Chapter 28 #2
My fingers dig into my pocket, fiddling with the cool metal of the necklace.
When the driver pulls up and parks, I let him know the other half of the party is on her way as I anxiously turn back toward the house.
To my surprise, her window is now dark. A rustling sound pulls my attention to the side yard as Avery materializes from the night.
With each step she takes closer to me, my heart thuds a little faster.
Her olive skin contrasts with the deep red of her dress, rivaled only by her inky waves that fall softly around her shoulders. I’m awestruck, only realizing once we’re almost face-to-face that my jaw is slack.
“Is it too much?” she asks, gesturing to the fitted bodice of her dress. “I’ve never been to a ball before. Or worn a corset. I might have gone a little too far.”
I shake my head, chewing my lip until my mouth regains some moisture. “No. Nope. You look… You’re beautiful, Avery.”
In the lowlight of dusk, I swear her cheeks take on a rosy hue.
“Thanks. You look…” She does a little circle around me, giving me a full view of her as she does.
Her floor-length skirt is more modest than most I see these days, but there’s something incredibly sexy about that.
Everything in me cries out to grab her, pull her close, to never let her go. But I resist.
“You look so good, Ty,” she finishes.
“I look boring compared to you.”
“No, you look dapper.”
“Dapper?”
She nods. “I’m sorry, is handsome better?
I love that you went neutral. It goes perfectly with the mask.
” It’s only then that I realize she’s holding two masks.
She thrusts the more masculine-looking one into my hands—matte black with gold details.
“You’re what dreams are made of. If you don’t already have a wedding date, you’ll find one tonight. ”
She winks and then dives through the door the driver’s just opened. I suck in a steadying breath before thanking the driver and following in behind her.
“You know, I think you think about me finding a wedding date more than I do,” I say as the door shuts and the driver rounds the SUV.
“Maybe I just wish I could go.” She shrugs. “Your mom and sister sound great, and I love weddings. So maybe I’m just a little jealous.”
I can’t help the laugh that escapes me. Which is immediately followed by an unwelcome warmth in my chest.
“I like when you laugh,” she says.
The warmth intensifies, and for a split second, I’m locked in on her.
Hyper-aware of everything that is Avery Hinkley.
The way her soft curls fall over her shoulders.
The way the green in her hazel eyes shines in the strips of light illuminating the back of the car.
The freckles that trip over each other when she wrinkles her button nose.
Partner that with her gothic get-up, and that’s enough to send me over the edge.
But if I’m losing it over anyone, it might as well be her.
Her nimble fingers rush to her throat. “My necklace! I totally forgot.”
Digging into my pocket, I brandish it and hand it over. The driver starts the engine, calling back to us to assure we’re ready before speeding off in the direction of Santa Mirada.
“Thanks. I hope it wasn’t hard to fix. As long as it holds together for the night, right?
” she says, snatching it up and draping it across her dainty collarbones.
“If I had more time to fix it, I totally could have. I’ve gotten good at that over the years.
You can only get yelled at so many times for screwing something up before you figure out ways to cover your tracks. ”
My brow dips. “Cover your tracks?”
“My dad had a temper. Yelled a lot. Still does, especially around the holidays. We had to tiptoe around him every time December 20th hit. Like clockwork. That or if the Kings didn’t make it into the playoffs.
” She tugs at the necklace, still attempting to clip it.
“What’s messed up is every person I’ve ever dated had the same kind of attitude.
Mad for no reason, clammed up if they suddenly got emotional.
Any anger directed at a game immediately circled back to me. ”
My shoulders tense. How could people ever be mean to Avery? Especially the ones in her life who were supposed to love her most. “Family can be hard to get along with, to say the least. Maggie and I have had our issues—obviously, we still do—but I’m trying not to take her for granted.”
Why was I telling her all this? Why am I making this about me?
“But I’m sorry. That’s not fair. You, of all people, don’t deserve that. You don’t deserve to be taken for granted.”
