Falling into Forever Read Free Page A

Alexandra knew there could be no mistake; it was her best friend, Taylor.
    â€œDaddy got rid of the Mustang after that last speeding ticket I got a couple of weeks ago. But this is so much better,” Taylor cooed into the phone. “Hurry up and get down here.”
    â€œOkay,” Alexandra said, putting down the binoculars. “Be there in a sec.”
    Walking inside, she turned to lock the glass doors behind her. She grabbed her packed duffel bag that was ready by the front door. Jack whined in anticipation when he saw her slide her keys from her purse.
    â€œI’m sorry, Jack. I wish I could take you, but Granny June’s mean old poodle doesn’t like bulldogs,” she told him. “I’ll be home in a few days, and Mom will be home from work in a little while. Promise me that you’ll be good for her.” He licked her hand as she patted his chubby belly. “Love you,” she said as she shut and locked the door.
    Taylor had already opened her convertible’s trunk by the time Alexandra had reached the Mercedes. Alexandra eyed the cramped trunk bulging with pink suitcases. “We’re only going to my grandmother’s beach house for a couple of days,” said Alexandra. “And there’s even a mall about an hour from her house if you’ve forgotten something.”
    â€œAn hour ?” Taylor gasped. “Are you serious? You told me she lived on the beach, not on a deserted island.”
    â€œHer house is secluded, but it’s not in the middle of nowhere,” Alexandra insisted.
    â€œAn hour away from a mall is the middle of nowhere,” Taylor huffed as she slammed the trunk shut. “Anyway, I have to be prepared,” Taylor explained. “At least we’re driving there, instead of flying there. You should have seen my dad’s face when he got the credit card bill for my plane trip to Italy last month. The envelope was this thick,” she said, her arms spread wide. “When he opened it, he kept muttering about the baggage charges, and then this massive purple vein started throbbing on his forehead. I worried that he was going to stroke-out on me.”
    â€œHe couldn’t have been too mad at you,” said Alexandra, tossing her lumpy duffel bag into the backseat, “or he wouldn’t have bought you this ride.”
    Taylor trailed her fingers down the side of the new car. “It’s sweet, right? He surprised me. But he said that I have to drive it this year and then all the way through college,” she said, rolling her eyes.
    As Alexandra’s fingers popped open the passenger-door handle, Taylor cut in front of her and parked herself snugly into the black leather seat. “You drive, girlie,” she said, tossing Alexandra the car keys.
    Alexandra hesitated to open the driver’s door.
    â€œGet in and drive,” Taylor ordered. “I have to touch up my pedicure.” She buckled her seat belt. “I totally smeared it trying on these sandals at the mall yesterday.”
    Alexandra smirked as she climbed into the driver’s seat and readjusted the rearview mirror. “This is nothing like my hunk-o-junk Jeep.”
    â€œI know,” Taylor sighed. “When are you going to put that thing out of its misery?”
    â€œNot soon enough,” Alexandra said, cranking the key in the ignition. “Traffic is going to be rough getting out of Atlanta this time of day,” she said over the hum of the powerful, precision-tuned engine.
    â€œTake it slow until you are used to her,” Taylor offered, but Alexandra had already punched the accelerator. With squealing wheels, the auto jumped headfirst into traffic.
    They did not go unnoticed. Across the street, the guitar player spied the girls as they raced away from the curb. He shook his head. With tan, muscular arms, he pulled the guitar away from around his chest. He tucked his raven hair behind his ears and patted the back