Page 23 of Forever After All

Then again, it probably wouldn’t.

“You two are just alike,” Everly said. “You don’t say anything unless something needs to be said, you don’t beat around the bush, you’re both hard-working and responsible, you’re both honest to a fault.”

“Yep, the same person,” Hadley agreed.

“And yet, Linc has never said anything about feelings,” Jess said. “Your assumption is debunked.”

“Well, have you ever said anything aboutyourfeelings?” Hadley asked.

“No. I don’t understand feelings.” Jess hated having to point that out all the time.

Feelings and emotions were hard to decipher because they weren’t absolutes. She understood rules. She understood schedules. She understood yes and no.

Anything in between wasn’t just gray. It was invisible.

Everly hummed. “Well, maybe you’re right. If either of you had feelings, one of you would have spilled the beans by now.”

“I don’t know. Linc is so sweet when it comes to Jess. Is silence a love language?” Thea asked.

Jess found a long, navy dress and held it up in front of her. It hit about mid-calf and had a slit up one side.

“That one!” Everly exclaimed.

Jess hung the dress over her arm and started toward the back of the store. “I’ll be trying this one on.”

“We’re coming too,” Thea said.

Sighing, Jess found an empty dressing room. She’d hoped to escape the Linc talk, but it seemed the conversation would be following her.

Jess slipped into the dress, and the silky fabric was cool against her skin. After zipping it under her arm, she ran her hands over the softness at her hips.

She actually liked it. Without a doubt in her mind, this was the dress she’d be buying today, even if the main reason was comfort.

“Get out here, Jess!” Hadley called.

Jess stepped out of the dressing room and turned to her friends. It didn’t matter what they said. This was the dress.

“Oh, yeah. That’s the one,” Everly said.

“Definitely,” Thea added.

Jess crossed her arms over her chest, already wondering if she could get one of those shawl things. Being pointedly looked at always made her want to cover up or disappear. “Have you decided on one?”

Hadley held up the pile in her hands. “I’m about to try these on.”

“I have some too,” Thea said before disappearing into a stall.

Everly sat on a padded stool beside the mirror. “I already have a dress.”

Jess locked herself back in the dressing room and took a deep breath. She tilted her head to the side as she studied her reflection. The dress hugged her curves around the waist but flared out a little over her hips. It was just fitting enough to accentuate her figure without making her feel overexposed.

Another flurry of feelings rose in her middle, and she latched onto the one that roared the loudest.

Hopefully, Linc would like the dress too.

Chapter7

Linc

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