She shrugs. “It’s okay. And I’m sorry about you and Maggie.
I can’t say that the fighting and yelling isn’t hurtful, but it’s helped me get really good at stuff.
Like fixing my little snafus. Wanna know my favorite surprise-tool?
” Before I can reply, she’s already propelling into the answer. “The butterknife.”
I bark a laugh, and she laughs too, the mood lightening once again.
“It can be a screwdriver, a chisel, a mini-crowbar to pry something open. It’s not just for butter anymore.
It’s saved my butt too many times to count when I’ve manhandled something.
” Her arms drop, and she takes a measuring breath as she unhooks the little claw and brings the necklace back up to her neck.
She tries once, twice, and a third time to clip on the piece of costume jewelry before turning to me.
“My fingers are on fire! You might have better luck.”
I nod, swallowing hard before inching closer across the bench seat that separates us.
Her head lolls to the side, and I watch as her red-painted fingertips collect her curls, pinning them to the nape of her neck.
I try to steady my grip as I grab both ends of the necklace and pull it around her.
The tiny clasp is a hassle. My thick fingers struggle to open it, grazing her warm skin every time I attempt to latch it.
Avery’s lithe shoulders rise and fall with each breath as she patiently waits for me to coax the necklace into compliance. Finally, the clasp opens, I hook the eye, and it settles into place.
“Ugh. What a pain. Thank you.” She releases her curls, turning to me over her shoulder.
I’m hypnotized as I watch the way they fall back into place around her face.
Her gentle eyes appraise me before squeezing shut. “You’re gonna think this is so weird, and it’s okay if you say no… But I have vampire teeth.”
The snort that escapes me is less than attractive. “What?”
“I bought fake vampire teeth. They’ve never been worn, but you do have to glue them in.” She leans back, unable to bend from anywhere but the hip due to the structure of her top. Her chest rises and falls as she digs through some hidden pocket in her full skirt, and I can’t look away. “Found them!”
She gestures for me to hold out my hands, and I obey. A small black case drops into my palms. I pop it open, and inside are two pearly-white teeth—I presume made of resin—and a tiny tube of adhesive.
“I thought it might be fun to go all out,” she says quietly. “After reading that vampire book you suggested, I couldn’t resist.”
I suck breath in through my teeth, wanting to tell her no. If it were anyone else, I would. No questions asked. But it’s Avery. She’s excited, and I can’t bring myself to turn her down.
“Do it,” I finally say.
She squeals with excitement, inching closer across the seat. She grabs a little tissue from the box that comes with the tooth kit and instructs me to smile. “I know it’s hard for you, but show me your teeth.”
I smile again, the feeling no longer foreign since being in her presence so frequently. Something that once was such a rare thing now feels so natural with her near. Clearing my throat, I tilt my head back, flashing the teeth my mom forked over thousands to straighten once upon a time. “This good?”
If I didn’t know any better, I’d say her breath catches, but maybe that’s my fiction-reading mind diving in too deep.
“That’s perfect,” she breathes, leaning in.
Swabbing my canines with a little cloth, she dries them completely before applying the tooth-glue.
Her touch is slow and attentive, a slight crease forming between her brows as she concentrates.
She’s so close to me. I study her face, admiring everything from her thick lashes to the curve of her lips.
An impulsive heat curls through me, my fingers itching to reach up and run a thumb over her soft mouth.
I squeeze my eyes shut, locking my hands to my sides before I can do anything stupid.
“Thanks for insisting we go,” she finally says.
My eyes squeeze tighter as I mull over my words. “Of course. I know how important it is to you.”
“You have no idea. But, Ty, I need you to hold still just a second longer. No talking.”
“Sorry.”
She giggles and applies another dab of glue to each tooth before her gentle fingers wiggle the prosthetics into place.
My pulse skyrockets at the way she touches my lips, and I wish desperately—silently—that it wasn’t just her fingers gliding over my mouth.