Chapter 6
Six
Aspen didn’t think anything of the fact that Brooks excused himself during their meal.
She assumed he’d gone to the restroom, either because nature was calling or he needed a few minutes’ break from the discussion, which had, admittedly, gotten a lot heavier than the easy flirtation they’d been enjoying before.
But the self-satisfied expression he wore when he settled back into his seat raised her curiosity.
“What?”
“What what?” he parroted.
She circled a finger toward his face. “What is this look? You look like you’ve been sneaking.”
“Sneaking? Why, whatever do you mean?” Humor underscored his attempt at maintaining innocence.
“You’re up to something.”
He forked up another bite of steak. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Uh huh. The same way you had no idea how we ended up with the VIP package at the Empire State Building? I know that was you. Somehow.”
“And if it was?” he challenged.
If it was, that was simply further proof that he was such a very good, sweet man.
“You didn’t have to do that.”
“Since I didn’t actually do anything but watch you enjoy yourself immensely, I maintain I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Right.” But Aspen let the subject drop. She understood that whatever he’d done this time, she wouldn’t find out about it until he was good and ready.
That turned out to be not long after they finished dinner. A small box came along with their check—which just got charged to their cabin. Aspen made a mental note to talk to him later about how they’d handle the splitting of expenses on that front.
“What’s that?”
“You’ll see,” he insisted. “C’mon. We have somewhere to be.”
“We do?”
“We do.”
When he held out his hand, she took it, willing to play along with whatever he had in mind. This whole fake engagement was meant to be an adventure, after all.
They strolled companionably from the main lodge, back toward the lake.
The sun hung low in the sky, not yet setting, but offering a stunning backdrop to the water.
The golden hour. Its light seemed to limn everything in a gorgeous glow that felt a little like magic.
Or maybe that was the company she found herself in.
Aspen noted other guests making their way toward a large building that ran alongside a long pier.
As they neared, faint strains of music thumped from within.
Brooks steered her in that direction, the little box tucked into his other hand.
Not until they were just outside the doors did he stop and extend it.
“Here. You’re going to need this.”
Brimming with curiosity, Aspen opened it to find… Well, she wasn’t entirely sure what she was looking at. It appeared to be a cluster of flowers made from pipe cleaners.
“It’s a corsage,” Brooks added. “Can’t do prom without one.”
Aspen’s heart gave a little swoop. “Prom? I don’t understand.”
“Turns out, they have a dance to open every camp session. I know it’s not quite the same, without the tux and fancy dress and limo ride, but I thought you might enjoy the vibe.”
The swoop turned into a veritable swoon. Less than an hour and a half. He’d known about her missed prom for less than ninety minutes, and he’d gone out of his way to find a way to give some of it back to her.
Aspen’s eyes stung. “This is… really above and beyond, Brooks.”
He plucked the corsage from the box and began to fasten it to her wrist, his fingers gentle as they brushed her skin. “What kind of fiancé would I be if I didn’t romance you from time to time?”
It felt as if he’d been romancing her almost from the moment they’d met.
As she looked up into those bright blue eyes, noting the smile lines at the corners, she wished for a few insane seconds that this wasn’t a ruse.
That they’d have more time than this week.
That he’d be a part of her everyday. Because, God, he was everything she’d been missing in her life.
Moved beyond words, she laid the corsage-bedecked hand against his chest, right over his clearly enormous heart, and rose to her toes to brush her lips over his in gratitude. “You are an unbearably sweet man. What will that do for your reputation on the ice?”
“Not a thing. You’re the only one who’s getting sweet from me.”
Aspen had a feeling his mom had been on the receiving end of that sweetness.
Which made her a lucky woman before she’d passed.
What did it mean that he was sharing it with Aspen now?
They weren’t strangers anymore. Couldn’t be called that after the time they’d spent together.
She didn’t know exactly what they were. Just… more than they had been.
Don’t overthink it.
Her mother’s voice echoed through her mind, shutting off the mental spiral that might have robbed some of the joy in the moment.
Aspen took Brooks’s hand. “Well, then, you’d better come dance with me.”
The long building turned out to be a boathouse.
