The Best Is Yet to Come (32)

The big ask had to do with her twin brother, Ben. For the last couple months since school had started, she’d noticed an alarming change in his behavior. Determined to discover the source, Callie made it her mission to find out what she could about it.

Which was when she had found a bag of pills in his backpack. Ben had caught her in his room, going through his stuff, and had been furious. He’d refused to tell her who gave him the drugs and insisted she mind her own business. That hadn’t stopped Callie, however. She’d been determined to expose whoever was responsible, and she had her suspicions. All she needed was confirmation. For that she required Spencer’s help.

Callie needed Spencer to hack into Ben’s computer for evidence, convinced he would find a trail, either there or on Ben’s phone. She’d determined this by the protective way Ben hid both from her and from everyone else. Spencer had given it his best effort and come up blank. Because of that, Callie felt that he’d failed her.

Strengthening his resolve, Spencer climbed out of the car and headed to Callie’s front door. The dance was sure to be her most opportune moment to complete his humiliation.

Spencer was determined not to let that happen.

He stepped back after he rang the doorbell and waited. Her father answered the door and looked at Spencer before a huge grin spread across his face. “Spencer!” He slapped him hard against his back. “Callie didn’t mention you were her homecoming date.”

That didn’t come as any big surprise.

“It’s been a while since we’ve seen your mom and dad. How are they doing?”

“They’re good.” He didn’t elaborate.

“The last time I talked to your dad he was telling me about the two of you working on his old car. How’s that going?”

“We’re finished.”

Bill Rhodes’s eyes went from Spencer to the car parked on the street. His eyes widened in appreciation.

“That’s the 1965 Dodge Dart?” he asked. “Wow, I can hardly believe it. You two put a lot of work into it.”

“We did.” The car was Spencer’s prized possession, especially after all the time he and his dad had spent on it.

“That Dart was your dad’s first car.”

“It’s mine now. We rebuilt the engine.” He didn’t mention it’d taken months to get everything they needed to make it purr as it once had.

“Would you mind if I took a look at it?” Even as Callie’s father asked the question, he was halfway down the front steps.

“Not at all.” Some of the tension tightening Spencer’s shoulders dissipated. He followed Mr. Rhodes to the curb, pleased that he appreciated how special this car was.

Walking around the vehicle, Bill Rhodes nodded several times, showing his admiration. “What a sweet ride. Be sure and let your dad know how impressed I am.”

“I will for sure,” Spencer said, unable to hide the pride in his voice.

He turned to Spencer and beamed at him. “It’s about time my daughter showed some sense. Makes me proud that she’s dating you.”

“We aren’t dating.” Spencer wanted to clear away any misconception before matters escalated and their parents got involved.

“I hope that changes after tonight,” Bill said. “Between you, me, and the goalpost—no pun intended—I’ve never been enthusiastic about Callie dating that football player she seems so fond of. The kid has more brawn than brains.”

Bill had always been a good judge of character.

“Come on back to the house, and I’ll see if Callie’s ready.”

Spencer followed him into the entryway. It’d been a few years since his last visit and there were some changes. The sofa was new, and the carpet, too. Callie was nowhere in sight, and he wondered if she’d linger until the last minute to avoid any extra time spent in his presence.

After a few minutes, when Callie remained absent, Claire, her mother, went upstairs to collect her. Another five minutes passed before Callie descended the stairs like royalty, her head held high. She avoided making eye contact with Spencer, which was fine by him.

The sooner this night was over, the better all around.

When he did chance a look at her, he was again struck by her beauty and had to remind himself, after everything she’d put him through, that it was only skin deep. Long gone was the girl he once knew. When she reached the bottom of the stairs, Spencer handed her the obligatory small wrist corsage.

“White roses,” Claire said, with a meaningful sigh. “For my first big high school dance, my boyfriend gave me a corsage with white roses.”

Callie rolled her eyes.

Spencer noticed she didn’t produce a boutonniere for him. That was par for the course.

“Pictures,” her mother insisted with girlish excitement. “I want pictures.” Before either Spencer or Callie could object, she held up her phone and snapped several.

“Get one of them by the car,” Bill added, following them out of the house.

They were delayed another five minutes while Claire Rhodes took one photo after another of the couple alongside the Dodge Dart.

Callie’s parents stood on the lawn, their arms around each other as Spencer started the engine and drove off.

The silence in the car was as thick as a rubber tire. Neither said a word until Spencer parked outside the school gymnasium. It was time to break the silence and get this over with as quickly as he could.