I loved Kendall. We’d always been friends, but the crush on her came and went. That was why I’d never acted on it. I knew that if I made my move too soon, I’d lose her. Kendall was the forever kind of girl.

Most of the time, I thought we were actually perfect together. That was usually following a breakup. And I had a lot of breakups. I tried to ensure that I had a steady stream of dates so that I wouldn’t do something stupid with Kendall. Naturally, none of those relationships ever worked out.

I should have figured it out sooner, that Kendall was the one for me. Then fate handed me the perfect opportunity. The Bear Creek Music Festival was just around the corner. Her parents were holding their annual party weekend. She needed a date. I didn’t even need to ask because she kind of volunteered me.

I wanted her to see me with her family, fitting in. I wanted her to imagine the life we could have together. This wasn’t about a friend doing a friend a favor over the course of a weekend. This was about showing her I wanted a lifetime together. For her, I’d take a chance, even if it meant risking our friendship forever.