No Place Like Homecoming, Dallen, Maggie [beach read book .TXT] 📗

that plan had been abandoned, but only because my life was at stake. This whole interfering parental figure thing was new to me, but it wasn’t all bad. In fact, sometimes it was even kinda...nice.

Like tonight, for example. She’d helped me get ready, and had gone nuts taking pictures, even though my date was MIA.

But he’d be here. Callie and Willow were right. He said he’d be back in time for the dance, and he would be.

That was the thing about my guy. He was there for me. He was there for everyone he loved.

And yeah, he’d totally dropped the L-word when we were saying our goodbyes. Then he’d hopped into his car with a smirk—no doubt laughing at my stunned expression—and had set off to see his family before I could respond.

But tonight I’d finally get my chance. The L-word wasn’t something I’d ever used before and I’d had no intention of dropping it casually in a phone chat while he was on the road. I drew in a deep breath to steel my nerves.

It wasn’t every day that I bared my soul to a guy, but I could do this. If there was one thing Flynn was helping me understand these past few weeks it was that finding love didn’t have to be scary. Letting people in was worth the risk.

I grinned up at the stage where Savannah was beaming. She looked like a queen up there, and I was happy for her. I didn’t even feel a pang of envy that she was homecoming queen and I hadn’t even been nominated.

Look at me growing as a person.

Between my new friends, my surprisingly stable home life with my aunt, and my boyfriend who loved me...I barely even recognized my life these days. But it was mine, and it wasn’t going anywhere.

Neither was I.

Callie nudged my arm. “Over there,” she hissed.

I glanced over at the side door and—my heart stopped. When it started up again, it was on overdrive. Gah, my guy was so hot!

He always looked hot to me, but standing there in his tux that I recognized from our first run-in and wearing that smile I adored...I’d never seen anything hotter in my life. He started toward me but I beat him to it, rushing toward him and throwing my arms around his neck as he held me tight.

“Miss me?” he teased.

I pulled back to look my fill and my answer came out on a sigh. “So much.”

He dipped his head. “Good answer.”

His lips were warm and firm when he kissed me, and the sensation that flooded me was so perfectly sweet. It was relief and excitement, comfort and excited anticipation.

He deepened the kiss as I sank into him, my body melting against his as we showed each other just how much we’d hated being apart. “Sorry I was late.” He pulled back and that was when I realized he was holding a bouquet in one hand. “I wanted to surprise you.”

Warmth flooded me from head to toe. I wasn’t sure I’d ever get used to Flynn’s thoughtfulness, and I really hoped I never took it for granted.

The sound of applause had us turning to face the stage. Flynn wrapped his arms around my waist from behind. “So, what did I miss while I was gone?”

“Oh, the usual,” I said, resting my head back against his shoulder. “A pinata disaster at the Hormel party, a couple parties at your house—”

“Willow’s house,” he corrected with a laugh.

“Yours too,” I said with a shrug.

I felt his nod against the side of my head as he nuzzled my temple. “I suppose. It’s still weird, you know? Having my family be so far away.”

I nodded too. “Yeah, I know.”

We were both adjusting to this new reality, but we were doing it together, and that meant everything.

“You missed a whole lot of that,” I said, laughing as I pointed to a dark corner where Callie was making out all hot and heavy with her boyfriend.

Flynn laughed. “I’m glad to see she’s so happy. She deserves it.” We both spotted Willow walking hand in hand with her guy as they headed toward the dance floor where Savannah and the homecoming king were starting up the next dance. “They both do.”

“And so do you,” I said.

This was a lesson I was determined that he learn. He deserved happiness. And I meant to help him find it.

I could feel his smile against my cheek as he tucked his head down to kiss my neck.

“And what about you?” he asked. “Are you happy?”

I gripped his forearms, pulling them even tighter around my waist. “I am now that you’re back.”

“Sorry my only suit is my catering tux,” he said with a laugh.

“I kinda like it.” I turned my head to kiss his cheek. “It reminds me of the first time we met.”

“Mmm.” His laugh was low and rumbly in my ear. “How things have changed since then, huh?”

I nodded, thinking of all we’d been through. We were both leaving our families behind and starting over, in a way. “Was it hard to say goodbye?” I tilted my head so I could see his expression.

He looked grim as he nodded. “Yeah. But we’re already making plans to meet up halfway in a couple months, so...I’ll see them again soon. And in the meantime, I know they’re okay.” His grip tightened. “Thanks to you.”

I rolled my eyes, spinning in his arms to face him once more. “It wasn’t me. It was you. You’re a great guy and people love you for it.”

He leaned down to kiss me hard. “It was hard to say goodbye, but Isla...I couldn’t wait to get back to you.”

I smiled up at him. “Good. It just wasn’t the same around here while you were gone.”

He kissed me as I wrapped my arms around his neck, both of us swaying in time to the music that was blaring from the speakers nearby.

“I’ve been waiting for you to get back so I could tell you something,” I