Page 60 of Always Been You

What was going to happen after the talent show?

When he’d asked her to be his fake girlfriend, was that all he really wanted?

Did he have any real feelings for her?

But none of those came out when she opened her mouth. "Did you see the fireworks?"

"No. Did you?"

"Yeah, I watched them with Ali and Dumbass."

"How did he do at the kissing booth?"

"Good. Dumbass was the best canine kisser we've ever had."

He grinned and she snuggled closer to him as she told him about how they didn't have to use treats to bribe him and he told her about a drunk that came into the station and reported himself missing. They talked about movies they wanted to see. They discussed what the best pizza toppings were. They argued over whether or not the Cubs had a chance at a ring this year.

They talked about everything under the sun except them and their relationship. But as Jess fell asleep wrapped in Ethan's arms, a peace settled inside of her. What they had was real, she knew it. And if he didn't, she'd just have to show him.

20

"Come on,” Jess said under her breath as she paced the community center foyer. She'd left her table to come out and call Ethan again to find out what his ETA was.

She'd been texting and calling him for over an hour but hadn’t heard back from him. The thought had crossed her mind that he might be doing it because she hadn't returned his calls or texts last night, but that was only for a few minutes when she knew he was headed her way. There was no way he'd do that to her like this.

She hadn't seen him since he left her house in the wee hours of the morning. After taking the best shower of her life and collapsing into bed together, she’d fallen asleep during one of the best talks of her life. The next thing she knew, she woke up to find him getting dressed. He'd been called into work at six a.m. Something about a missing person from witness protection.

Throughout the day he'd been texting her updates, but she hadn't heard anything since he messaged her several hours ago telling her it was done and he'd be able to make the performance.

Since then, it had been radio silence. He’d said he was about an hour away, and she knew that he had to stop by his house, shower, change, and then pick up Daisy, it still seemed like he should’ve been here by now.

The door opened and she fully expected to see Ethan walk in but it was the other man in her life. Well, besides Elvis Pawsley, of course.

Her dad hadn’t come with her and her mom because he’d insisted on finishing working on her parents’ air conditioning unit because if he knew something needed to be fixed, he couldn’t leave it unfixed. But, he’d promised that he’d be there in time for the dance, and he was. Jess hugged her dad, suddenly feeling more nervous that he’d arrived and Ethan still hadn’t.

“Wow! You look incredible, baby girl."

"Thanks."

Jess had gone to painstaking lengths to find an exact replica of the pink Hilary Rosenfeld dress that Jennifer Grey wore in the movie. Everything from the side zipper, to the twisted straps, to the lace band with beading around the waist, to the lightweight taffeta skirt with charmeuse overlay. She figured that she’d never get another moment like this so go big or go home.

"Are you ready for your big dance?” Her dad's voice interrupted the worried thoughts that raced through her mind.

"Yep."

If Ethan shows up. There was still another hour until they were scheduled to go on, but he was cutting it close.

"Are you nervous?"

“Yep.”

And not just because her dance partner was a no show.

When you stare down the Grim Reaper it sort of puts things in perspective. Usually, Jess didn't sweat the small stuff. And, to the great dismay of her overprotective father, it actually made her more daring in life.

When she'd decided to test out her brand new ticker by zip-lining five hundred feet in the air, she hadn't had a moment’s hesitation. When she'd become a business owner and signed a five-year lease, she hadn't blinked an eye. But thinking about what was ahead of her in the next hour was making her more nervous than a cat at a rocking chair convention. Her pre-show jitters were off the charts.

And Ethan being MIA was making it worse.

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