“We actually formed a support group afterward. We still text.” Dani worked steadily, her hands sure. “The thing is, I kept choosing men who made me feel like I was in a movie. Grandgestures, dramatic declarations, the whole thing. But movies end, Kate. And then you're left with reality.”
“And reality was?”
“Empty. They loved the idea of me, but not the real me.” She began working on another section. “But Ben? He knows exactly who you are. He's seen you at your worst and still shows up. That's real.”
Kate thought about all the times Ben had been there. Through Pop's decline. The nor'easter. Every crisis and every quiet moment between.
“What if I mess it up?” Kate asked quietly.
Dani sighed. “Kate I hate to break it to you, but you’ve already been messing it up, and the guy keeps coming back for more. I’m your sister and I love you, but you can be a real pain in the…”
“Don’t say it,” Kate warned.
“The point is, I don’t know what it would take for that man to walk away from you. I don’t think you can screw this up, unless you tell him you don’t love him. You’re not going to tell him that, are you?”
Kate smiled and shook her head. “No, I’m not.”
Dani laughed. “I knew it. You love him. Good, now make sure you let him know.”
Dani stepped back to check her work, then continued. “You’re a lucky girl, Katie.”
“I don't know how to date,” Kate admitted. “I barely remember how it works.”
“It's like riding a bike.”
“I was terrible at riding bikes. Remember? I crashed into the Libbys’ fence.”
“Okay, bad analogy.” Dani laughed, beginning to work on Kate's makeup. “Look, dating Ben won't be like dating a stranger. You already know him. You trust him. Thefoundation's there. Now you just get to build the fun parts on top.”
“The fun parts?”
“The butterflies when he takes your hand. The anticipation when he leans in to kiss you. The discovery of who he is when he's not fixing something.” Dani applied mascara with a practiced hand. “Like, what's his favorite movie? Does he sleep on the left or right side of the bed? Is he a morning person or does he just pretend to be?”
Kate felt her cheeks warm at the mention of bed sides. “Dani...”
“What? You're thirty-five, not fifteen. You're allowed to think about these things.” She grinned. “Besides, Tom's running a betting pool on when you two will finally sleep together. Want to know the odds?”
“Absolutely not.”
“James has money on tonight.”
“DANI!”
“I'm just saying, the sundress I'm putting you in might shift the odds.” She stepped back. “Look at yourself.”
Kate turned to the mirror and barely recognized herself. Her hair fell in soft waves past her shoulders, catching the light from the window. Her eyes looked larger with the subtle makeup Dani had applied. She looked... pretty. Young. Like someone who might go on dates instead of avoiding them.
“You're beautiful,” Dani said simply. “Ben already knows it. It's time you did too.”
Kate touched her hair carefully. “It feels strange. Like I'm playing dress-up.”
“No. This is really you under all the usual flannel and boots. This is Kate who gets to want things for herself that don’t involve physical labor.” Dani shrugged. “I may be terrible at choosing men, but I know real love when I see it. The way Ben'sbeen looking at you lately? Like he can't believe you're finally seeing him too? That's everything.”
A knock at the door made them both jump. James's voice called out, “Ben's here. He's wearing an actual button-down shirt. And he brought flowers. Good ones, not from the grocery store.”
Kate's stomach flipped.
“Wear the sundress,” Dani commanded, pulling a blue dress from Kate's closet that had been hanging there unworn for years. “The one Mom bought you for your birthday before she got sick. And the sandals, not your practical shoes.”
