Chapter 22
Chapter Twenty-Two
FAITH
The doorbell rang, and I rushed over and pulled it open. Adam’s hair was styled and stiff with gel, and he wore a blue button-up shirt and khakis.
“Wow.” His eyes opened wider as they traveled over me and my dress. “You look beautiful,” he whispered.
I blushed. “Thanks, you’re not so bad yourself.”
“Here.” He handed me a bouquet of roses and daisies, with a little stuffed snowman. “These are for you.” His cheeks flushed, and he put his hand on the back of his neck. “Danny helped pick the flowers, and he insisted the snowman went with them.” He fidgeted with his hands.
His nervousness was adorable.
“Well, Danny was obviously right.” I smiled. “The snowman is the perfect addition.” I searched his eyes. “Thank you, both of you.”
He visibly relaxed as I accepted his gift. Did he think I wouldn’t like it? I nodded behind me. “Want to come in? I’ll go put these in water.” I turned and headed toward the kitchen. Adam followed me through the house.
“Faith?” The question was clear in his voice. I turned to see him pointing to my Christmas tree in the living room. My very dead and crispy Christmas tree.
“That tree needs to be thrown out. It’s a fire hazard.”
“I know, but I can’t just throw it away…” I furrowed my brow.
I sighed and grabbed a stool, pulling it over to vases on top of the fridge. I went to stand on it, and Adam rushed over.
“Here allow me.”
I put my foot back down as he easily reached the vases on the fridge and handed me on a clear cylinder one.
“Thanks.” I took the base and began filling it will water.
“What are you planning on doing with the crispy tree?” Adam tilted his head.
I chuckled. “Okay, I know. It needs to be thrown away. It just felt wrong. It was such a kind gift.” It was turning brown, and the pine needles were falling everywhere.
Adam rolled his eyes. “It’s just a tree.” He squatted down and started loosening the bolts at the base.
I placed the flowers on the counter and walked over to him. “It’s a near-perfect tree, actually.”
“Well, I’m taking it outside. I can’t be the reason your house burns down.” He hefted the tree out of the base; needles fell everywhere. He held it out at a weird angle trying not to make a mess.
“Thank you. For the gift, and the disposal.” I rushed past him down the hall and opened the front door. He walked past. “The dumpster is over there on the left.” I pointed.
I sighed. I was really sad to see it go. It brought such happy memories.
After he dropped the tree near the dumpster, he came back toward me. I giggled. “You look like you have tree sprinkles all over you.”
He brushed off his sleeves, and pine needles fell around him like confetti.
“Here, let me help.” I went on my tiptoes to reach up to get the ones in his hair. I wasn’t tall enough. Our eyes met and I froze. “I can’t reach your hair, you need to bend down.”
I kept all my wild fantasies to myself as he lowered his head.
His hair was stiff in my fingers as I picked out the needles.
He was close enough I could smell his citrus scent and feel his warm breath on my skin.
My arms got goosebumps from the cold, but a jacket would ruin the look of this dress, so I chose the cold. “You ready?”
“Yep.” He walked me over to his truck and held open the door for me.
I might have flashed more leg than intended, but it was a big step into his truck. I could be wrong, but I think he noticed. Adam hopped into the truck and glanced quickly at my legs again.
He had! I held back a giggle.
This sexy man was checking me out.
“So, is Danny with your mom?” I shifted slightly and crossed one leg over the other. His eyes flicked back to my bare legs, and then traveled up the length of them. I was definitely going to be thanking Rose for the dress later.
Adam cleared his throat and focused back on the road as he navigated the familiar streets. “Sorry. What were you saying?”
I bit back my grin. “I was asking about Danny.”
Adam kept his eyes firmly on the road. “Oh, he is good, other than he felt that since it was his idea, he should also come to the dance.”
“He has some great dance moves.”
Adam chuckled. “Better than mine, that’s for sure.”
We talked for the rest of the drive. I usually hate small talk, but there was something about Adam that calmed my nerves.
