What did he want? Ginny was going to burst.
She couldn’t do this anymore. “Ry–”
“I want to date you,” he blurted. Like it was a simple announcement.
I like Chick-fil-a. It's unseasonably warm this evening. Oh, I’d like to date you…
“You… what?”
He pinched her chin in his hand and brought her face closer. And Ginny, stunned senseless, could do nothing.
“Ginny…” He took a tenuous breath, as if he could say anything possibly more shocking than what he’d already declared.
“Virginia,” he whispered, so close to her mouth, Ginny felt his words rush across her lips.“I would like to take you on a date. More than one, preferably. I… I want to spend more time with you. Just you and me. Please.”
He’d said her name. Virginia…
Ginny’s chin trembled in his grasp for all the wrong reasons, but Ryan drew her closer, bringing his lips to hers in a featherlight, tortuous kiss, letting his warmth linger against hers. Brushing his nose along the rim of hers and then kissing her again. It was the kiss she’d dreamt of. One she could write songs about for years to come. A kiss that would haunt her.
“Ryan, I—”
Someone pounded on the window of the car. “Leave room for the Holy Spirit, y’all!” Blaire shouted, pulling Ryan and Ginny apart as if they were teenagers caught canoodlin’.
Ryan grinned, and with a bashful flick of his eyes and shake of his head, he blew out a breath. “We should go.”
Ginny shook her head, still in shock. “Yeah. Um… Yes. I… Okay—”
“Can we talk more after? Later?”
“Yeah. Uh. Yes. I… I want to talk la… later,” she stuttered, barely looking at him. “Please.”
“Wow. Rare to see ya speechless, Gin.” Ryan chuckled and leaned in again, softly kissing her cheek. “Okay. It's a date.”
Ginny and Ryan joined the party. Ryan, jovial, but quiet, sauntered into a conversation with Ginny’s brothers-in-law, joking about one thing or another and jumping quickly into a debate over college football.
Ginny tried to have a good time. Tried to enjoy the night filled with s’mores and music and laughter. Tried listening toBlaire and her sisters discuss motherhood. But the fact that Ryan Hood had kissed the living daylights out of her a couple of yards away from where she stood kept her eyes shifting to his car. To the fire. To the sky filled with stars. Anywhere but at him.
Blaire disentangled herself from the group and waddled her way to Ginny, wrapping her arm around Ginny's waist. “So, you and Ry?” she said slyly.
“Hmmm?” Ginny questioned, conveniently shoving the better half of a s’more stuffed to the brim with double marshmallows—she was in crisis after all—into her mouth. “Don’tknowhatyoumean,” she mumbled with her mouth full.
“Oh, Virginia… that man was starin’ at you in every single photo I got for the time capsule. Every one of ‘em.” Blairetskd tskd, tongue to her teeth. “And then you’re caught neckin’ in your sister’s yard, and you’re not even gonna fess up to it? Come on,” Blaire nudged her. “Spill. Are y’all together now? Is this finally happenin’? Am Ifinallygonna get to singA Night to Rememberat Ryan’s wedding?”
“High School Musical?” Ginny asked with very little surprise. Blaire was nothing if not consistent.
“‘Course. He’d hate it. And love it, ya know? So what’s the deal?”
Ginny felt suddenly hot and sick and shaky. “I, um…”
She noticed Lake take Georgia in his arms to sway with her under the stars, dancing to the music overhead but seeming to be in a world all their own. Griffin grabbed Caroline to join them. Ryan caught Ginny’s eye across the flames of the bonfire. His face glowed in its light and appeared far more intense than it had been in the car.
“Gin?” Blaire asked. “You okay?”
Ginny felt her temperature rise. She clenched her hands into fists, and Ryan began to step around the others dancing, making his way towards her. Intention clear.
She broke eye contact, feeling like a squirrel jumping in and out of traffic as her eyes jumped from person to person, looking for a way out. From Ryan to a confused Blaire to Chloe… Chloe who took one look at Ginny, beat Ryan to her side, and pulled her into a hug.
“Do you need to get outta here?” she asked, making it look as if she were greeting Ginny, and not rescuing her from her own cowardice.
