Beside her was Abby in her strapless dress with thousands of crystals catching the light.
They paused at the doorway and looked around them. The high school gym had been decorated in blues and greens, with sparkling ribbons hanging from the ceiling. Suspended in the center was an old-fashioned mirrored ball that cast tiny, flattering lights over everyone.
Abby started to step forward, but Chelsea gave her a look to stay still. The four of them just stood there in silence, waiting.
After a few moments the nearest dancing couples stopped to look at the latest arrivals. They were properly awed. The gowns Chelsea and Abby wore looked like the runways they had come off of.
A couple stepped aside, then the next tier did, then the next, until it was clear from the band on the stage to them.
The lead singer, a kid who’d graduated from the school three years before, looked down the aisle that had been opened and saw the two beauties in the glimmering gowns. He signaled his band to stop playing. Turning, he said something to them, and they began playing a song called “Let the Party Begin.”
Chelsea smiled at the young man. “Now we can go,” she said to Abby, and the two couples slowly went forward.
The music changed to a slow tune, and Baze took Abby in his arms while Eli led Chelsea into a dance. The entire audience watched for a few moments, then joined in.
“So this is what it’s like to be a popular kid,” Eli said as he held Chelsea close.
“In high school, being popular is like being Queen of the World. But alas, then you leave the closed environment and go out into a world where there are lots of queens.”
Smiling, he kissed her cheek. “It was a nice thing you did for Abby.”
“Speaking of which, where is Scully?”
“Around.” Eli dipped Chelsea.
“He will be here, won’t he?”
“Oh, yes. With bells on. I won’t let history repeat itself with yet another nerd being left out.”
“I’m sorry I did that. I was so young that I really did believe you when you said you didn’t want to go to the prom.”
“But I didn’t,” Eli said as he extended his arm for her to turn around in a circle, then come back to him. “I wanted you to stay with me. Just me. To know no one else, to like no one but me. If I’d had my way, I would have locked you in a house and never let you out. I was a selfish little bastard.”
Chelsea frowned. “I don’t think that’s true.
“I think it’s time that I learn to give as well as take. You asked where I was yesterday afternoon. I was arranging my retirement.”
“What?” She pulled back to look at him, but he pushed her head back down on his shoulder.
“Since you’ve been here, I’ve realized that work isn’t enough in my life. If you will stay with me, I will retire and we’ll do whatever you want. Travel, live on a boat, anything you need to make you happy. We’ll—”
“No,” Chelsea said.
He looked at her, his face stricken. “No?”
“I mean no, you don’t have to do that. Pilar and I are going to open a detective agency here in Edilean.”
Eli stopped moving to stare at her. “You aren’t talking about an agency that uses guns, are you?”
“Yes. In fact, Pilar has arranged for me to take shooting lessons.”
“Shoo . . . shooting lessons?” He could barely say the words.
“My time with you has made me remember how much I liked what we did when we were kids. I got distracted for a few years, what with modeling and, well, other things, so—”
“Polo players and race-car drivers.”
“Whatever. Pilar thinks my connections in those worlds will help us solve cases. And of course she knows some very high-end people. Did you know that she had an affair with— Oops. I can’t tell you that. But anyway, we’re trying to come up with a name for our new agency. You have any suggestions?”