Stay Forever

by Darcy Schroeder

  Stay…forever

  By Darcy Schroeder

  Stay…forever

  Copyright © 2018 by Darcy Schroeder.

  All rights reserved.

  First Print Edition: September 2018

  Limitless Publishing, LLC

  Kailua, HI 96734

  www.limitlesspublishing.com

  Formatting: Limitless Publishing

  ISBN-13: 978-1-64034-434-1

  ISBN-10: 1-64034-434-9

  No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to locales, events, business establishments, or actual persons—living or dead—is entirely coincidental.

  Dedication

  For Rise Martin, Jenny Murphey, Sheldon Schroeder, Jackson Meyer, Cole Ramirez and Reese Ramirez—

  Thank you.

  Table of Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Chapter Thirty

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  Chapter Forty

  Chapter Forty-One

  Chapter Forty-Two

  Chapter Forty-Three

  Chapter Forty-Four

  Chapter Forty-Five

  Chapter Forty-Six

  Prologue

  Andrew Montgomery peered out onto the road before him. The windshield wipers on his old Jeep swished sluggishly back and forth, too slow to do their job effectively. He wasn’t sure if it was the rain or the place to which he drove that was causing him to feel slightly anxious right now. It was a new sensation for him. Andrew was used to being in tough situations, but this time, there was more at stake.

  He had thought about turning his vehicle around at least a hundred times and heading anywhere instead of back to his hometown, but he knew he couldn’t disappoint his family. Not this time. They expected him.

  “This is ridiculous,” he mumbled to himself. “Get your act together, Montgomery. This shouldn’t be that tough.”

  Andrew hadn’t wanted to face all the memories of his childhood, but he also knew it was time he stopped punishing himself. Things had changed.

  It ended up being his brother, Miles, who’d managed to get Andrew to return home.

  The wedding invitation had landed in his mailbox a few weeks back—an oversized cream envelope with embossed lettering announcing the upcoming nuptials of Miles Montgomery to a woman Andrew didn’t know. He’d traced the ornate writing with his fingertips. The only thing that had surprised him was that it had taken his twin brother this long to get married. Although, he had never married either. That would have been something too difficult for his lifestyle.

  Just as he saw the sign for Sable Falls, the rain slowed and the sun slowly peeked out from behind the grey clouds, almost as if to welcome him back. Traffic was steady as he drove down the street. Old, faded, multicolored brick buildings lined the town’s main square, except now they all seemed slightly smaller and older. The red had faded to a dark pink, the yellow into an ugly tan, and the green now looked more the color of an olive.

  A striped awning jutting off one of the buildings, covering several large pots of bright-colored flowers, brought a smile to his lips. It was a nice sight. He knew the place well. In his memories, he could still smell the sweet fragrance of the flowers inside. It was the one building he hoped hadn’t changed.

  Down one of the side roads he saw the familiar neon sign for the bowling alley. Only three of the letters were lit—OWL. He chuckled. Some things never changed.

  Andrew turned his vehicle toward an older residential area. A blinking yellow light caused him to slow briefly before continuing down the newly resurfaced road. Sable Falls had once been a small lake community located just outside of Houston, but over the past few years it had grown immensely as more people moved to the area to escape the hustle and bustle of a large city. The town was an odd mixture of old and new money. A Victorian period home with sweeping porches stood next to a small wooden house that couldn’t have more than two bedrooms.

  Back near one of the main roads was the town’s high school. It was where Andrew had graduated from fifteen years ago. It also looked as if it had been recently updated. The entire front part had been remodeled with an all-glass front entrance, and seemed like a school that belonged in a bigger, wealthier city. He wanted to keep driving towards his parents’ ranch, but something drew him into the school’s parking lot. It was full of cars and large trucks. He headed toward the back, near the stadium, and turned off the ignition.

  The bright green of the stadium’s turf was visible through the slits in the stands. He took in a deep breath and ascended the stairs to the middle of the stadium. He wiped away some of the water on the aluminum bench and sat down, scanning the field. The top of the scoreboard had a Montgomery Industries logo.

  “Good job, Dad,” Andrew said under his breath.

  He leaned back and rested his arms on the bleachers behind him. His clothes would be soaked if he didn’t get up soon, but he didn’t care. It felt good just to breathe in the warm, humid air. Andrew thought about his senior year English teacher. He couldn’t remember her name, but she had been one of the more eclectic teachers at the school, with her long curly red hair that looked as if she had never brushed it, along with her brightly colored pants and oversized shirts. On one of the walls inside her classroom she had displayed a poster with the words—You control your own destiny.

  Andrew had always thought about that poster, but sometimes things were out of a person’s control.

