“You didn’t miss anything. She didn’t send one.” I shift my weight, suddenly aware of how this looks. “Anyway… I didn’t want you to be dateless.”
He just stares at me, stunned. “You came to be my date?”
“Yeah. I—I kind of felt sorry for you. I didn’t want you to be disappointed. Or leave a bad review.”
“I wouldn’t do that. That’s not your fault.”
Several pairs of eyes flick in our direction. Act normal or look suspicious forever. I rise onto my tiptoes and loop my arms around his neck. He goes completely still. “Wrap your arms around my waist,” I murmur.
He does, his hold is light and careful, almost tentative. And somehow… comforting.
“Am I doing this right?” His voice is quiet, close to my ear.
“Yes. But people might start wondering why we’re still hugging.”
“Oh.” His hands drop instantly.
A woman approaches with a bright, welcoming smile. “Hi! You must be Caroline. I’m Jackie—Miles’s mom.” She pulls me into a hug as if we’ve known each other for years.
My gaze darts to Miles, eyes wide, seeking backup, but all he does is shrug.
“Uh—this is Nora.”
Jackie releases me and turns slowly to Miles, her eyes narrowing just a fraction. “I thought you said her name was Caroline.”
“It’s my middle name,” I blurt. “Depending on my mood, I… interchange them. But you can call me Nora. That’s the one I use most.”
Miles shifts, shoving his hands into his pockets. “I must’ve… gotten confused.”
Jackie waves it off with ease. “Well, I’m so glad you’re here, Nora. It’s lovely to finally meet you.”
“Likewise,” I say.
She rests a hand on Miles’s arm. “Why don’t you introduce Nora to everyone?” Before he can answer, she’s already moving on to the next group of partygoers.
“Yeah. Okay.” Miles’s hand settles at the small of my back. I glance at him from the corner of my eye. He meets my gaze for half a second, then quickly looks away.
“Good move,” I whisper.
His throat bobs. He lowers his voice, like he’s aiming for casual and missing by a mile. “This—uh… this girl told me about it.”
I bite back a smile. “She’s a smart one. You should listen to her more often.”
His lips twitch, and he sneaks another glance in my direction. “She is.”
It’s not a grand declaration. It’s barely even a sentence, but the way he says it makes something inside me flip. I fix my attention on a nearby balloon for a second, just so I don’t stare at him.
We make the rounds—his dad, his two older sisters, their husbands, a swarm of kids, and finally the birthday girl herself, which makes the balloons and bounce house click into place. His hand leaves my back only long enough for polite hugs before returning like it belongs there. Honestly, I don’t think I’ve hugged this many people in such a short span of time. My hug circle usually begins and ends with my mom, and even that’s more sporadic than the last fifteen minutes.
When we finally escape the crowd, I tug him gently to the side. “Um… Caroline?”
He winces. “Yeah. When I told my family I was bringing a date, they wanted details.”
“Okay. What details am I working with?”
“We met at a coffee shop after mutual friends set us up.” He counts them off on his fingers. “Your parents live in Vermont. You’re a dental hygienist.”
I nod thoughtfully. “Well, I do have nice teeth.”
