Page 57 of Aisle Be The Groom
“No.” What a complete SOB I was, but I couldn’t help it. Before the shit hit the fan, couldn’t I want some time with Ozzie first to get to know him better? “I know it’s wrong to be together this way when you’re still wearing his ring, but things are going to get ugly once the truth comes out. I just want a few days with you before that happens. Is that selfish of me?”
“No, I get it. I want that too.”
“But we have to be discreet.”
“Of course.”
“We agree, then? You’ll cancel the wedding. And we’ll…date?”
“Sounds like it.”
I squeezed his thigh and couldn’t resist rubbing my thumb over an exposed layer of skin from the rip in his jeans. I wanted to tug them off and make love to him. Later.
“We should go catch the play before it ends.”
“Yeah, we really should.”
But the only movement we made was toward each other.
19
OZZIE
Gray and I arrived late at the old grange hall, where the play was being held. The whole community seemed to have moved into the town’s oldest building. Gray had to park a long way off down the street, but I didn’t mind. It gave us an excuse to walk sneakily hand in hand along the lonely road under the silver glow of the moon.
“I didn’t expect to see this long procession of cars.”
“That’s because Jessamine’s plays are usually a big hit,” Gray said. “She was once a Broadway actress, you know. She has won several prestigious awards. I’m always avoiding her, but the truth is she’s brought the arts back to this town. We’ve even had a couple of kids accepted into Juilliard.”
“Juilliard?” I gasped. “But how did they afford it? Isn’t it awfully expensive?”
“They received scholarships.”
“Ah, this is all so exciting.”
“It might not be as well executed as the plays you usually watch.”
I smiled at the caution in his voice, as if he didn’t want me to get my hopes up and be disappointed. “That’s impossible, since I’ve never watched a play.”
“Never?”
“Never.”
“Then I’m honored this will be your first.”
As we continued our walk, my footsteps felt lighter, and the excitement of my first social outing in town bubbled within me. The old grange hall rose from the scattered town like a beacon, calling us with its rustic charm. Age pockmarked its stout stone walls, and its brown windows stared back at us like a wise old man’s eyes.
Before entering, Gray squeezed my hand reassuringly, his calloused fingers warm against mine. Then he let go. Cautiously, we navigated our way through the sea of people, and he took my hand again but this time to guide me toward a couple of vacant seats jutting out awkwardly near the front row. I didn’t want to sit so close, but all the seats in the back were already taken.
Our late entry made for an awkward trip to the chairs while the play was going on. A few curious eyes flicked our way as we tiptoed along, squeezing past tightly packed knees and whispering apologies.
Gray navigated us through the maze of people, his squared jaw set in deep concentration. His hair was tousled from our little adventure outside, and even under the dim lighting of the hall, his gray eyes sparkled with an energy that made my heart flutter.
We finally reached our seats and sat gingerly, trying not to interrupt the performance.
The play was a classic: a tragic love story. The actors, local talents all dressed in period costumes, emoted with such fervor it was easy to forget we were in a grange hall in a small town instead of a grand theatre in the big city. Jessamine playedthe leading lady, her elegant movements and expressive eyes captivating everyone in the room.
Gray had been right. There was something incredibly special about this place, something that blended rural simplicity with artistic sophistication. Despite it being a close-knit and small-scale community, dedication and passion radiated from every person taking part.
