Page 64 of Maid in Heaven

Ava swatted his shoulder with her rhinestone clutch purse and giggled. “I’m not certified in CPR, so let’s hope not.Ready for your first prom?”

Will chuckled. “Yes, I think so. But I believe the high school prom rules still apply. We have to leave room between us for Jesus.”

Will held out an arm, and she took it. Ava laughed.“What?”

He walked her down the salted walkway toward his pickup truck. “I think it’s a stodgyway of saying‘don’t grind on each otheron the dance floor.’”

“Ah. Well, that’s no fun.”

“Your corsage is inside, madame. Along with thelittlepin thingyfor my jacket.”

“You really got me a corsage?”

“Of course. Cherry blossoms. As requested.”

“Where the hell did you find cherry blossoms in JacksonHole?”

Will opened the passenger door and helped her up into the seat, hands lingering on her hips for a moment too long. “They had to beimported from China.”

“Are youserious?” Ava’s jaw hung open.

“...At least that’s what the little tag said when I bought them from the hobby store.”Will beamed and handed her the corsage in a see-through plastic container. Fake cherry blossoms were arranged delicately over a wrist strap.

Ava chuckled. “Thank you.”

“Of course,” Will said. He cupped her face in his warm hands and planted a kiss on her cheek. He could feel the skin beneath his lips heat as she blushed.

“Hey, in case you didn’t know, I really like you,” he said lowly, trailing the tip of his nose on the soft skin near her ear.

Ava was speechless, wanting to say so much, but her lips wouldn’t cooperate. Withoutanother word, heclosed the door and jogged to his side.

Inside, he rubbed his palms together for warmth and started the vehicle. “I feel bad for the guys going to this thing.”

“Why?”Ava slid the corsage onto her wrist and fondled the matching boutonniere.

“Because,” he pulled out onto the street, watching for cars and pedestrians, “I’ll be with the most beautiful woman in there, and all they will be able to do is eat their hearts out.Sad,really.”

“Those poor bastards.” Ava laughed.

During the entireride across town, Will’s smile never left his face.

Teal and purplestreamers hung from a chandelier overhead. Matching balloons adorned each tableas festive centerpieces. White linens and matching chair covers lent someclass to the affair.A large buffet lined aside wall. Abarwith eager staffoccupied the opposite wall. An oversized dance floor in the center of the hall was sparsely peppered witha few brave souls starting the night off with a slow dance.

A deejay stood at a booth in the center remixingnostalgic 90s slow jams.

Will led Ava out to the center of the dance floor. “90s rock. I like it.Think he’d play it if I requested some Nirvana?”

“No.” She laughed, trying not to let her hand tremble in his grasp.

“What about Nine Inch Nails?”

“Look at that goober.” She nodded toward the deejay. “The way he’s dressed, the only nine inch nails he knows about are the ones used after Judas’ betrayal.”

“Oof. Alright.” He thought for a moment. “What about… TLC? Guy looks like he knows a thing or two about chasin’ waterfalls, at the very least.”

Ava snickered and soaked in her surroundings. “This whole thing is pretty cute, I must say.”

“Yeah, it is. Think I got an invite because I donated to their foundation a while back. Pretty sure I’m on their mailing list for life now.”

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