Page 109 of Finding Fate

“Yes! Now come on! We need to go!”

“Good! Y’all go ahead and go! You can see me at the game later!”

“Annabel Kay Dearly, get your butt down those stairs so I can see you!” Bridgette finally called out.

“Mom!” she protested.

“Annie, don’t start! Now get down here!”

“Ugh! Fine!”

Jet held his lips together to keep from laughing. Whatever Izzy had done with her, she was definitely still his Annie.

All four pairs of eyes waited anxiously as she started down the stairs. The first thing Jet was able to see was an insecure step in a strappy bronze heel. “Looks like Izzy put her foot down on the flip flops this time,” he thought, wondering how long she’d last before pulling them off.

As Annie continued to step cautiously down the stairs, Jet’s eyes followed past her heel to trail up the smooth, nicely toned length of her tanned leg. He caught his first glimpse of her dress just above her knee and instantly knew she had had no part in picking it out.

Shimmers of gold sparkled throughout the matching bronze material, gathering at her rear and her chest in a strapless sweetheart design. The dress clung to her hips and gave her curves the perfect emphasis. Jet was in awe, as Izzy had promised. He loved Annie in jeans and T-shirts, but he had to admit, he liked this look, and found his breath caught in his chest when he saw the finishing touches.

Soft ringlets flowed down her back and around her bare shoulders, pinned away from her face with some kind of clip he couldn’t see. His gaze lingered at her glossed lips, but moved up to stare into her now smoky eyes. He noticed the insecurity there and wanted to tell her how absolutely breathtaking she looked, but he couldn’t seem to get his mouth to follow his brain.

Annie looked around to find Izzy with her hands on her hips, scrutinizing as though to find something she had missed upstairs. Her mother’s hand was at her mouth, her green eyes looking her up and down. Tyler just kept grinning and looking around at the group as if to say ‘I told you so.’

Annie’s eyes found Jet’s already on hers. She waited for him to say something, but all he did was stare at her, his mouth gaping open. She didn’t even bother to look over at Tucker. She could see from the corner of her eye that he was standing just as still as Jet and didn’t even want to know what his expression looked like.

There was only one reasonable explanation for everyone’s reaction.“I knew it. I look ridiculous, don’t I?”

“Goodness, Annie, no. You look beautiful,” her mother assured her, her hand still at her mouth.

“Then why is everyone staring at me like I’m some kind of freak show?”

“Because you look amazing. I knew Jet would like it,” Izzy replied and turned to look at the guys. “Uh, hello?! The two of you can stop drooling all over your shoes now. Especially you, Tucker!”

At those words, Jet reached over and lifted Tucker’s bottom jaw. “Dude…”

“Sorry, man. Just surprised,” He explained. “Annie, you look great.”

“Uh, thanks, Tucker.”

Izzy cleared her throat when he still didn’t look away.

Jet nudged his friend in the ribs with his elbow. “Dude, check out your own girlfriend.”

Tucker shook himself out of it. “Sorry, love, but y’all are twins.” Seeing her still upset, he went to put his arms around her, whispering reassurances in her ear.

“Yeah, yeah, okay, Annie looks pretty. Can we go now, Mom?” Tyler complained.

“Just a minute. Go grab my phone from my purse, Tyler. I need pictures.” He groaned with his errand.

“Mom, do we really have to? Isn’t being dressed like this bad enough without having pictures for proof?”

“Yes, Annie. You’re up for Homecoming queen. I need pictures. You look so pretty.”

“She always looks pretty,” Jet added.

Bridgette smiled. “You’re right, Jet. She does.”

Annie wobbled over to Jet in the heels she wanted nothing more than to discard in the corner for a pair of stable, much more comfortable flip flops. “You guys aren’t lying to me right? I know Izzy likes to get carried away.”

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