Page 55 of Fall onto me

Kate rushes over, with Grace in tow. We all stretched together before changing, but Grace got dressed in her office. “Skyler, darling, you look amazing!”

I grin. “Thank you. So do you!” I sneak a peek at Wes, who she hasn’t seen yet; he’s looking at her face.

“My dance partner brought these for you,” I offer, and then she looks at him, her face lighting up.

Wes shakes his head but doesn’t correct me. “Hello, Grace.”

“Wesley Paine!” She draws him in for a hug. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m here to accompany Skyler to her dance.”

Grace gulps, looking at him with an expression I can’t quite decipher. A smile and a frown. Decades of longing, possibly? Kate is bouncing in her flats.

“Okay, let’s get this show on the road!” she announces. “It’s good to see you Wes. Can’t wait for you to dance.” She wiggles her shoulders before walking away.

Wes opens the passenger door for me, letting out a low, shaky breath. “God, it’s been twenty years since I’ve seen her.”

I slide in, and he takes his time coming around, but when he gets in the driver’s seat, his expression changes from longing memories to a serious, flat line. “Now tell me why Foster isn’t coming, for real.”

“Jail.”

We’ve only moved three feet, but he slams on the brakes. “What?” His head snaps towards me.

I try to act like it isn’t a big deal with the wave of my hand. “No worries. He’ll be out New Year’s Eve.” I give him a pointed look. “Now you tell me why you and Grace are acting so weird around each other.”

“History is a funny thing.”

I could pry, but from the glossy look of his eyes, I don’t.

“Anything else you need to tell me?” He doesn’t hold the disapproval from his tone.

“That’s it.”

He nods, putting a catchy song on the radio and turning it up. “Okay, enough of that for tonight. It’s time to dance!” I laugh as he does the damn sprinkler again.

“You do that.” I gesture to his wild hands. “And I’m leaving you on stage alone.”

* * *

The building is decoratedin emerald greens and sparkling reds, showcasing the magic of Christmas Eve. Everyone here has family to turn to after this, even their chosen family.

I have Sophie to chill with tonight, which is amazing of course, but I would like someone to be there for me like I am for her. I swallow those feelings down, to focus on the night as we slip backstage.

I peek past the curtain as Grace walks out on the stage, surrounded by the applause of the crowd. Brett and Warren sit in the front row with his mom, who returned home yesterday. She’s smiling, and the boys are still alive, so I assume she hasn’t found out about the ‘little’ party they had.

I peek around, looking for no one in particular, except maybe my mom.

Sometimes she shows up, but I don’t know why I’m even looking.

She’s not here, and tonight is about chosen family anyways.

I look at my friends, to Wes, back to Grace.

My chosen family always shows up for me.

“We’ve got a great performance for you tonight, and if you couldn’t tell from the giant banner out front,”—everyone laughs at her joke—“tonight’s theme is chosen family. Join me in welcoming our dancers.”

I push my arm through Wes’s, who looks a bit green. “You’re going to do great,” I assure him.

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