

  “He’s right.” I lean back in my chair. “You’re obligated to tell us now.”

  “I’m obligated to tell you nothing, especially with the gossip queen in our presence.”

  Jen scoffs. “Hey, I rarely—”

  Griffin jabs his thumb toward Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum. “I’m talking about Brig.”

  “He’s right,” Brig says, not even arguing. “I can’t keep a secret to save my life.”

  “Well, that’s not our problem.” Mom points to the basement door. “Go hang out with your nieces and nephew while we adults talk about important things.”

  “No way! I want to know what the surprise is.”

  Reid pushes Brig off him. “He’s not going to tell us if you’re here, dumbass.” Reid gives him another push.

  “Wait.” Brig holds up his hands. “I’ll keep this one quiet. I promise.”

  “Your promise means nothing to me. Last time you promised to keep a secret, within an hour the gossiping hens were talking about it in the corner store,” Griffin deadpans.

  “Dude, you told me Yori Fletcher was proposing to his girlfriend. It was cause for celebration! They were so off and on; no one was sure they were going to be in it for the long run.” Brig clutches his hands to his chest like an idiot. “But now they’re happily married with a baby on the way. I should be praised for spreading the news of their love.”

  “You could have ruined the proposal,” Griffin counters.

  “But I didn’t,” Brig says, finger in the air. “So, if anything, you should trust the people I tell, because they know how to lock it up.”

  Griffin shakes his head. “You either go to the basement, or I don’t tell anyone.”

  Heaving a sigh, Brig rolls his eyes and heads toward the basement. “Fine, but just so you know, this does not sit well with me.”

  “Noted.”

  Once Brig is out of earshot, we all lean forward at the table—well, everyone but Dad, who’s snoring quietly—waiting for the exciting news.

  “So the mayor let me in on a little secret, something she wants me to help out with since I run the restoration committee.” Griffin smiles widely. “Lovemark is scouting locations for a few of their Christmas movies for next year, and Port Snow is on the short list.”

  “No shit,” Reid says.

  “Oh my God!” Jen squeals.

  “Oh, that’s so exciting.” My mom claps her hands.

  “They would be stupid not to pick us,” my dad says, popping up from a dead sleep.

  “I agree,” Griffin says, “but we have to make sure the town is in top shape. With Thanksgiving coming up quickly, the mayor wants to make the switch to Christmas decorations sooner rather than later.”

  “That’s going to throw the town for a loop,” I say, knowing damn well any change around here doesn’t go unnoticed.

  Griffin nods. “Yeah, I mentioned that, but she was very adamant about presenting Port Snow to Lovemark as the perfect winter wonderland getaway. This would be huge for our economy, plus Lovemark offers a stipend that the mayor would use to beautify the town even more. She mentioned getting those new lampposts we’ve been wanting for Main Street.”

  “The old-timey-looking ones?” Jen asks. Griffin nods. “Oh, that would be so cute. Would the Lobster Landing be featured?”

  Griffin shrugs. “I have no idea. I think they’re just looking for the perfect small-town feel, which Port Snow has for sure.”

  “Oh, those fuckers up in Pottsmouth would be so jealous.” Reid laughs. “They’ve applied for a few movies to film there, but they’re just too damn big.”

  “And it’s not even close to being as nice as Port Snow,” I add, turning to Griffin. “So what needs to happen?”

  “Well, I’m going to spend the next few days going through town to see what needs to get done before they get here, and then I’ll start working with the restoration committee to take care of my to-do list. But I might need some help with switching the town from fall to winter decor.”

  “Why don’t you ask the fire department?” I suggest, knowing my plate’s too full to help as much as I’d really like.

  “Oh shit, that’s a good idea.” Griffin laughs. “You’d think I’d have thought of that first; I’m the volunteer firefighter.”

  “Your mind is mush right now,” Jen says. “Being in love does that.”

  Ren leans down and gives him a kiss. “I was thinking about putting up a flyer offering community service to the kids at my school; that should get them involved as well.”

