The limo is kind of stuffy and quiet as we make our way to the Barlow house. Holden and I are the first two in it. He picked me up from the Hales’ place. Avia made us stand and pose for some photos before Cairo had to split with his dad. She’s dying to see what the girls look like and made us promise to send as many selfies as we can.

“You’ve got your phones, right?”

We both nodded.

Yeah, I have a phone now. I never want Chloe not to be able to reach me again, so I swallowed my pride and asked Mr. Hale if he could loan me the money for a simple cell phone. He agreed and ended up buying me something really nice.

“Only pay back what you can. The rest is a gift from us.” He winked at me, once again sending my head into a spiral. I’m not used to adults being so damn nice.

I’ve found myself an after-school job at Armitage High. I help the janitor with cleaning and classroom lockup. I was surprised he said yes when Principal Sheehan asked him, but everyone has been putting in good words for me around the place and things are finally going right.

It sometimes makes me feel like a bit of a charity case, but Chloe told me off for saying that.

“Don’t buy into that crap,” she warned me. “People like to bless others. It makes them feel good. If you reject their generosity, you’re hurting more than just yourself. Don’t be proud. Be grateful.”

And I am. I’m really grateful.

I shuffle in my seat, feeling awkward and uncomfortable in these fancy clothes.

“You look good,” Holden murmurs, catching my eye and trying to smile.

He’s been having a really hard time accepting everything that’s gone down. His life has been turned on its head and not in the good way mine has.

He’s gone from golden boy to the son of a criminal.

It’s impossible not to feel sorry for him.

I open my mouth to talk, but then don’t know what to say.

We’ve hung out a little because of the girls, but Holden’s going to need more than five weeks to accept what’s happened.

“You doing all right, man?” I can’t believe the words just popped out of me like that.

My eyes bulge and I look out the window, hoping he doesn’t mind my question.

He pauses for a second, then lets out a dry snicker. “Yeah, I’m… It is what it is, you know?”

I bob my head.

“When does Nick get out?” he asks.

“Should be next week. Courts are just finalizing the paperwork.”

“Sorry it’s taken so long.”

“It’s all good.” I shrug. “He’s been moved to minimum security while he waits, so it’s been pretty cushy for him.”

“Nice.” Holden tries to smile again.

I wince and scramble to change the subject. What the hell can I talk about that’s happy?

The girls. They make everything better.

I’m about to open my mouth and say something, but he starts talking before I can.

“Shit, man, I’m really sorry for how everything went down.”

“It’s not your fault,” I reassure him. “And you don’t have to keep apologizing.”

“I know.” He sighs and shakes his head. “I just hate what he did.”

“How’s your mom taking it?”

“She’s in rehab at the moment. Took me a while to get her there, but my older brother flew back from New York to give me a hand. He’s staying with me until the summer starts, and then my other brother is gonna move in and help me prep for college. I told them I’d be all right on my own, but they wouldn’t believe me.”

I grin at him.

“It’s weird. I didn’t even think they cared anymore.”

“Yeah, well, a crisis can sometimes bring out the best in people.”

“You’re living proof, man.”

Holden’s compliment stuns me and all I can do is blink at him. A half smile tugs at his lips. He rubs a hand over his mouth, obviously embarrassed by how candid he’s being.

I want to croak out a thanks or something, but I can’t quite manage it.

“Here we are, guys.” The driver pulls up against the curb.

Holden and I flash each other a nervous look before getting out of the limo.

I’ve never been to a dance before. I hope I don’t make a complete fool of myself.

Buttoning Mr. Hale’s jacket, I smooth a hand over my hair and follow Holden to the front door. No matter how many times I walk up this path, I always feel nervous.

Chief Barlow’s kept his promise and so far, Enzo and Diego haven’t even tried to get near me. It’s like they’ve forgotten we’re related or something. I mean, I haven’t ventured into that part of town again, but still…I honestly thought they’d come after me.

Chief Barlow has turned out to be much cooler than I thought. He’s even helped me get Selena out. It took a little convincing, but he managed to persuade her to flee the house when Enzo and Diego weren’t there. She’s now living in San Diego, cleaning houses, and happier than she’s ever been.

I thought Enzo would kill me for sure after he lost her, but whether stuff’s gone on without me knowing or not, I haven’t seen him once.

Holden rings the bell and then glances over his shoulder.

“Smile, man.” He winks and grins as the door flicks back and Mrs. Barlow greets us with an excited smile.

“Oh, you two look so great!” She stands back to admire us as we step into the house.

Her eyes kind of glisten as she moves into my space. “Vincent, you scrub up real nice.” She smooths the collar of my jacket and gives me a motherly smile, just the way Avia does.

Shit, I feel like their pet project sometimes, but I’ll do my best not to complain. They’re good people.

“Is Zane here yet?” she asks.

“He was running late, so we’ll collect him on the way to the school.” Holden gives her a closed-mouth smile.

“Oh, poor Rahn, she—”

“I’m good, Mrs. B. Don’t you worry.” She skips into the room, her brown eyes dancing with excitement as she eyes us up and then turns to look down the hallway.

I glimpse Maddie walking toward me. She looks freaking hot in that blue dress, but the second I catch a flash of red, I’m owned by the one and only Chloe Barlow.

She looks amazing. That dress is so her—sweet and gorgeous, like a red rose that brightens up someone’s day.

I glide my arm around my flower’s waist and lift her into a hug. She giggles against my cheek before taking a step back to check me out.

“You’re looking pretty hot there, Mr. Mancini.”

“Watch it,” her father clips, leaning against the living room archway and checking us all out with a narrowed glare.

“Oh, Reece, stop it. They all look hot.” Mrs. Barlow giggles and holds up her phone, snapping photos while Holden and Maddie share a blushing moment and Chloe wraps her arm around my waist. “Can you pose for a couple of these?”

She lines us up, snapping an insane amount of pictures before finally letting us leave.

“We’ll see you guys there.” Mr. Barlow stands at the door with his wife tucked under his arm.

“So you are coming, then?” Holden threads his fingers through Maddie’s.

“If Max wants to study music at college, then I need to see how good she is.”

Chloe gasps. “Oh my gosh, Max will be blown away.”

“Don’t tell her I’m coming. I don’t want to make her nervous.”

Chloe lets go of my hand and races back to the door, wrapping her arms around her father’s neck. “Just make sure she sees you before you leave.”

“I will.”

“So proud of you, Dad.”

He hugs her tight, blinking rapidly before suddenly pulling out of the embrace. “You better get going. Don’t want to be late.”

She kisses his cheek and then bounces down the steps, back into my arms. I rest my hand on her lower back and guide her to the limo.

“Take care of my girls!” Chief Barlow calls to us.

I help Chloe into the limo, then raise my hand in farewell. Mrs. Barlow rests her head against her husband’s shoulder, her smile wide and proud.

As soon as the door is closed, the limo pulls away from the curb, heading for Zane’s house. This is still so weird. I’m sitting in the back of some fancy car with people I never even thought I’d speak to.

But they’re becoming my friends.

Chloe leans against my arm, curling her fingers around mine as we smile at Rahn’s enthusiasm and her story about Maddie and Max arguing over a pair of red sneakers.

I laugh with Chloe, loving the sound of her giggle, the shape her face makes, the way her eyes dance.

She’s captured me and drawn me into a life I never thought I could have.

Every day I wake up and find something new to love about her and her family.

Every day I wake up with these feelings I never thought I’d experience.

Hope and peace.

It’s a trip, and I don’t know if I’ll ever get used to it.

But maybe I don’t want to.

Because I never want to take those simple things for granted.