He pulled into the parking lot, opened my door, and helped me out of his truck.
We walked into the school, my hand pressed into his elbow.
Streamers flowed over the entrance as Adam led us into the dance.
The lunchroom had been converted to a dance floor, complete with Christmas lights and fake Christmas trees. There were teenagers holding hands and whispering, a group surrounded the food table, and a horrified girl gawked at the dance floor at what I assumed were her parents dancing and kissing.
“Adam.” A lady with an enormous smile and high ponytail patted his arm. “I’m so glad you could make it. Even if you were a few minutes late.” She checked her watch.
“Sorry, Danny didn’t see why he couldn’t come.”
She rolled her eyes, and then her gaze landed on me. “I’m Brandy.” She held out her hand to shake.
I shook her hand. “Hey. I’m Faith.”
“Have fun.” She winked at me and then raised her brow at Adam.
What did she mean by that? I panicked and reached for my ring. But it was gone. I started rubbing my finger where the ring usually sat.
Adam reached over and grabbed my hand in his, nodded, and led me through the outskirts of the dance floor to the far side.
We walked by a dark corner where a set of teenagers were making out, and Adam kicked the shoe of the boy softly.
The boy looked up, glaring daggers, but when he saw it was Adam, he immediately muttered “Sorry” and held his date’s hand, looking anywhere but at his date or Adam.
When we reached the corner, he leaned against the wall, and I waited for him to drop my hand. But he didn’t.
The song changed from a slow one to a fast one that a bunch of girls must have known a line dance to as they rushed the dance floor. Groups of teenagers danced and jumped around, screaming song lyrics.
A boy came over with a cute blonde by his side. “Hey, Coach.”
“Jacob.”
“I was wondering if we should try switching to conditioning after practice, when our muscles are already tired. I also saw this thing where you scrimmage but you can’t shoot till you have passed the ball at least four times.”
Adam listened thoroughly, weighing and respecting the boy’s opinions. I made eye contact with the girl, she was not impressed that her date was talking about sports while they were at a dance. We both waited a few minutes, but the conversation didn’t seem like a quick one.
I bumped Adam with my shoulder, and he immediately gazed down at me. I gestured to the boy’s date. “Maybe this can be handled later?”
I held my breath, waiting for him to dismiss me or be frustrated that I had made him look a certain way. Adam looked at Jacob’s date and smiled.
“Yes, of course. Thanks for the idea. I will think about it, and we can talk about it”–he winked down at me—“later.”
The girl grinned at me and then dragged her date away.
Speaking up had left me a little shaky. “Sorry, Adam. I shouldn’t have spoken up like that when I had no idea what I was talking about.” Now that the moment was over, anxiety flooded my system.
“What are you talking about?” Adam’s eyebrows pulled down.
“With your captain and the date and sports and I just…”
“Hey.” He looked down at me. “You have every right to speak up when you think or feel something. You know that, right?”
I studied my feet as a new slow song came on. “I wish I could do it without this.” I held up my other hand to show him it was shaking and rolled my eyes.
“Faith, will you dance with me?” He held out his hand.
I stepped closer. “Yes.” I bit my lip and placed my hand in his.
He slowly pulled me closer and led me out onto the dance floor as the slow song played through the budget school stereo system.
He put one hand on the small of my back, his large palms warming my skin through the soft fabric.
I placed my hands on his shoulders and felt his muscles shift underneath them as we moved to the music.
He held me, creating peace and safety from the storm in my mind.
Adam’s mouth lowered to my ear. “Have I told you you look beautiful tonight?”
I grinned and glanced up into his eyes. “You have, but I don’t mind the repetition.”
“In that case, you look beautiful.” His brown eyes stared into mine, and he leaned closer, his lips resting on my forehead.
My breath caught. “Thanks.” Even in heels, I barely made it mid biceps. Time slowed, and I felt safe in his arms, safe and like I never wanted to leave. Like the whole world melted away, and it was just the two of us.
