He arched a brow and I clapped a hand over my mouth. “I didn’t mean that in a bad way!”

He cracked up and relief flooded through me. “It kind of does look like I should be escorting you into a limo. I guess I don’t buy a lot of fancy clothes.”

“Don’t worry, neither do I. Nowhere to go.”

His gaze flicked over me, and he didn’t try to hide his male appreciation. But it didn’t feel icky or sexual, just nice. “I would’ve assumed you have a date every weekend and were prom queen. You look amazing in that dress.”

I blushed. I had a few standard cocktail dresses, but this one was a bit more fancy. I’d found it on clearance and begged Mom to buy it for me, even though I had nowhere to wear it. She surprised me by agreeing, saying a woman always needed a solid backup in her closet for emergencies. The gold slinky fabric clung to my body, but it had a high neckline and a low back and draped to the floor. The fabric shimmered so it looked like light bounced off me when I moved. It was sophisticated but sexy, and I felt really good about myself when I wore it. Even though my boobs were too small and my butt too round, I didn’t tear myself apart like I usually did with my clothes.

“Thanks. Nah, I’m not into school dances or formal functions. Not my scene.” I thought of my friends showing off at the country club events with their money and fancy clothes, trying to score the hottest boys, who were mostly assholes. Then the image of David flickered in my memory. We’d FaceTimed yesterday after Nonni went to bed. He told me about his night, when Freda and Connor got drunk and passed out in the RV while he played in a dive bar till two a.m. He’d said the crowd was a bit lame but the bartender mentioned he had a cool voice and to keep trying. I wished I was with him to experience a summer with no rules, but I was scared of breaking the law and about getting caught with drugs again.

I was so lame, but I didn’t like getting in trouble. I wished there was a way to push boundaries without crossing them completely. “I’ll probably skip senior prom too.”

Ian nodded with understanding. “I was never with the cool kids either. Had a few close friends in high school, but I sailed under the radar. College was better. Do you know what school you want to go to? Senior, right?”