Page 32 of Forever After All

Jess propped her hands on her hips. “I can look after myself.”

Linc put his hands in the air. “I know you can.”

Jess’s shoulders sank, and her hands fell from her hips. “I have no idea what I’m doing when it comes to dating, but I know I don’t need your help scaring men off. I do a pretty good job of that on my own.”

Linc hung his head. “I’m sorry. It won't happen again.”

Jess nodded once, accepting his apology. “Thanks.”

An upbeat mainstream song blared through the speakers, and everyone around them started jumping.

“Okay. I think that’s my cue to exit stage left,” Jess said, pointing toward their seats.

“I’ll join you.” Linc wouldn’t be caught dead bouncing to pop music.

Jess smoothed her dress before sitting down. As much as she claimed she wasn’t the classy kind, she sure did look the part tonight.

Classy or not, Jess was perfect, in Linc’s opinion.

Jess propped her chin in her hand and rested her elbow on the table. “I think I’ve had enough weddings to last me a lifetime.”

“What about your own?” Linc asked.

Jess cut her eyes to him. “That’s so far away, it might as well be a dream.”

The sadness in her voice said she cared that marriage wasn’t on the horizon for her. He’d always thought Jess was happy the way she was, but maybe her new peek into dating life was making her think about what she was missing.

“Is it a dream? Your dream? Do you want to get married?”

He ignored the way that last question had a completely different meaning if asked on its own. Right now, he just wanted to get to the bottom of the upset look on her face.

“I don’t know. It doesn’t matter.” She waved a hand in the air. “Any chance you’d want to get out of here?”

Linc stood and offered her a hand. “I’m way ahead of ya.”

They said a few goodbyes on the way out and congratulated the bride and groom.

Jess clutched the little purse she had in both hands, and she looked left to right as they stepped out into the twilight. “I don’t think I’ll ever get used to the dark out here.”

Linc knew what she meant. It was one thing to be scared of the dark in your bedroom when you were a kid. It was another to have a healthy vigilance this close to the wilderness.

Linc walked close enough to Jess’s side that their shoulders brushed together. “Don’t worry. I won’t let the monsters get you.”

Jess looked up at him and grinned. “I didn’t think you would.”

The ride to Jess’s house was quiet, but Linc hadn’t expected anything else. He parked in front of her house and shut off the truck.

“You don’t have to walk me to the door,” Jess said.

“What would Ms. Landry say if she reported I picked you up earlier and then dropped you off in the driveway.” Linc clicked his tongue behind his teeth. “I’d get a bad reputation around town.”

Jess laughed. “We don’t care what my busybody neighbor thinks.”

“Good, but I’m walking you to the door anyway.”

He followed Jess to the porch with his hands in his pockets. He’d hoped the night would end with some relationship defining revelation, but he’d heard enough this afternoon to know Jess either didn’t share his feelings or she wasn’t ready to hear about them yet.

“Thanks for the ride,” Jess said as she reached for the doorknob.

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