Adam’s hand increased pressure on my back until there was no space between us.
I studied his eyes, I wanted to remember everything about tonight.
The curve of his lips, the warmth of his eyes.
Time stood still and I found myself pulled into a world I never wanted to leave.
A pull to be closer physically and mentally.
I wanted to know Adam. I wanted to know his favorite dessert and favorite color.
I wanted to know his favorite song, and whether he snored when he slept.
I think I was falling in love with Adam.
And for tonight, I could pretend he was mine. The song ended, and he grabbed my hand and kissed it. I felt like I was glowing. “I’m going to go grab some water. Do you want some?”
“Sure.” I pursed my lips together to keep my happy squeals inside.
Adam stepped away to get us some drinks, and a hand clamped tightly around my arm and pulled me spinning around.
“Wha… What?” I was suddenly face-to-face with a furious Jessica.
“You might have Adam fooled for now, but it won’t last. He’ll get bored and move on. Just like he did with me.” Her face was red as she leaned close to my face.
My brain whirled, trying to come up with something to say, but nothing would come. I stood there, rooted.
“You’re a joke, with your fake sweet persona, but who are you really?” Jessica raised her brows. ”I bet Adam would be interested in who you were before you showed up here.”
I searched her eyes in a panic, feeling like I was falling through the air. Did she know about my past? “Wait. What?”
“Ha!” Jessica smirked. “I knew it! Sweet little Faith has a past. Well.” Jessica raised her right eyebrow. “I’m going to find it, and I’m going to make you wish you never came here.”
My breath caught in my throat.
Adam put his hand on top of Jessica’s, pulling it off my arm. “Jessica, that’s enough.” He growled as he stepped between Jessica and me.
She ripped her arm out of his grasp. “Did you see that?” She smirked. “I told you, she’s hiding something.”
The room began staring at us and whispering. What were they saying? I wasn’t sure how to hold my arms, and I cleared my throat. I wished I could shrink and disappear. The air was heavy, too heavy to breathe in. My throat tightened.
“Jessica, go home.” Adam’s voice left no room for discussion.
“I’m volunteering.” Jessica folded her arms across her chest and raised her brow. “I can’t leave.”
I just stood there like an idiot. Wanting to say something, wanting to run, wanting to scream. I did absolutely nothing.
“Well, then we are leaving.” Adam turned away from Jessica and reached for my hand. I placed my palm in his, and he gently guided me toward the edge of the room, pulling up the roots my feet had grown, and led me to the side.
“I don’t know what her problem is. I gave her the benefit of the doubt, but last time I was very explicit that I wasn’t interested.” Adam shook his head, and I noticed several people lean in closer to hear the one-sided conversation.
Anxiety prickled and climbed its way up my spine. It grew large enough to swallow me whole.
No, not right now! Get your crap together, girl! I rocked slightly, feeling my breath coming faster, but not deep enough to slow my racing heart.
Adam stood in front of me, blocking Jessica from view. He handed me the cup of water, I took it with shaking hands.
I could feel eyes all over the room on me, and the air felt sticky on my skin. I rubbed my throat, trying to clear my airway. I reached for my ring, frustrated to remember it was still gone. Sounds were muffled around me, and I gasped for air, but there was none.
Where was the air? I couldn’t breathe. The walls pressed tighter at every angle.
“Hey, are you okay?” Adam’s voice found its way through the panic in my mind. He took the shaking cup from my hands and lowered so he was at eye level with me.
“Um, yes…kinda…” My breath caught. I needed to get out of here. “I’m just going to get some fresh air.” I stepped out of his arms, head down, and started rushing for the exit. I couldn’t leave fast enough, but I needed to concentrate or I would collapse into panic right here. Just make it outside.
“I’m coming with you.” I felt Adam’s presence at my side. He wrapped his arm around my shoulders and led me to the exit. The pressure he applied at my side held me together.