22. 22
22
Clad in a powder-blue dressshirt beneath a charcoal jacket and slacks, Will strodethrough the snow to Ava’s front door and knocked. Beyondthe etched glass,he could see the sheen of delicate fabric shimmy in his direction.Ava opened the door, revealing her light pink satin gown with a sweetheart neckline and off-the-shoulder sleeves.Her auburn hair was pinned upin a French twist,framed at the sides by a fewdelicate stray tendrils.
He didn’t blink. “Oh… my. I’m pretty sure my heart just stopped.”
Ava swatted his shoulder with her rhinestone clutch purse and giggled. “I’m not certified in CPR, so let’s hope not.Ready for your first prom?”
Will chuckled. “Yes, I think so. But I believe the high school prom rules still apply. We have to leave room between us for Jesus.”
Will held out an arm, and she took it. Ava laughed.“ What? ”
He walked her down the salted walkway toward his pickup truck. “I think it’s a stodgy way of saying‘don’t grind on each otheron the dance floor.’”
“Ah. Well, that’s no fun.”
“Your corsage is inside, madame. Along with thelittlepin thingyfor my jacket.”
“You really got me a corsage?”
“Of course. Cherry blossoms. As requested.”
“Where the hell did you find cherry blossoms in JacksonHole?”
Will opened the passenger door and helped her up into the seat, hands lingering on her hips for a moment too long. “They had to beimported from China.”
“Are you serious ?” Ava’s jaw hung open.
“...At least that’s what the little tag said when I bought them from the hobby store.”Will beamed and handed her the corsage in a see-through plastic container. Fake cherry blossoms were arranged delicately over a wrist strap.
Ava chuckled. “Thank you.”
“Of course,” Will said. He cupped her face in his warm hands and planted a kiss on her cheek. He could feel the skin beneath his lips heat as she blushed.
“Hey, in case you didn’t know, I really like you,” he said lowly, trailing the tip of his nose on the soft skin near her ear.
Ava was speechless, wanting to say so much, but her lips wouldn’t cooperate. Without another word, heclosed the door and jogged to his side.
Inside, he rubbed his palms together for warmth and started the vehicle. “I feel bad for the guys going to this thing.”
“Why?”Ava slid the corsage onto her wrist and fondled the matching boutonniere.
“Because,” he pulled out onto the street, watching for cars and pedestrians, “I’ll be with the most beautiful woman in there, and all they will be able to do is eat their hearts out. Sad, really.”
“Those poor bastards.” Ava laughed.
During the entireride across town, Will’s smile never left his face.
Teal and purplestreamers hung from a chandelier overhead. Matching balloons adorned each tableas festive centerpieces. White linens and matching chair covers lent someclass to the affair.A large buffet lined aside wall. Abarwith eager staffoccupied the opposite wall. An oversized dance floor in the center of the hall was sparsely peppered witha few brave souls starting the night off with a slow dance.
A deejay stood at a booth in the center remixingnostalgic 90s slow jams .
Will led Ava out to the center of the dance floor. “90s rock. I like it.Think he’d play it if I requested some Nirvana?”
“No.” She laughed, trying not to let her hand tremble in his grasp.
“What about Nine Inch Nails?”
“Look at that goober.” She nodded toward the deejay. “The way he’s dressed, the only nine inch nails he knows about are the ones used after Judas’ betrayal.”
“Oof. Alright.” He thought for a moment. “What about… TLC? Guy looks like he knows a thing or two about chasin’ waterfalls, at the very least.”
Ava snickered and soaked in her surroundings. “This whole thing is pretty cute, I must say.”
“Yeah, it is. Think I got an invite because I donated to their foundation a while back. Pretty sure I’m on their mailing list for life now.”
Ava smiled. “Maybe whatever I do next, I can push for a portion of something to go to a charitylike this.”
“I think whatever you do next, they’ll be lucky to have you.”
“Thanks.” She wrapped her arms around his neck, and he did the same with her waist. In time with the music,they swayed.
In that moment, all that existed in the world was them.
Ava slid a hand up his neck, running her fingers through his thick, dirty blonde hair. Will leaned in and pressed his forehead to hers, lips dangerously close, noses rubbing softly.
“What do you want out of life, Will?”
“I want love.I want to share my life with someone. I want something timeless and passionate, like in the movies.The ’I can’t breathe without you kind of love.’I want to be with someone who challenges me and is driven and fun.”
“Wow.”Ava felt a pang in her chest. How could she ever be that for him?
“What about you,” he whispered in her ear. His voice was like arumble of thunderthrough her body, making the hairs on her arm stand on end.
“I used to think I knew. Watching my parents grow up, I thought I always wanted what they had. I thought loving someone meant cleaning up after them, making them breakfast, bearingtheir kids…because that’s what I saw growing up. Last time I went back to visit my folks, it broke my heart.”
“Why?” His thumbs stroked the dimples at the base of her spine through the fabric of her dress .
“Because it wasn’tlove. Itwas just comfort. There was noromance. No desire. And looking back, I don’t think there ever was.I had always wanted a love like theirs, and yet, they were sort of…miserable. Love is more than obligation. It’s more thanflowers on Valentine’s Dayor a dinner out on your anniversary. It’s the electric air in your lungs, the poundingof needin your veins, thefeeling of being home when you look into someone’s eyes.”
“Iconcur.” Will stared at her for a moment beforeresting his chin gently atopher head.
She inhaledthe woodsy scent of his cologneasthe familiar words of a slow-paced love song filled the silence around them. She felt the thud of his heart against her cheek. She wished she could bottle the moment and keep it forever.
Everything felt… right . As if nothing had suddenly become something . Whenshe imagined her future, he was there. She hadn’t planned on becoming this attached to anyone ever againafter Dan, but here she was, wrapped in the arms of a man she couldn’t seem to get enough of.
Will crooked a finger and brought her chin up with it until he was gazing into her eyes. “This is nice.”
“Yes, it is.” Her hand caressed the back of his head lovingly. Herface warmed with excitement as his face neared hers, lips nearly brushing her own.
“I really want to kiss you right now.”
“I think you should,” she whispered back.
Suddenly, music wafted up from his dress slacks.
“ Thaaaat’s how country boys roll! ”
The tune sounded from his back pocket. His face whipped away as he scrambled in a panic to pick up. It was the ringtone for his home’s landline, one that wouldn’t sound unless something was crucial. “I’m sorry, it’s the babysitter. I have to take this.”
Will plugged one earand pulled away, walkingback to their table.
Ava stood on the dance floor, suddenly abandoned, looking around. She made her way to the bar, ordered a cocktail, and watched Will across the room. Her eyes focused on some women at the next table, eyeing Will like a piece of meat.
Moments later, he approached herwith a look of concern on his face.“It’s Starla. She’s sick.Babysitter said her glucose is, like, alarmingly low.”
“Oh no! I am so sorry to hear that.” Ava frowned.“Go. Don’t worry. I’ll Uber homeor something. ”
Will clutched his jacket nervously. “Want to come with me?” He tried to smile and failed. “I don’t want this night to end, but I also don’t—”
“Say no more.” She managed a smile. “I’d love to.”