Free Ever After by Karen Kingsbury Page B

and walked her back up the hill toward his car. This time the conversation turned to relationships.
    “I figured you had a boyfriend.” Justin smiled at her, and in the fading light his eyes sparkled. “A girl as beautiful as you. With a heart like yours.”
    She laughed. “No wonder Vonda called you Mr. Smooth.” The air was colder now and she began to shiver.
    Justin slipped his arm around her shoulders, and as they walked, they fell into a rhythm that seemed as old as time. “I’m serious. I would’ve asked you out a week ago, except I figured you had someone.”
    “Okay.” She looked up at him, not sure she wanted to know. “What about you? There must be a line of girls waiting for you somewhere.”
    “Nah.” He laughed and shook his head. “I went to college on a running-start program. Focused on ROTC and graduated at twenty. Never really fit into any group. You know, not a jock, not a druggie, not a musical type, not a whiz-kid. I dated here and there, but I sort of stayed to myself.”
    When they reached the car again, he hesitated. “I so don’t want to take you home yet.”
    “I know.” Would he lean against his car and pull her into his arms? The way she sort of hoped he would?
    No. He was too much of a gentleman for that. Instead he led her around to the passenger door, opened it, and held it for her. When he slipped into the driver’s seat, he smiled at her. “You think Vonda’ll be able to tell? Tomorrow when we’re at work?”
    She giggled. “Probably.”
    The drive home went too fast, and when they reached her residence hall, he walked her up to the door. “Tonight was amazing.”
    “Yeah.” She wasn’t sure what to make of her feelings. A sudden shyness mixed with a longing she’d never known. She wanted so badly to kiss him again, but the timing seemed wrong. She took a step toward the door. “Thanks, Justin.”
    “See you tomorrow.” He hesitated, then turned and jogged down the steps.
    When he was gone, she hurried inside, and there in the entryway were three girls from the soccer team. Pam was one of them.
    “My goodness, Emily, who was the hunk?”
    She looked back at the driveway and the Jeep Cherokee just pulling away. “Justin.” She let her eyes find Pam again. “Justin Baker. He’s a soldier from Fort Lewis.”
    “He’s hot.” Pam whistled.
    “He’s beyond hot.” One of the other girls shaded her eyes and looked out toward the fading taillights. “He’s the hottest guy I’ve seen on campus all summer.” She took hold of Emily’s shoulder. “Tell me he has a brother, please, Emily.”
    “He doesn’t.” She laughed and waved them off. She didn’t want to stand there in the entryway making small talk with her teammates. She wanted to get to her room, wash her face, and crawl into bed, where she could relive every moment of the last six hours. While she could still feel his breath on her skin, his kiss on her lips.
    While the memory was still so alive she could be absolutely certain she’d spend the rest of the night dreaming about it.
    Her last thought before going to sleep made her smile. Vonda was wrong. Love wasn’t wasted on the youth. It had found her when she least expected it, and wherever her new relationship with Justin went from here, she had a feeling the journey would be magical.
    And that however long the ride, the two of them would enjoy every minute.

 
    S IX
     
     
     
     
    S hane felt the tension between him and Lauren long before they took their seats on the plane. She was quieter than usual, and once in a while he’d catch her dabbing at her eyes, maybe trying not to cry.
    He looked out the window as the plane took off. How had they grown so distant? He still loved her, still wanted to share his life with her. The feelings he had for her, he’d never have for anyone else. After a lifetime of missing her, he knew that. Knew it as certainly as he knew his name and rank.
    She hadn’t said anything about running, but he had the