Page 58 of XO

“Every day.”

He chuckles, squeezing me tighter before pecking my cheek. When he pulls away, tears glisten his eyes ,and the sadness he’s been carrying around for the last few months is mixed with something bittersweet. “You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me, you know that?”

I nod, because I’ve always been the apple of my father’s eye. My throat constricts, and tears slip down my cheeks.

“John, you’re going to ruin her makeup.”

I want to tell her she’s ruining the moment between father and daughter.

“I love you, Daddy,” I say, hugging him again.

“I love you, too, Rosie. Always remember that.”

~

“Jacob?”

“Yes?”

“Where are we going?”

Despite him concentrating on the road ahead, the corners of his lips turn the slightest degree telling me he’s up to something. “To prom.”

“But we’re heading south. School is in the opposite direction.”

“Oh, yeah…”

“Oh, yeah?” I laugh. “That’s it?”

“Yep.” This time his smile is megawatt. He’s up to something, and he sure is proud of it.

“You’re not giving anything away?”

Jacob glances quickly at me. “Let’s just say, the idea of going to prom just go a whole lot more appealing. In fact, we’re here.”

Indicating, Jacob turns into an underground parking garage. Once he pulls up the handbrake, he’s quick to be out and rounding the Dodge to open my door.

“Like a true gentleman,” I remark endearingly.

Jacob takes my hand. “I know both of us, for varying reasons, had no interest in prom. It’s hard to want to celebrate the tradition with people you’d hardly call friends, so I’ve put together something that will be far more memorable for us, and memorable for all the right reasons. But that doesn’t mean we don’t stick to some traditions. Well… it’s my own twist on a tradition.”

I eye him suspiciously as his hand disappears inside his jacket pocket and retrieves a long velvet box.

“Traditionally, the guy gives his prom date a corsage. But… I didn’t want something that will die in a few days. So, instead of putting real flowers on your wrist, I have this for you.” He opens the box to reveal an exquisite bracelet formed of small gold flowers, each one with a ruby stone in the middle. It glistens and gleams under the lighting, and I involuntarily gasp at its beauty.

“Jacob, what have you done!” I’m in awe, my heart melting for the boy who’s stolen it.

He chuckles at my wide-eyed response. “I told you,” he says pulling the bracelet from the box before placing it on the roof of the car. “I want to stick to traditions, but add our own twist to them.” Clasping it around my wrist, he gives me a second to admire his unexpected gift.

“Jacob, thank you. This is just… everything.”

Closing the space between us, he gently kisses my lips cautiously so as not to mess my makeup before the night’s started.

“So, are you ready for prom?”

~

The lift takes us up ten stories of the town’s tallest building before we have to take some internal fire stairs. I recognize the building. It’s where Jacob’s dad has worked ever since he was transferred here five years ago.

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