Rescuing Harlow by Aubree Valentine

Prologue

Seven Years Ago…

“Harlow?” Zane’s baritone voice vibrated over her shoulder before he came into view.

“Oh, hey, Zane.” She quickly wiped her eyes and tried to hide her tears.

Crying into her milkshake after school wasn’t exactly what she had in mind but it’s what happened after Tommy Castle dumped her – two weeks before their junior prom.

“Hey,” Zane slid in the booth beside her and put an arm around her, hugging her close. “What’s the tears for?”

Of course, Zane would want to know what was wrong, after all, they’d been best friends since Sunday School.

“It’s nothing,” she shrugged it off.

“Doesn’t look like nothing. The Harlow I know, doesn’t cry over nothing.”

Damnit. He was right. Harlow didn’t cry over ‘nothing’.

“I guess you didn’t hear about what happened at lunchtime today,” her voice cracked as she recalled the embarrassment all over again.

“Can’t say that I did. I might have snuck out at lunch.” He leaned in to whisper in her ear, “don’t tell anyone.”

A shiver ran down her spine. Zane shouldn’t have that effect on her. He was her best friend for crying out loud and she’d just had her heart broken by a loser.

Harlow signed. “Tommy dumped me. Apparently, he’s going to prom with Summer Edison, too.”

She could practically see the anger light Zane’s eyes on fire. His jaw clenched before he grumbled through gritted teeth. “Fuck Tommy, and Summer for that matter. You don’t need him. That guy is an asshole, I told you that a long time ago.”

“Yeah, you also claim to be an asshole but who’s the one sitting here consoling me?” Harlow rolled her eyes.

Zane reached over and took the milkshake from her hand and stole a drink. “Nah. I just wanted to share a milkshake with a pretty girl,” he winked.

“Shut up,” a smile played on the corner of her lips. Zane was always good at making her feel better, one way or another.

“So, about prom. See, looks like me and you both have the same problem.”

“Oh, really. Did Tommy dump you too?”

“Sure did. How about we really give them something to talk about? What do you say? Harlow Keller, will you go to prom with me?”

Harlow’s eyes widened and her jaw dropped. There was no way he was serious. It just wasn’t possible. They may have been friends, but Zane Clark was out of her league.

“Pick your jaw up, ‘Low. I’m asking you to go to prom with me.”

“You’re serious,” she gasped.

“Dead serious. I’ll walk down to the florist and order a corsage and boutonniere right now,” he said with a sexy smirk while twirling a strand of her dark blonde locks around one of his fingers.

“I don’t need you to take me to prom out of pity, Zane. The offer is sweet, and I love you for it, but it’s fine. I didn’t really want to go anyway.”

Zane’s brow rose. “One, I know you’re lying about not wanting to go. You’ve been planning your perfect prom moment since we were in elementary school. You’re on the planning committee, so I know you’re going. Two, I’m not asking out of pity. I’m asking because I want to take you to prom. Besides, you can’t win prom queen if you don’t show up.”

This time Harlow laughed. “Zane, I think we both know I’m not going to win prom queen. I appreciate you trying to make me feel better though.”

“Don’t bet on not winning. Now, what color is your dress? Wait – it’s pink, isn’t it? I remember the picture you sent me when you were trying it on at the store.”

“Yes, it’s pink.”

Only Zane would remember the color of her prom dress. Any other teenage boy wouldn’t bother.

“Great. You finish up that milkshake and I’ll see you around. I need to go order flowers,” he said with a gentle kiss on her cheek.

Before she could protest, Zane was out of the booth and rushing out the door.

* * *

The doorbell rang shortly after five o’clock and Finn Keller answered, welcoming Zane into their living room.

“Zane,” he said with a terse nod.

He wasn’t exactly Mr. Keller’s favorite. Could be because Zane liked to cause a little bit of trouble. Didn’t exactly matter that it was all mostly innocent. A few times Zane did things that he wouldn’t have gotten away with if not for his father and that seemed to be more than enough to land him on Finn’s bad side.

“Mr. Keller,” Zane shook the man’s hand. “Mrs. Keller,” he gave Harlow’s mom a quick hug.

At least one of Harlow’s parents was mostly on his side.

“We can’t thank you enough for doing this for Harlow,” Mrs. Keller said.

“Doing what? Going to prom with her? Are you kidding? I’m the lucky one here, Ma’am.”

Before Zane could say anything else, Mr. Keller chimed in. “You got that right. It would serve you well to remember that, too.”

Zane nodded. “I can promise you; I won’t forget for a minute how special she is.”

From the top of the staircase, Harlow stood next to her older sister and listened to the whole conversation. Scarlett nudged her side and smiled; Harlow shrugged it off. The last thing she wanted to do was get her hopes up that a guy like Zane liked her as anything more than a friend.

“I’m telling you; he likes you,” Scarlett whispered.

“Doubtful, he’s just being nice. It’s who he is.” Harlow replied.

Scarlett rolled her eyes. “You ready?”

Harlow shook her head and Scarlett headed down the steps first. She gave Zane a good-natured shoulder bump, “I hope you’re ready to see your girl.”

Zane’s breath momentarily caught in his throat the moment Harlow stepped into view. The pink tea-length gown she wore looked a thousand times better in person than it ever did in the picture she sent him back when she was dress shopping. Her hair was pulled back into loose curls that draped down her back and the light dusty of makeup on her face made her already beautiful features pop. To put it simply, she was stunning.

“Wow,” Zane whispered under his breath. “Beautiful,” he said a little louder so that Harlow could hear him. “You…look beautiful.”

She blushed and looked down at the ground. Zane reached out and gently tilted her head up. “Don’t do that. Don’t hide. Own it, Harlow. You’re going to be the most beautiful girl at the dance.”

“Okay you two, enough of that. Your chariot is waiting,” Scarlett bounced on her toes. “Let’s get pictures over with so I can get you two to dinner and the dance on time.

They both laughed as Zane fumbled with the corsage before finally slipping it on her wrist. Harlow then took the boutonniere that matched perfectly and pinned it to the lapel of Zane’s jacket.

Zane’s parents were waiting when the couple stepped outside to take pictures. Both moms cried while everyone snapped a dozen pictures until Scarlett practically shoved them both into the back of her parent’s SUV.

The rest of the night was more than Harlow could have ever dreamed of. Little did Harlow realize; Zane had been working his magic on the entire school and campaigning for Harlow for Prom Queen the entire time. The look on Tommy, and Summer’s face for that matter, when Harlow one – was priceless and would go down as one of Zane’s best memories of that night. The only downside to Harlow winning was that she had to dance one dance with Tommy. One single dance, while Zane grit his teeth the entire time.

The minute he could steal his Prom Queen back, Zane wrapped her in his arms and spun her around on the dance floor like the true queen she was.

And that was the moment their ‘not a relationship, relationship’ began.