The boat lights illuminated Caleb’s scowl—which he aimed directly at her. “Really, Shelby?”
Why did her brother always catch her in the most compromising positions? “It was business, Caleb. We weren’t exactly out here for a joyride.”
He took in her appearance: Gray’s voluminous sweatshirt and her disheveled hair. She resisted the urge to smooth it. She imagined them as Caleb must’ve seen them just now, popping up from the hull of the boat like—
“Yeah, well, you looked pretty cozy out here to me. Maybe you’ve forgotten the way he left you, but I haven’t. You think he’s changed? People don’t change. You’re headed for heartbreak and you don’t even know it.”
Shelby bristled. He was wrong about all of it. Theyhadbeen out here on business. Grayhadchanged. And they’d only huddled together for warmth. But she didn’t feel like explaining any of that. “I called for help, Caleb, not a lecture.”
Their gazes held for a long moment, two stubborn wills meeting and clashing.
“Have it your way,” Caleb finally said. Then he headed for the captain’s seat.
Chapter 30
Eleven years ago
As winter morphed into spring Gray hardly noticed the changing of seasons. Being with Shelby out in the open brought new feelings: pride and a kind of indescribable joy he’d never before experienced. Having her at his side in the cafeteria and holding hands in the hall had turned heads. Tongues wagged, sure. Everyone wondered what Shelby Thatcher was doing with the likes of him.
While his academic stature hardly overcame the damage to his reputation, his new role as Shelby’s boyfriend seemed to make their peers wonder if they’d missed something. Her close friends at least gave him a chance. They even attended prom together with their dates and had a great time.
Brendan and his posse, however, glared daggers at Gray when they passed in the halls. He made a point of avoiding restrooms and locker rooms. No doubt they’d love to get him alone again—they had yet another reason to hate him now.
But the teachers loved Brendan—he sucked up to the men and charmed the women. He was as fake with the faculty as he’d been with Shelby, and they all bought into his pathetic act.
Gray took Shelby out once a week and savored their time alone. Eachtime he picked her up, her dad was cordial and so was her brother when he was home from college. Gray was finally making headway with her family. Maybe they had a chance after all. He hoped so, because he was falling deeper by the day.
In early May for Shelby’s birthday, he spent some of his hard-earned money on a ring. Not an engagement ring, of course. They were only eighteen and had years of school ahead of them. But itwasa promise. He already knew he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her, and she’d admitted the same in April as they’d talked on the phone late into the night. He wanted to give her a token of that sentiment. Something that would sustain them through college. And let’s face it, he’d be so proud to see her wearing that symbol of his love on her finger.
On the evening of her birthday, after he’d treated her to dinner at the Waterfront Bistro, she opened the gift. They were at the park where they’d often met back in the fall. Her lips went slack at the sight of the ring glittering from its navy-blue nest. A tiny diamond nestled inside the gold infinity knot.
“Don’t freak out.” He spoke into the gap of silence, suddenly nervous. “It’s not an engagement ring or anything. It’s just a—”
“Promise ring?” She gazed up at him, tears shimmering in her hope-filled eyes.
A relieved breath tumbled from his lungs. “Will you wear it?”
She took the ring from its case. “Of course I’ll wear it. Oh, Gray. I love it. I couldn’t love anything more. I can’t believe you spent so much money. You need to save up for books and such.” But those qualms didn’t stop her from slipping that ring onto her left hand or smiling like he’d just made her year.
He took her hand and pressed a kiss to her knuckles. “Worth every penny.”
The smile in her eyes and the long, delicious kiss afterward carriedhim for days. But his relationship with her proved to be a distraction. Mid-month he went into an AP chemistry class unprepared for a pop quiz and his grade slipped to a high B.
A few days later, with just two weeks of school left, he discovered that he and Brendan were in a dead heat for valedictorian and the Warner Scholarship. The finals would determine whether or not Gray would go to college. The realization knocked the wind out of him. He couldn’t believe he’d let his guard down for a couple of weeks and now everything was on the line.
Since he had two AP classes this semester and Brendan only had one, Gray would win if he got straight A’s. He had to nail that chemistry final to raise his grade. He studied every spare minute, forgoing two date nights with Shelby—a huge sacrifice. She’d offered to help him study, but she was too darn distracting.
When finals week arrived he was prepared. He’d aced his first three. Chemistry was Thursday and on Friday, the last day of high school, all he had to do was turn in an English paper.
On Thursday when he finished his chemistry final, he felt invincible. He’d done well. He might have even gotten an A+. That scholarship was in the bag and there was nothing Brendan could do about it. In a celebratory mood, he took Shelby out for ice cream after work and they toasted cones to his bright future.
“Mr. Briggs, can you come with me, please?”
The easy smile slid from Gray’s mouth at the sight of the vice principal in the doorway. Why were they calling him from English class? Had something happened?
His teacher, Mrs. Caldwell, glanced at the clock and offered Gray a smile. “It’s almost time for the bell. Go ahead and turn in your paper and take your things with you.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
