Standing at the top of the stairs, he’s there waiting for me at the bottom. A big, goofy grin smothering his handsome face while he chats with my mom and dad.
They adore him, of course.
Everyone does.
Especially me.
His smile is contagious and anytime he’s in a room it’s full of light. Even after losing his father, Linc didn’t let it dampen his spirit. Of course he misses him very much, and some days I can still see the sadness in his eyes, but his father would not have wanted him to dwell on his death. So he finds ways to celebrate and remember his life through his music.
His hair has been trimmed for the occasion, but there are a few unruly pieces that always escape his attempt to tame the wild locks, a gift from his father, he always says. His tux fits his athletic body nicely and he’s wearing a lavender bow tie and vest to match my dress.
His gaze lifts to mine, and I have to hold onto the rail to keep my knees from buckling beneath me.
Those green eyes have become my weakness.
My addiction.
He hasn’t always had this effect on me. Which makes me realize just how much my feelings have grown over the years.
I have to fight every day to keep it from him.
I have no idea how to tell my best friend that all I can think about is what his lips taste like. How I dream about his touch, and not just his friendly, polite hands when they find the small of my back or tuck a piece of my hair behind my ear, but what it would feel like to have them roam my body and explore the places I only want him to discover.
So, tonight, I am putting it all on the line.
I hope and pray he feels the same way. When he looks at me like this, like I am the only girl in the world, like he can’t see anyone else but me, I think for sure he feels the same way.
But I’m also scared to death.
Terrified of what will happen if he doesn’t feel the same way. A rejection from Linc will definitely change our relationship.
We would never be the same.
I take the first few steps down and he shuffles on his feet. He seems nervous but he’s not going to let me see it. Linc has a way of making me feel calm even when he’s wound up. His strong confidence is just one of the many things I love about him.
“You look beautiful, Sylvie,” my mother says, standing next to my father, who has a pained look on his face.
When I reach the bottom of the steps, Linc gifts me with one of his breathtaking smiles, eyes flashing with something I hope is real and not just something I’ve imagined.
“Hey you,” he says, and my insides melt.
“Hey.”
He takes a step forward, reaching for my fidgeting hand. He can sense when I’m nervous. He knows me better than anyone. “You look…wow.”
My heart slams against my chest as he bends down to retrieve a clear plastic box from the bottom step.
“Hold on, you two, I need to grab my camera,” my mother says, scurrying to the other room.
“I should not let you out of here in that dress. You do not look seventeen, you look twenty-three.” My father runs a hand through his hair. He’s frustrated with me, and I’m pretty sure it has nothing to do with the dress anymore.
He wants me to make a decision about my future.
But I’m just not ready to decide yet. He has no idea about my plans to move to Nashville with Linc after graduation. Because even I’m not sure if that is still going to happen. We talk about it more and more the closer we inch toward grad, but my decision will be based on tonight and how this all plays out.
“I won’t let anything happen to her, Mr. Dawson.”
The conviction in Linc’s voice satisfies my father, and he finally smiles, landing a hand to Linc’s shoulder. “I know you won’t, son. You better behave yourself, too,”
