Page 74 of Shy Girl
Grady:Thanks, man. Good times. I'll never forget it.
Jayson:We always got your back. Always.
Grady:Merry Idiots forever.
Jayson:Forever.
With a chuckle, I shoved the phone in my pocket and turned toward the bungalow. My thoughts moved to Dagny, then Victoria. A new eagerness to see her propelled me faster, and I gave into a slow jog. I just wanted to see Dagny. Let her know how I felt about her and what happened with Victoria. We had a little time before the ceremony, then lots of time after to get the third kiss out of the way.
First, I'd broach the topic slowly. Talk about her day, see how she'd spent the time, compliment her dress for the ceremony. Then I'd tell her the way I felt. That I'd been an idiot and we'd lost so much time. Why hadn't I seen her? Why hadn't I noticed her in Pineville before now? I still didn't have a good answer, even though I'd been mulling it over in my head for days now.
Once we discussed my idiotic ability to see what was right in front of me calmly and rationally like adults, then we'd get to the business of forgetting Victoria and discussing how much better life in Pineville would be with Dagny at my side. At least, that's how I wanted it to go.
We'd see what she had to say about it.
The waves welcomed me and my tangled thoughts as I turned down a sandy path that led to the bungalow.
Halfway there, I skidded to a stop.
Dagny stood a few steps away, frozen with one foot a few inches in the air, as if she were taking a step forward. Her eyes were wide and red-tinged. Her cheeks had a warm color over the tan skin. She wore an elegant black dress and carried a pair of creamy heels. Her hair tumbled around her shoulders instead of tucked away from her face with messy pens.
In a word, she was exquisite.
To my mind, not even Helene rivaled Dagny right now. My breath caught. For a moment, I thought I understood a little of Grady's emotion. His possessiveness. The way he chose Helene above all others without a moment of doubt or hesitation. Seeing Dagny there, looking so frightened, vulnerable, and uncertain left no doubt in my mind.
For her, I'd do the exact same.
Fear pooled in my stomach for a moment before I forced it to calm down.
“Dagny?”
She blinked several times, then swallowed.
“Are you all right?” I asked.
She nodded.
I ventured a step closer, suddenly uncertain about myself. She had that doe-like wariness to her, like she'd dart away the moment I twitched in a way she didn't like. But why? Why had she been crying? What made her so upset? She attempted to hide the tear trails, but I could see the evidence in her open gaze.
“I'm an idiot,” I blurted out. “I'm a total idiot.”
The uncertainty in her expression dropped. “Wh-what?”
In two steps, I stood in front of her and had her hands in mine. Her fingers were cold despite the perfect warmth of the day.
“I'm an idiot.” I licked my lips and squeezed her fingers tighter. “All the years that you've been in Pineville and I've beentotallyoblivious. I—”
“Stop.”
Her firm command, without stutter, startled me into silence. For the space of a breath, we just stared at each other. My heart did a somersault. Oh, no. Had I read this situation totally wrong? I took my shot and now everything was going to plummet downhill from here. My mouth opened, then closed. I didn't know what to say.
“I n-need to g-g-get this out f-first. I n-need to b-be b-brave. B-before you . . . b-before you say all the r-r-right things.”
My confusion deepened. “What?”
“I l-l-love you.”
My heart dropped all the way to my feet. Astonished, I stood there and stared at her.I love youwasn't a trite expression from someone like her. She pulled away, fingers fidgeting, her teeth worrying her bottom lip. But she didn't look away from me. Nor did she hide her soulful intensity.
