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He breathes out a sigh. “Sorry. I should’ve picked a more inconspicuous spot.”

But I shake my head. “That was...”

“Everything you ever dreamed?” he asks with a wink.

He’s teasing. But he has no idea what I dreamed of. Kissing him on his horse. Kissing him in the school parking lot. Kissing him on my front porch.

I never even imagined kissing him on Main. But now, this will go down in history as the greatest kiss of all time.

“Yes,” I say unashamedly. “I’m happy to admit that you’re even better than I thought you’d be.”

He grins. “So were you.” He stares down at my lips, then sobers. “But your dad.”

I look away. “Perfect way to kill the mood.”

“Sorry. But we need to talk about what we’re going to do moving forward. I can’t come between you two.”

“You did the second you moved into town, cowboy.”

He grins, then a loud clapping sounds from the barn down the road. The dance must be close to ending.

Suddenly, I’m overwhelmed with exhaustion.

“Come on,” he says. “I’ll take you home before everyone gets out.”

I nod, and he takes my hand and leads me down the street.

Leaves race alongside us in the gentle breeze, and the lights sway above, casting soft shadows of the trees on the road.

I hold onto Archer’s hand, wrap my arm around his, and lean my head against his shoulder. I know he’ll get me home safely.

Just as much as I know this thing with Dad isn’t over.

It hasn’t even begun.

Juliet

The following morning, Dad and I head to church in an awkward silence. He forces polite smiles and words to everyone who greets us, but I remain mostly quiet. By the time we’re done, back home, and changed, I’m ready to get things over with.

I find him on the front porch, leaving me alone—just as I’d requested.

“Mind if I join you?” I ask, motioning to the seat on the porch swing next to him.

“Please.”

We sit together, looking out over our front yard. The green grass is shifting to a shade of yellow, and the specters still dangle from the tree—one shorter than the rest.

“I turned off the cameras,” Dad says. “I only got them because of what’s been going on with the Walkers and Liv. I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay. I’m sorry, too. For sneaking around.”

We sit in silence for a minute. Dark circles frame Dad’s lower lids, and new wrinkles seem to have formed overnight. “Are you really going to date him?” he asks, barely above a whisper.

I hesitate, trying to soften the blow I know it’s going to cause. “Yes.” He cringes, so I rush on. “Please, can’t you try to find some way to respect my decision?”

He doesn’t respond. Anxiety creeps in. If Dad doesn’t accept Archer, and this animosity continues, I can’t handle what it would do to Archer, and I can’t handle what it would do to my relationship with Dad.

A potential future spirals through my mind—Dad hating Archer, Archer growing tired of the hostility, both of them unable to be in the same room together. Then I leave Autumn Ridge, unable to handle living here because of the life I could have had.