Page 89 of The Life We Wanted

“O-oh,um … okay,” I nodded, taking it all in and processing. “Are you wearing that?”

Istupidly gestured toward his ripped jeans and t-shirt with its sleeves cut off.Of course he wasn’t wearing that. Why would he have gone through the trouble offinding me something nice to wear, only for him to go out in some old beat-upshit he’d probably had for the past fifteen years?

Butof course, Sebastian looked down at his clothes and back to me with anexpression so sincere, I almost laughed just looking at him. “Well, I thoughtI’d throw on a tie, but yeah. Why? You don’t like this?”

“Oh,God, shut up,” I laughed. “Get out of here and let me get dressed.”

“Yeah,me too,” he sighed, nodding and heading toward the door. “Oh, and don’t worryabout your hair. Just leave it down.”

***

Open-backedwith a sweetheart neckline, the dress was stunning in a way that teetered onthe fine line between dress casual and formal. A jersey-knit, swing-style dressthat would have looked great on a modern-day Lucille Ball, and I found that itsuited me just as well. I noted how it showed off my tattoo, and wondered ifhe’d done that on purpose, knowing I never would’ve picked it for myself.

Witha swipe of black eyeliner, a sweep of mascara, and some red lipstick, I calledmyself finished. For the first time in a very long while, I felt satisfiedwithout trying too hard.

Hesets me free.

Slippingmy feet into the red Converse that made me giggle when I opened the shoebox, Ipulled in a breath, for courage, for reassurance. I pulled the door open tofind Sebastian’s room empty. With a quick glance down the hall, I determinedthat the bathroom and his drum studio were also vacant, so with a deep breaththat did nothing to satisfy my nerves, I slowly made my way down the stairs.

Ifelt like I was in another life, another me, another prom. I descended with theanticipation of greeting my date for the first time, regardless of that littlevoice insisting that this was most definitelynota date.

Ifound him in the living room working with Greyson, who I was sure had even lessexperience than him, trying to figure out how to properly put on a tie. Theywere consulting the other boy’s phone, looking at a diagram, when I cleared mythroat and the three of them looked up from their tedious work.

“Fuck.Me.” Sebastian uttered lazily under his breath, unblinking with his jaw unhinged.

“Wow,Aunt Tabs. You lookgood,” Greyson complimented before turning back toSebastian’s neck.

“Grey,you have no idea what you’re doing,” I said, brushing him away and undoing theknots he was making.

“Iwas getting there,” he insisted, crossing his arms and watching over myshoulder.

“Mm-hmm,”I grumbled, lifting my eyes to catch Sebastian’s.

Hewas watching me with a heart-tugging intensity, lifting the corner of his mouthinto a lopsided smile. “Do you like the shoes?”

Inodded as I looped the tie. “I do, but I have a feeling your sisters didn’thelp pick them out at all.”

Shakinghis head, he grinned. “Nah, I lied; that was all me.”

“Butare they appropriate for where we’re going?” I raised my eyebrows, tighteningthe black-and-red silk to his collar and smoothing it down over his chest.

“Thumbelina,tonight you’re going out with a couple of rock stars. There’s no such thing asappropriate or inappropriate. It just is,” he said, pointing down to his own feet,and I saw that he was also wearing red Chuck Taylors. “But we do match, andthat’s cute, right?”

Icouldn’t help but giggle, shaking my head as I stood back to take him in. “Verycute,” I agreed, scanning the all-black suit and black button-down shirt underneath.“You clean up nicely.”

Tuggingat the knot of his tie, he flashed me with a cocky grin. “Oh, baby, you have noidea.”

31

sebastian

“You rented alimo?”Tabbystared out the front window, shock evident in her widened eyes.

“We’retraveling in style tonight, babe,” I told her before turning to my sister andbrother-in-law. “Thanks for letting Greyson stay here tonight.”

Melsmiled knowingly, passing a look between Tabby and me. “Yeah, it’s no problem.Have a good time tonight.” Then, she stepped closer to me, lowering her voiceto say, “Don’t screw this up.”

“I’lltry not to,” I muttered in reply.

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