She shakes her head and smiles. “I’m not going home. I’m going back to school. I have class tomorrow.” She walks away.
I’m cursing myself. I had a full dinner and two dances. I should have said more. I should have figured out a way to tell her I still love her.
She comes back. Her dress traded for a pair of jeans and a jacket; a long dress bag over her arm. She hands the bag to Angelica and crosses the room to the bride and groom. I follow her, like I was really her plus one and not just a wedding crasher.
“Everything is beautiful. Congratulations Nikki.” Jess hugs the bride.
“Thanks.” Nikki hugs her back and then looks around. “Kendra?”
Jess’ face darkens. “She was going to come but…”
“I get it,” Nikki nods sadly. “Thanks for coming. It’s so good to see you. I’m sorry you have to go early.”
“Me too,” Jess says, “school and work. That’s my life right now.”
Nikki shakes her head. “You were always the responsible one.”
I’m standing off to the side, trying to look like I belong with her. Nikki turns and reaches her hand to me. “It’s good to finally meet you, Jacob.”
I look at her in shock. “You know who I am?”
“How could I not?” She nods toward Jess. “She had a full-on shrine to you in her bedroom our first semester of college. You were literally all she talked about.”
Jess is blushing and looking at Nikki like she wants her to shut up. Personally, I’d like to hear more.
“Shrine?” I ask.
“Complete with lit incense and bowls of fruit,” Nikki sounds so serious, for a second I believe her. Her eyes dance mischievously. “Okay, maybe not that bad, but she was a bit obsessed. It’s good to see you two have worked things out.”
I wait for Jess to contradict her, but she glances at her watch and says, “I’m so sorry. I need to get going.”
Nikki hugs her again and then hugs me. I shake the groom’s hand and follow Jess to the door.
When she reaches the parking lot, she stops in front of my new car. “This has to be yours.”
I put my hand on the hood of the Charger. “How did you guess?”
She shakes her head. “It wasn’t hard. Only, I thought you might have wanted something less conspicuous.”
I shrug. “You know me.”
“Yeah, I do.” She runs her fingers along the side of my car. “I take it Tyler doesn’t get to drive this one.”
I lean against the car next to her. “Not a chance.”
She looks up at me through her eyelashes. “Would you let me drive it?”
My heart beats faster. “Maybe. You didn’t wreck the last one.”
Angelica is keeping her distance, purposely giving us our privacy. I appreciate that.
“Would you like to try it now?” I ask.
She steps back from my car, like she said too much again. “I can’t. It’s getting late. I need to get on the road.”
I touch her shoulder. “Jess, I—” I’m not sure how to complete that sentence. I can’t just blurt outI still love you.
She looks up at me with a stern expression. “No more crashing stranger’s weddings. The next time you need a good meal. I’m sure my mom would be happy to feed you.”