  “Oh, smart. Put them on trash duty.” Reid winks. “Give me the cool jobs like driving the lift to hang up the wreaths.”

  “You ran into a trash can last time.” Griffin eyes him.

  “Because Brig was distracting me.”

  Ignoring Reid, Griffin turns toward me. “I know this is asking a lot, but do you think you could inspect Holiday Lane? That street is perfect to show off. We would just need residents to put out their decorations early.”

  I make a mental note to speak with Gina. “Yes, I can swing by in the next few days to speak with the residents and offer them a discount on rent if they decorate early. Just have to get Wayne to agree, and the rest of the street will jump on board.”

  “Perfect.” Griffin lets out a huge sigh. “This could be big for us, for the town, for business. It could pave the way for future movies too, once word spreads about how accommodating Port Snow is.”

  “We’re going to be famous!” Brig plows through the basement door and starts doing a jig. “I can’t believe I’m going to be an extra in a Lovemark movie.”

  Griffin rubs his forehead as we collectively mutter an “Oh Jesus.”

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  ROGAN

  Sophomore Year, High School

  “Thanks for the ride, man.” I hop out of the car as Griffin stares out the window, taking in the manor looming up ahead.

  “Please tell me you’re not going to do something stupid.”

  I lean down so we’re at eye level. “No, I’m about to do the smartest thing of my life. Let Mom and Dad know I’m with Harper if they ask.”

  “Are you really going to be with Harper?”

  I smile. “I am.”

  I move to shut the door when Griffin calls out, “You did awesome today, bud. I’m proud of you.”

  “Thanks, Griff.”

  “Keep working hard, and your dream of going pro will happen.”

  With a wave and a smile, I shut the door and take off toward the manor. I played an awesome game today. One hundred and eighty yards, two touchdowns. I felt unstoppable, but that feeling doesn’t even come close to the moment I saw Harper in the players’ tunnel. To say things have been strained between us over the last week would be an understatement. She hasn’t really spoken to me, and I don’t know if she was mad or embarrassed about our kiss. I have no clue, but seeing her waiting for me washed away all that worry.

  I jog up to the abandoned manor and take the front porch steps two at a time. We stumbled upon the abandoned mansion last summer and realized it must be the infamous Snow Vale Manor. Curious and wondering if the rumors of ghost sightings were actually true (they aren’t), we started poking around and realized it was unlocked. So we walked right in and got down to exploring. And with each passing visit, the place became ours. The wood is worn, the paint is chipping, and some of the windows have been broken, but it’s a place where Harper and I find solace. When we need to have a serious conversation, or when we just need a break from life, we meet up in the manor, in the ballroom, tucked against the old boarded-up fireplace. We keep camping chairs in the corner along with blankets, a flashlight, and a battery-operated lantern in a kitchen cupboard.

  I push through the door and carefully walk across the crumbling floorboards and torn-off wallpaper toward the light of the portable lantern off to the left in the ballroom. Pacing back and forth across the grand space is Harper, the cold air making her breath visible in the dim light.

&nb
sp; I pause, suddenly nervous just at the sight of her. Hands stuffed in my letterman jacket pockets, I close the distance between us.

  “Hey.”

  She smiles sheepishly. “Hey. Good game.”

  “Thank you.” I scan the space, feeling awkward. “Did you get to see both touchdowns?”

  She nods. “Yeah, they were impressive. They had no chance in hell of catching you. Must have been all those chalky protein bars you ate this summer.”

  “Yeah.” I chuckle. “Probably.”

  Silence falls between us.

  She chews on her lip.

  I rock on my heels.

  I hate that it’s weird between us. I hate how nervous I am around her. I need to nut up and get a little confidence. After all, I did score two touchdowns today. I need to act like the guy who scores two touchdowns in a game, and I think there’s one person who can help me gain that confidence. “Who said I was going to the Point after the game?”

  Eyes wide, she shrugs. “I told you, some girls.”

  “What are their names?”

  “I didn’t look at them. I didn’t want them to think I was eavesdropping.”