  That’s how his life had been. He’d been at the top of his game in high school, but then a single event on the first night of spring break during his senior year had turned everything upside down—literally. He’d never really understood why it had happened, but it was a night that had altered the course of his life.

  Chapter One

  Senior Year: 2001

  He couldn’t seem to get her out of his mind.

  It was her smile.

  Her laughter.

  Really, it was everything about her that drew him in. He loved how she smelled, and how she always tried to hide the fact that she was looking at him too.

  A lock of hair fell across Andrew Montgomery’s eye as he shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. He needed to get over it. She would never be his
. That was something he’d come to understand long ago.

  Soccer practice had just finished. He’d seen her briefly as he walked into the locker room a few minutes ahead of the rest of the team. Now, here he was thinking about her again.

  His hair was still damp from the shower and stuck to his moist skin. The rest of his teammates were slowly making their way inside the small room. The nauseating smell of sweat mixed with mildew filled the air.

  The smell of victory.

  Maybe, but it was also just the smell of sweat. He stared down the row of lockers. Only a few more months until graduation, and then he would be out of here. There were things he would miss about this school, but he doubted the pungent smell would be one of them.

  “Once again a Montgomery is the first one done,” Andrew’s friend Warren bellowed to the entire room as he took off his uniform and threw it atop the others on the scattered pile on the floor.

  “Some of us actually need to get to class.” Andrew pulled on his shirt, and then reached for his khaki shorts, trying to ignore his best friend’s fake hurt glare.

  Warren put up his hands. “Whoa. Slow down, Montgomery. We’ve got more to discuss.”

  “Like what?”

  “You planning on going to the party tonight?” Warren leaned against his locker, a serious expression now replacing the previous smirk.

  Andrew let a brief moment of silence fall between them. He figured it was probably driving Warren crazy that he wasn’t immediately responding.

  “Yes,” said Andrew reluctantly, raising an eyebrow. He already knew why Warren was asking.

  “Your brother too?” Warren looked like a five-year-old pleading with his father.

  “I assume he is.”

  “Good. I’m hoping one of your sorry asses can drive us.” Warren slammed his locker door and walked toward the shower.

  “Not surprising.” Andrew threw his backpack over his shoulder.

  Warren must have heard him, because he stopped and turned around. A goofy smile spread across his face. “Dude, you’re a better driver. It’s all about safety. Now, my other big question…is Cassie going?”

  Cassie was Andrew’s girlfriend. He wasn’t sure the title was still accurate. They had dated their entire junior and senior years, but things had grown stale between them over the past few months. For some odd reason, though, neither of them could seem to pull the trigger and break up with the other.

  “Have you ever known Cassie to miss out on a party?” Andrew turned and left the locker room. He slapped the wooden doorframe on his way out. Cassie was the life of every party. It was something Andrew found exhausting. His girlfriend, the head cheerleader, would definitely be attending tonight. It was probably time they parted ways. He just wasn’t sure at what point he wanted to break the news to her.

  ***

  “What are you wearing tonight?” Cassie leaned toward Jessica, her blonde hair cascading around her face as she drew her lips into a bright pink pout.

  Jessica tried as best she could to ignore the petty question, and instead continued to focus on the assignment they had to complete before the end of class. Even though she wasn’t watching Cassie, Jessica knew exactly how her best friend’s face looked right now. It was an expression Cassie often wore when she felt that Jessica wasn’t being a “responsive” friend.

  “Please tell me it will be something cool,” Cassie pleaded, unfazed by Jessica’s silence. “Jess, tonight is a big night, and you need to wear something hot. It’s our senior year, and this is going to be an epic party.”

  Jessica finally looked over, tired of the typical comments. There was really only one way to answer Cassie. “Well then, I guess I’ll need to come over to your house to borrow an outfit,” she said coolly. “You know, so I have something ‘hot’ to wear.”

  Cassie’s eyes widened and she squealed, “Yes! That’s exactly what I was hoping you’d say! I knew you would need me.” She leaned over and wrapped her thin arms tightly around Jessica.

  Jessica decided it was completely pointless to say anything to her best friend. Cassie Adams lived in an alternate universe. That was just a fact of life.

  Cassie giggled. “We need to get stupid drunk tonight and make out with at least one guy. That’s the goal, Jess. You have to make out with someone too.”

  Jessica looked over, astonished Cassie had said that out loud. “You mean, I need to make out with a random guy, and you get to kiss your boyfriend?”

  Cassie rolled her eyes. “Please! We’ll see about Andrew. Sometimes he can be such a Debbie Downer. I’m not even sure I want him to go to the party.”

