We The Pretty Stars (Court High 4)

That was if I could get her alone.

“Dad, it’s fine,” she stressed, pleading with Mr. Lindquist with that little pout thing she did. It never ceased to work its magic on me. She frowned hard. “I brought a vacuum. I can take care of it.”

Clearly unsatisfied with that, Mr. Lindquist started dialing, and beside him was December’s aunt Celeste. Together, niece and aunt rolled their eyes, and when Celeste passed me a wink, I knew she was about to do me a solid and get Mr. Lindquist the hell out of here. We’d talked about this, and she knew my plans for December’s surprise.

Celeste placed her hands on Mr. Lindquist’s shoulders, directing him out of the room. “Come on, Rowan. Let’s go talk to the administration. I’m sure they could help with the issue.”

Celeste had always been on my team, and it’d been her to actually get Mr. Lindquist to kind of like me over the years. She’d officially moved to Maywood Heights the summer of December’s and my graduation and had a nice place next door to Mr. Lindquist’s. December and I always seemed to find our way over there while she’d been attending community college. Her aunt Celeste loved to cook and stuff.

“Good idea,” Mr. Lindquist grumbled, huffing before bringing December over. Giving her a hug, he told her he’d straighten this out before leaving, and I’d never get over how close the two had gotten. Somewhere along the way with everything that happened with Paige, Mr. Lindquist had turned into the father Paige had always wished she had. I was happy at least December got to have that. We didn’t all have great dads, and I hadn’t seen mine since his ass went off to prison. That day he’d finally admitted to what he’d done to my best friend, he’d died, and as far as I was concerned, I was an orphan. I liked it that way, all I already had in my life more than enough.

Popping up, I grabbed December by the hips, making her squeal when I pulled her into me. We fell on her bed, and she was a sea of giggles, the sound nothing short of heaven to my ears. I could go to peaceful sleep with her voice and had so many times.

I twisted strands of hair so dark they nearly shined raven black, umber wisps I’d never get enough of touching.

“Reach into my pocket,” I told her, snuggling up on her, and she eyed me.

“What will I find if I do?” she asked, her lips humming against mine, and I chuckled. She wouldn’t find that, at least not now. Holding her close, I directed her to reach for the back one, and out of the pocket, she got a letter. I gave her some distance to read it, and I couldn’t explain the feeling I got as I watched her expression change. It shifted from surprise, to joy, and then sheer elation.

“Are you serious?” she asked, and I nodded at her, totally serious. Her lips parted. “But you’re flying… You love flying.”

I did, but I wanted to be closer to her. That was the beauty of having money, the one good thing from my dad. I could do anything I wanted with my life, getting my degree amongst them.

I slid my acceptance letter to this very school out of her hand. “I wouldn’t cramp your style being here?”

Perhaps she wanted more freedom, to have some time and enjoy school without the boyfriend hovering over her. I wouldn’t love that, but I’d respect it. I’d give her anything, and sliding her arms around my neck, she pressed her lips to mine.

“I’ve missed you so much,” she said, making that solid muscle in my chest start again. I thought it was dead for a long time, only fleeting beats of happiness here and there. It had gotten to the point where I only got it to work in the past when I’d been around Paige and the guys, and flying. But since Em came into my life, I couldn’t seem to make it not start beating.

“We get to go to college together? Really?” she asked me. She transferred here to start her junior year, and though I’d be coming in as a freshman, we would be going to school together. I planned to max out my course load each semester as well as take summer classes and could easily shave off a year as long as I worked hard. I had no problem doing that.

“We do,” I said, another surprise I planned to share with her soon. She thought she couldn’t bring her dog Hershey to college with her, the pup staying home with her dad. But not only had I already secured my own place, her

dad gave me permission to have Hershey come stay with me so she’d be closer to December. Of course, as long as December didn’t mind that. I hugged her. “And we can have more too if you want that.”

Her eyes widened. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, I’m going to fucking marry you.” I grabbed her, making her giggle again. “And the where and when will be a lot easier if we’re in the same hemisphere.”

I’d flown all around the world for my job, had so many experiences already and in such little time. But one experience I really wanted was back home.

“Please, dear God, tell me that wasn’t your proposal,” she teased, and I shifted her on her back.

“Oh, you’ll get that later.” I mouthed the words against her neck, making her sigh. “Don’t you worry about that.”

In fact, the guys had flown in today just for it. Everyone but Knight since he actually already went to school at this university. The other two, Jax and LJ had been in other parts of the country pursuing their various educations, but when I’d asked them all to be here for a special proposal, they’d dropped everything they were doing. Knight, Jax, and LJ were no doubt stuffing their faces somewhere in the college cafeteria, on standby for our dinner tonight. I’d planned a big one and even gotten her dad’s permission with the caveat we wouldn’t actually tie the knot until she finished school. He was level-headed like that, and I’d have given him anything he wanted to have his daughter. I had a feeling though my girl may be the one in the end to fight that agreement once she found out about it. We’d see.

I had a lot of losses in my life, so many in fact, and if I wanted something, I refused to not take it. Life could be fleeting, the moments the same, but what wasn’t was my love for this girl and her sister. Between December and me, Paige would always live on. She’d always be there and never would be forgotten because of me, because of December. I didn’t do the forgetting thing anymore.

If I did, my girl would hand me my ass and then some.