  “And were you?” I take a step closer, hiding the shake in my legs. “Were you eavesdropping?”

  “I mean . . . they were talking about you.”

  “Mm-hmm.” Another step forward. Breathe in and out, in and out. “And why did you care if I went to the Point?”

  “I didn’t—” I give her a look, which makes her exhale sharply and stare down at the ground.

  I close the rest of the distance between us and lift her chin so she’s forced to look me in the eyes. “Harper, why did you care?”

  “Because.” Her lips tremble, and for the first time I realize something: maybe this confident, courageous girl is actually nervous too. “I . . . we . . . kissed.”

  “I know.” I smile, briefly remembering the way she tasted so perfect on my lips.

  “And I just . . .” She pulls on her hair. “I didn’t want you going there and kissing anyone else, okay?” She throws her hands up in defeat and turns to walk away, but I catch her wrist and pull her into my chest.

  Cupping her cheek, I stare into her eyes, catching a hint of green, that lucky color, glinting in the dark of the manor. “And I don’t want to kiss anyone else but you.”

  Gently, I bring her mouth to mine and hover for a second, soaking in this moment, knowing everything is about to change in the best way possible. Her hands fall to my chest just when I press my lips against hers. She immediately melts into my embrace, clasping her hands behind my neck and hanging on tightly. Spinning her around, I press her up against the dusty wall and trap her in place, pressing one hand against the wall, the other still cupping her face.

  Our lips meld together, her mouth a little tentative while mine takes charge, but I don’t mind it; I actually like how cautious she is this time, as if she’s testing everything out.

  She curls her fingers into my hair, pulling on the short strands, and her mouth falls open in time with mine.

  Soft, sweet, tempting, she’s everything I thought she would be . . . and so much more.

  Pressing in harder, I brush my tongue across her lips. A gasp pops out of her, and when I think she’s going to push away, she pulls me closer and slips her tongue into my mouth.

  Hell. That’s the girl I know.

  Taking everything she’s giving me, I let her explore. Fast and then slow, she changes pace from slipping her tongue against mine to closing her lips around me. I get lost in the feel of her, in the sweet taste of her mouth, and how her chest rapidly rises and falls so close to mine. A few more inches and I would be able to feel her breasts press against my body.

  Because I’m desperate to feel more of her, to explore the girl I’ve been eyeing all summer, I take another step closer, trying to pin her against the wall—right as my foot plummets through the floorboard.

  “Ahh, shit,” I mumble as I fall forward, headbutting Harper right in the tit. Not the way I was really planning on going about it.

  “Oh my God, are you okay?” Harper steps away and places a hand on my back, the other poised on my arm to help me out.

  “Christ, I didn’t see that happening.” I chuckle and yank my foot out of the floor. My shoe gets stuck and falls back into the hole, which is just perfect. This totally kills the mood.

  “You lost your shoe.”

  “Looks like I did.”

  Cutely, she kneels down on the ground and peers into the hole, hands on her thighs. Nose scrunched, she turns toward me. “Are you going to stick your hand in there?”

  “I mean, I need my shoe.” I sit down beside her.

  “But there could be a spider or something in there.”

  “When have you ever been afraid of spiders?” My brow raises in question.

  She points to her chest. “I know I’m not afraid, but you are. That’s why I’m wondering if I’m going to have to come to your rescue right now.”

  I clutch my chest with both hands. “Are you going to be my hero, Harper?”

  “Depends.” She nibbles on her lip nervously. “Before I risk my hand for your shoe, I kind of want to know what all that kissing was about.”

  “Kissing? Well, you know, that happens when one person finds another person irresistible.”

  “Irresistible?” Now it’s her turn to raise a questioning brow at me. “You think I’m irresistible?”

  “Have you seen your legs?” She swats my stomach, and I laugh, holding on to her hand and growing serious, because if I know Harper like I do, she needs answers. “I like you, Harper, and not just as a friend but as so much more. I don’t know when it happened this summer, but . . .” I pull on the back of my neck. “I can’t stop thinking about you, and not in a you’re my best friend kind of way.”

