Page 97 of Cream and Punishment
My blush pink dress flared with the spin, swishing around my waist. When I was facing him again, his smile drew me in like a moth to a flame. Except, this flame didn’t burn. Not like fire, anyway. More like fresh bread and butter against your tongue—hot, but safe and comfortable. Everything with Max was like that. In my world of overanalyzing and fearing everyone hated me, he was my safe haven.
My new medication the psychiatrist had prescribed after my diagnosis helped, too. Now that I’d taken the leap, I couldn’t fathom why I’d let myself suffer for so long. I felt in control of my own brain for the first time in ages. I could call the dentist with only minimal discomfort because,hello, phone calls still sucked. But I could manage them now. And, with Gale moving her retirement up a few months, I’d already started putting the paperwork into motion.
The Dekker from a month and a half ago wouldn’t even recognize me. Yet at the same time, I was still me, just like she’d been.
Before I knew it, I let loose on the dance floor. My moves began to rival Max’s in inventiveness and flair, and he would respond in turn. Maybe we looked ridiculous. In fact, we undoubtedly did. But I didn’t care. It was just me and him, and if that were the case, I could do anything. Even dance.
Lex and Colt’s ceremony was beautiful. Lex had looked radiant in her wedding dress, paling only in comparison to the brilliance of her smile. I’d never seen her so inexplicably happy. When it came time for her and Colt to exchange their vows, I may have cried. A lot.
There was just something about two people promising their forevers to each other, rain or shine. And when those someones are people you care about almost more than anything else in the world, it’s like a piece of your soul sighs in contentment and shifts into its rightful place. And if that’s how it felt to see your sister get married to her love, I could only imagine what it would feel like to be promising my forever to someone, too.
For so long, I’d thought that was out of the question for me. Impossible. And yet, now I couldn’t help but picture Max waiting for me at the end of the aisle.
Of course, I wasn’t going to suggest we go elope to Vegas tomorrow or anything, and not just because we’d be spending a few days visiting Mackinac Island for my birthday. But after more time together… Well, let’s just say a happily ever after wasn’t so far out of reach for me anymore. I was already living it.
After helping Booker soup Lex and Colt’s car up with streamers, window paint, a banner, and flowers, I made my way over to where Max chatted with Annie and Seth, who had come as her date.
Believe me, I’d tried to get answers out of her as to whether there was potential there. After all, Max and I started off as friends, too. But, like I’d expected, she’d evaded my questions like I avoided marathons. Not surprising, but the curiosity still itched at me.
I’d barely inserted myself into the conversation when the DJ interrupted. Beyoncé’sSingle Ladiesplayed quietly in the background. “Attention all single ladies, it is now time for the bouquet toss. If you could make your way to the front of the dance floor where the lovely bride is waiting for you, please.”
Max squeezed my hand with a mischievous wink as I hesitantly extracted it from his. “Go get ‘em, tiger.”
I laughed, shaking my head as I milled near the back of the mass of women. While the bouquet toss was fun and everything, I’d seen how some of the ladies had stalked the crowd, seeking out eligible bachelors for themselves. Apparently weddings were a great place to meet people? Who knew, right?
Anyway, the point was, these women wereeager, and I wasn’t about to get a black eye so I could catch a bunch of flowers that would just die soon anyway. I’d take a quirky throw pillow any day, thank you. I was perfectly comfortable hanging with Annie at the back, safely away from the eager beavers in the front.
“They’re like koi fish,” Annie muttered, disgusted fascination pulling at her features. It was an out-of-body experience seeing her in a pink dress instead of her usual black leather jacket, but she looked amazing as always. “How many injuries do you think there’ll be?”
“Honestly?” I leaned closer so she could hear me over the music and murmur of the crowd. “I’m half expecting Lex to throw it right into the thickest part on purpose just to see them fight with each other.”
Hattie popped up next to us, eyes twinkling behind her spectacles. She had a floor-length, shimmery baby-blue dress with a cape-like thing on the back that would’ve looked odd on anyone else. On her, it looked right at home. “Ooh, sounds like a good wager! I’ll take that bet.”
“Deal,” Annie agreed. “What’s at stake?”
I interjected, an evil grin tugging at my mouth. “How about whoever loses the bet has to ask their respective ‘just friends’ out? If Hattie loses, she asks out McBride. If you lose, Annie, you ask out Seth.”
They both whipped their heads toward me, protesting vehemently.
“Uh-uh, no way.” Annie glared at me, hands on her hips.
Hattie folded her arms. “Ain’t no way, honey.”
“Cowards,” I teased, enjoying their reactions entirely too much. It’s not like I’d hold them to it or anything.
Hattie raised a brow, the corner of her mouth lifting in an unmistakably devilish smirk. “Okay, on one condition.”
This surprised Annie enough that she cut her latest protest off short. “Wait, what? You’reagreeingto this?”
Hattie held up a finger, eying the little stage where Lex stood next to the DJ’s table. “I’ll agree, only if the deal is nullified if one of us catches the bouquet.”
Considering we were all comfortably at least three feet from the nearest competition, I liked my odds. “Okay, deal.”
I should’ve at least paused to consider why Hattie was confident enough to suggest that in the first place. Or why her dark eyes now gleamed with determination. But nope. Little naive me figured the odds were too stacked against them to possibly lose.
As Lex turned and started swinging the bouquet to gain momentum, pandemonium broke loose. And it all originated with the drama teacher beside me.
Hattie squealed as Lex swung for the last time, the bouquet’s trajectory unavoidable. Hattie ran toward the middle of the crowd of women, pointing at the floor. “A mouse! There’s a mouse right there!”
