Ash resisted the urge to pull her to him, to tell her how amazing she was. He released her hands. “Your perfect night involves bad music and disco lights in the gym? You should raise your standards, KC.”

She smiled a secret smile. “No, it involves bad music, disco lights, and…” She leaned forward and lowered her voice. “Graham asking me to marry him.”

The dancing people in the background seemed to freeze in Ash’s vision, the world halting. “What?”

Kincaid bit her lip like she couldn’t contain her excitement. “I know it sounds crazy, but he said if we elope this summer when we turn eighteen, we can apply for the married student dorm and I can share in some of his scholarship money. We won’t have to live separately, and I can break any ties to my mom for good.”

Ash stared at her, his skin going clammy. “You said yes?”

She rubbed goose bumps from her arms. “I told him I needed to think about it. I mean, it’s a big deal. I wasn’t expecting that.”

A hard tremor moved through him. “No shit. You’re out of your fucking mind to even consider it.”

She reared back like he’d slapped her. “Wow, tell me how you really feel, Ash.”

“I’m serious, KC. That’s nuts.”

“Is it really, though?” she asked. “I know we’re young, but I mean, it’s Graham. I love him. When you know, you know. Soul mates. Why wait?”

Ash’s heartbeat was racing like he’d run a marathon. Had he passed out and was now having some nightmare? “You wait because it’s dumb not to. Moving in with him would already be a really big deal. You don’t need to marry the guy. That’s crazy.”

His head was spinning. He knew enough to know that Kincaid couldn’t be thinking straight. This was some fucked-up fairy tale she’d conjured up where she got rescued by the prince, had some magical life that would be nothing like how she’d grown up. He wanted to kidnap her until she came to her senses.

Kincaid’s eyes narrowed. “Did you just call me crazy?”

“You’re acting that way by even considering this,” he said without apology. “If you’re really that desperate to get away from your mom, come with me.”

“With you?” she asked as if that were the most preposterous idea ever.

“Why not? We could be roommates. And I don’t come with strings like Graham. You don’t have to promise me a lifelong commitment and unlimited sex to get access to my bank account.”

The ugly words were out before he could stop them.

“Screw you, Ash,” she said. “I thought of all people, you would understand.”

“KC, you can’t—”

But before he could get out his words, Graham stepped up to join them. He threw an arm around Kincaid and smiled a lopsided smile. “They’re about to announce prom king and queen. You ready, babe?”

Kincaid, a practiced expert at putting on a happy face, dropped the dagger look she was shooting at Ash and smiled brightly at her boyfriend. “I was born ready.”