She could see evidence of that underneath the dozens of ropes of cafe lights.
A bar had been set up in one corner of the big room, with a couple dozen small tables lining the perimeter, where guests stood and talked and drank.
But most were on the dance floor in the middle, twisting and gyrating to the N’Sync song currently blasting from the speakers.
“Honestly, we’re mostly just missing the balloon arch,” Brooks observed.
She glanced up at him through her lashes. “A vital part of the prom experience?”
“I mean, that and the spiked punch. Do you want a drink?”
Her lips twitched. “Trying to get out of dancing?”
He flattened a hand against his chest. “I would never.”
“Can you dance?” A lot of guys couldn’t or wouldn’t. At least, that had been her experience back in high school.
With a look of utter defiance, he took one step backward onto the dance floor and promptly burst into the “Bye Bye Bye” choreography.
Several other guests cheered and clustered around to join him for an impromptu dance party.
Aspen threw back her head and laughed, absolutely delighted with him.
She saw more than one phone come out to film it, and reflected that she’d have done so herself if she’d brought hers.
Not that she thought she’d forget the sight of him popping and locking or whatever all those dance moves were called.
When the song ended, she grinned and clasped both hands over her chest. “Be still my inner-tween heart. That was very impressive.”
Brooks snagged her at the waist as a slow song started. “Had to prove my cred.”
Aspen looped her arms around his shoulders, loving the feel of those muscles beneath her palms. “Dare I ask why you know that dance?”
He offered a sheepish shrug. “My mom was a big fan of boy bands. We learned all the dances when I was growing up. Though, admittedly, I usually have to be far more heavily intoxicated to pull any of that out when I’m not in my own living room.”
She loved how he talked about his mother, voice full of unselfconscious affection. It was so very clear they’d been close.
Curling her fingers in the hair at his nape, she moved closer. “Thank you for sharing that with me.”
One corner of his mouth kicked up. “She’d have gotten a kick out of it.”
There was still grief in his eyes, but it was less in the moment.
Aspen knew well enough that he hadn’t yet turned the corner.
Grief would continue to be an unwelcome guest that popped up for a long time to come.
But she was glad he was able to talk about her without hurting quite so much for now.
Those happy memories were the thing that would keep him afloat in the harder times.
Brooks pulled her a little closer as they swayed. “So, what other unfulfilled prom dreams did you have?”
“I don’t know. I haven’t really given any thought to prom in years until tonight.”
“Was it all about the dress for you, or did you have plans with your date for after?” His eyebrow waggle made it very clear what sort of plans he meant.
With the distance of years, she could laugh about it now.
“No to the plans. Yes to the dress.” The dress made her think of that shopping trip, and her mom’s wisdom about strapless bras.
And that brought her back to the lump she’d actually forgotten about for whole hours at a time since she’d met this man.
Something must’ve shown in her expression because Brooks lost some of the teasing edge. “What?”
Determined not to let what was to come ruin what was now, she forced a smile. “Just having a moment to think how much my mom would’ve liked you. And also how she’d be fully in support of making that kind of post-prom plans now. Since we’re reenacting and all.”
“Your mom would’ve been cool with that?” He looked dubious at that pronouncement.
“At eighteen? Probably not. My high school boyfriend was not long-term material. But I’m not eighteen anymore.” And you are definitely long-term material. Even if I don’t get to keep you.
She ignored the pang she felt at that.
His hand shifted a little lower to rest just above the curve of her ass. “I had noticed.”
“Good of you.”
“Do you want to get out of here?”
“Not just yet. You went to all this trouble to get me a corsage. Seems a shame not to hang out a while.” Plus, she was enjoying dancing with him.
“Your wish.”
So they stayed. Song after song. Slow and fast and slow again. Aspen couldn’t remember the last time she’d been this relaxed and free. Probably before her mom died. If this was what she had to look forward to over the next week, she was an incredibly lucky woman.
The sun had set by the time the dance ended and they made their way back toward their cabin. The night sky was awash with stars, and she stopped beside the lake, throwing her head back to simply take it all in. “So gorgeous.”
“Yeah. It is.”