Page 34 of Never Forever

I helped him into the truck, then got him home and in bed, before driving the truck back to the ferry.

A half hour later a set of headlights lit up the cabin from the parking lot. There was a slammed door, a shout and the headlights moved on. I stood, trying to see who it was, but the sound of high heels running up the gang plank told me everything I needed to know.

Carrie.

I crept out of the helm and down the stairs. I found her at the bow. Her elbows on the railing, her hands over her face. Her hair was up in a beautiful crown of curls and sparkly clips.

Her dress was long and black and hugged her hips and her legs. I hated that some guy got to walk around with her in that dress. He got to put his hands on the small of her back and dance with her pressed up against him. I hated…

At the bow, Carrie muffled a sob.

Shit. She was crying?

“Carrie,” I rushed forward.

At the sound of my voice, she whirled to face me, her eyes huge and full of tears. She even cried prettily. “Matt, what are you doing here?”

“Dad wasn’t feeling good, so I took him home. Why are you crying?”

“Because…” she took a deep breath and looked up at the sky. “He wasn’t you.”

“Carrie.”

We rushed into each other’s arms. Nothing in my life had felt or would feel as good as her pressed up against me. The way we fit was perfect in every way. Her head just under my chin. Her arms around my waist, spread wide over my back. I pressed my nose to her hair and breathed her in.

“I’m so sorry. I should have told her no, I don’t know why I can’t just tell her no. I thought we could do this stupid thing and then it would be over, but I know I hurt you. I know it and I’m sorry. It was awful.”

“Did he do something? Try something?”

So help me God, if he put a hand on her that she didn’t want, I’d kill him. Right now.

“No. No. He was boring and so stuck on himself. None of it mattered. All I kept thinking was that I ruined everything. Ruined us for this one stupid night. Please tell me I didn’t ruin us forever. Please tell me that, Matt.”

I had two options. Hold a grudge or be with Carrie. Again, it wasn’t really an option.

“You didn’t ruin us.”

“Oh, thank God,” she said, breaking into a sob. “I’m so sorry.”

“Hey, it wasn’t your idea. You were only trying to make your mom happy,” I said, and wrapped my arms around her with total relief. I understood that. I didn’t like it. But I got it. I did crazy shit to make my dad happy too.

“I missed you,” she said. “So much.”

“Shit, Carrie. I’ve been going crazy the last few weeks, feeling like I dreamed everything.”

“It wasn’t a dream,” she said. “We are not a dream. We’re real.”

The kissing happened fast. We’d missed each other too much to play it cool. She looked way too beautiful for me to pretend to not be completely invested in getting under her dress.

I pulled back, trying to get my breath. The moonlight caught the clips in her hair and made it look like she was wearing a crown of stars. “Princess,” I said.

“What?”

“You look like a princess.”

“Stop it.”

“You are a princess,” I said, giddy to have her back in my arms. “Mine.”

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