She laughed as she hurried to my truck, her short white dress flowing behind her as she stepped carefully in her heels.She looked like a woman.Gone was my little girl.The kid who reached up for me to pick her up when I would get home from work.Who laughed with delight when we would swim in the lake and I’d toss her into the water.Who curled up next to me on the couch and fell asleep watching a movie.
Soon, she’d find someone to spend her life with.Someone who would be her world, who would devote their life to her.
Who would never be good enough for my little girl.
I smothered the thought as I got in the long line of vehicles trying to make it to the high school for graduation.Evie’s class was more than a hundred kids, and the graduation ceremony was at the high school so they didn’t have to worry about tickets or anyone not being able to watch.
When we made it into the parking lot, I crept along, watching for a space to swing my truck, but Evie’s foot tapped the floorboards with anxiety.
“Do you want to jump out and run in?”I asked as I turned to go down the lane next to the school.
“Maybe I should.There’s more people here than I thought there would be.”
“Go,” I said, stopping the truck.“I’ll find you after.Love you!”
“Love you!”she called back as she slammed the door and raced toward the school.
Before I made the next turn, I saw her hugging Katie and Maddie in front of the school.
I rubbed my chest.Damn.It was hard to let her go.She was going to do amazing things, but it was hard to know she’d be doing it all without me.
I really needed to get a life.
My thoughts flashed back to my stolen mornings and secret kisses with Reegan.In the week since our first kiss, we’d only had a few minutes together before one of us had to run off, usually me, but every time she wrapped her arms around my neck and pressed her lips to mine, I didn’t want to let go.
She was only there for the summer, but it was nice to have a distraction when the summer was going to be so tough.
I found a parking spot at the far end of a row and swung into it, sighing in relief.There were still dozens of vehicles circling, and I knew many of them and the ones who came later would end up lining the streets through town and walking to the high school to catch the ceremony.
I joined the crowd heading to the football field, scanning for Oscar and Christy.They both wanted to support Evie and said they’d be at graduation.
Unfortunately, I found Hannah and Brian first.
“I thought you were going to be here earlier.Did Evie have an issue?”Hannah asked, her tone accusing.
I shook my head.“We’re all good.She’s inside, ready to walk.”
“Were you late?”
“Nope.Nothing has started yet.”I was not going to tell Hannah I tried to get out the door earlier and failed.All that mattered was Evie was there before graduation started.
Hannah pursed her lips as though she wasn’t buying it, but it didn’t matter.She couldn’t prove anything.“We have seats.”She gestured to the front row of the bleachers where a blanket and two coats identified the seats as taken.
“Josh!”came from farther up the bleachers, and I spotted Christy and Oscar waving.
I waved back to let them know I saw them and said a silent prayer of thanks that they made it there before me and saved a seat.“Oscar and Christy are here.But thanks.”
I kissed Hannah’s cheek and ignored the irritated scoff at being dismissed, then climbed the bleachers.I apologized to the people on the end and crawled over everyone to reach Christy and Oscar, hugging them both.
“You saved me,” I said, knowing they understood.
“I thought she was going to demand you sit there,” Oscar said.He wore khaki shorts and an amethyst button-down shirt.
“She offered.Well, told me she had seats.Your shout was perfectly timed.”
“Oscar tried to yell, but you didn’t hear him.I figured the pissed-off look was for me.I was trying not to ruin the day,” Christy said.She was in an amethyst and black dress.
I squeezed her hand.“You could never ruin the day.My baby girl is graduating.”