  “Really?” A small smile pulls at the corner of her lip. “Because I can’t stop thinking about you, and not in a friend way either.”

  I tug on a strand of her hair. “Are you crushing on me, Harp?”

  She pushes my shoulder. “Don’t tease me.”

  “I’m not teasing, just making sure the feeling is mutual, because I’m crushing so freaking hard on you.”

  Her smirk turns into a full-on grin. “So . . . what does that mean?”

  In this house, where we’ve spent so many nights playing cards, having serious conversations, and creating some of the best memories I have, I throw my heart on the line. “I want you to be my girlfriend.”

  I entwine our hands, and relief floods through me as she clutches her fingers around mine. “But what about our friendship? I don’t want to lose that.”

  “Me neither, and we won’t. Because above anything, we’re best friends. We’ll never lose that.”

  “Promise?”

  I nod. “Remember the blood pact? Friends forever, Harp. But now I get to date and kiss my best friend. I don’t think it gets better than that.”

  She considers this; for all her confidence, she’s always been the thoughtful one between the two of us. “If I do this, if I allow myself to truly experience these feelings I have for you, I’m afraid you’ll hurt me.”

  My brow pinches together. “Why would you think that?”

  A “come on” look mars her face. “You’re a Knightly. Your family practically owns the town; you could have anyone in school, especially after the game tonight. Who’s to say you won’t break my heart?”

  Does she really think that? After everything we’ve been through together. Wanting to reassure her, I pull her onto my lap, hoping it’s not too awkward of a move, and cradle her face. “You’re my best friend, the one person who knows everything about me. I would never risk losing that, ever. I want you to be my girlfriend.”

  “I want that too,” she answers quietly. “I really do.”

  “Then it’s settled; we’re dating.”

  “Just like that?” she asks.

  “Yup. Just like that.” I plant a quick kiss on her lips
and then lift her off my lap, giving her a playful swat on the ass.

  “Hey!”

  Before she can question me, I point to the hole. “Now fetch me my shoe, woman.”

  I’ve never really known the true meaning of murderous eyes until right now. Harper turns that searing gaze on me and scares me right to my core.

  “Excuse me?”

  “You know I’m kidding.” I poke her in the ribs. “Come on, let’s grab my shoe and make out some more.”

  She eyes me for a second more. “Fine, but only because you’re good at kissing.”

  “Damn right I am.”

  She rolls her eyes. “Go get a flashlight, you fool. I want to be able to see what I’m doing.”

  I hobble over to the kitchen, where I pull our blankets from the cupboard, snag a flashlight, and bring them over to Harper. Flashlight for my girl; blankets for after. You know, so we can lie down and make out.

  She switches the flashlight on and shines it into the hole. “Huh . . . there seems to be something in there.”

  “Yeah, my shoe.”

  “No, you doofus, something else.” She reaches below the floorboard and quickly tosses my shoe at me. Then she reaches in again and pulls out a decent-size shoebox covered in dust. Setting down the flashlight, she blows on the box, sending a cloud of dirt into the air but revealing nothing on the box.

  “Open it.” I nudge her.

  “What if it’s a skull or something? I can handle spiders, but human bones is another thing.”

  “Does it feel heavy enough to be a skull?”

  “I don’t know.” She shrugs, testing the weight in her hand. “I’ve never held a skull before.”

  “Well, only one way to find out.” I flip the top off the shoebox, making Harper squeal and drop it. Once the dust from the ground has settled, we lean over as one and take in the contents.

  “Letters,” Harper whispers, picking one up and examining it. “Wow, these are so old.”

  I pick one up as well and try to read the worn-out ink on the envelope. “Maybe they’re love letters or something. Who lived here before?”

  “Umm, Emma and Ignatius Vale? My dad says everyone called him Iggy. They died in a boating accident, right? They didn’t have any family to take the house, so it just sits here, which is why it’s been empty for so long.”