  Jessica looked questioningly at her friend. She had heard Cassie talk about Andrew in this way in the past, but she’d never believed it. Andrew was the perfect guy. He was tall, handsome, athletic, and had one of the top GPAs in the school. She knew his parents pushed him hard. He had been accepted to a number of major universities, including the University of Texas. Jessica also planned to attend there in the fall, but she and Andrew had never really talked about it.

  “Really, Jess. Andrew can sometimes be a bore.”

  “You don’t mean that, Cass.”

  “I do mean it. He’s B-O-R-I-N-G.” Cassie pulled a spiral notebook from her bag. “Don’t get me started on my boyfriend. I’ll take care of him tonight, but we also need to have some fun. I intend to get drunk and drop my panties.” She winked as the bell rang. They both hopped up from their seats and slung their backpacks over their shoulders.

  Jessica sighed, and resigned herself to the fact that she would be hanging out with Cassie tonight at a party she really didn’t want to attend. “Fine.”

  “It’s going to be awesome! Be at my house in one hour, so we can get you ready,” Cassie squealed as she disappeared into the sea of students heading down the hallway.

  “Okay,” Jessica mumbled to herself. She glanced down the hallway, wondering what her life would have been like if Cassie Adams hadn’t been her best friend. It probably would have been less complicated. Less dramatic. Possibly dull, but that didn’t seem so bad. Dull could be good.

  That’s when she saw him: Andrew Montgomery. He was walking nonchalantly down the hallway in her direction, his brother, Miles beside him. The two Montgomery boys looked as if they owned the school.

  Jessica stopped cold. She tried to stare in the opposite direction, so that it wouldn’t seem like she had been watching them, but Andrew still sauntered up to her.

  “Hey, Jess. How’s it going?” His smooth, sexy voice made every little hair on her neck stand upright.

  “Good. You just missed Cassie,” she responded, her face fiercely hot. There was something about Andrew that always sent a wave of butterflies circling around the pit of her stomach. She tried not to dwell on it, but that was nearly impossible. She thought about him all the time. Thankfully, no one could read her mind. If they could, they would know she was a crazy, love-struck teen who should be on a show like Dr. Phil, since she spent the majority of her days pining for her best friend’s boyfriend.

  He let out a soft chuckle. “Okay. Thanks. Are you going to the party tonight?”

  She bit down on her bottom lip and nodded.

  “Perfect. See you there.” Andrew winked at her.

  Maybe it was the wrong move, but for some reason, Jessica winked back. Andrew smiled, and then clapped Miles on the shoulder before they continued down the hallway. Miles must have said something funny, because Andrew suddenly roared with laughter.

  They were both like Greek gods: tall, smart, funny, and completely, completely, completely hot. But Jessica reminded herself that both also had girlfriends, and that meant they were off limits.

  She hurried out of the school building. She needed to drive home and grab a few things before heading over to Cassie’s to get ready. It was the Friday before their senior year spring break, and Lucas Meadows was throwing his annual party. Once again, his parents would be conveniently gone for the night. Hopefully, it would be a night to
remember.

  Chapter Two

  “Jessica, what do you think of this dress?” Cassie asked as she held up a tiny black number.

  “Wow! That’s…small,” Jessica retorted, trying to hide her amusement at her friend’s questionable choice of dresses. “Will that even cover your body? Like, the whole thing, not just one half.”

  “Yes.” Cassie huffed as she continued to stare at herself in the mirror. She held the little black dress plastered against her body as she swayed back and forth, looking from every angle. “I think this is the perfect dress for tonight, and I have something awesome for you as well.” She pulled back piles of clothes within her closet, until she came across another black dress, equally tiny as the first.

  Jessica stared at the small piece of fabric, mortified at the thought she might have to wear it tonight. Around people. Fellow students she would have to see back at school the following week.

  “Um, I don’t think that’s going to look good on me.” She pinched her lips together and shook her head. There was no way she was going to squeeze her body into that thing. Nope.

  “Just try it on!” Cassie squealed. “I think it’s going to be perfect, and don’t forget, I happen to know a lot about fashion. I’m going to be a fashion designer one day. C’mon. Let’s see what it looks like on you. I bet it’s going to be amazing.”

  Jessica knew she had no option but to try on the stupid dress. Slowly, she pulled it on. The soft fabric clung snugly to her curvy frame.

  “Jess, your boobs are so awesome. I wish I had those suckers!” Cassie said as she inspected every inch of Jessica’s body.

  Jessica looked at her reflection in the mirror. This dress showed off all of her curves—those at the front and at the back.

  “I don’t know, Cass. This dress just doesn’t feel right.”