“So macho,” she teases.
“Do people still saymacho?”
“I don’t know.” Her head dips, and her cheeks flush a soft pink. “I’m all wobbly, like I’ve forgotten how to talk to you.”
“Hey.” I catch her chin in my hand, forcing her eyes to mine. “It’s me, your old friend Maverick. Nothing has changed.”
She forces a little laugh. “Everything has changed, and you know it.”
My eyes follow her as she walks back to the table where the rest of the bridesmaids along with Mom and Aunt Liv, Noel and Mindy, Dove’s younger sister Penny, and Boo’s mom Tamara are sitting watching the show.
Her hips sway in that long skirt with a split up the side, and I lean back, letting my eyes run down her narrow hips, smooth legs, sassy cowboy boots.
Yeah, she’s right. Everything has changed. The way we kissed before she ran away… I want to do it all again. And again.
I take a seat at the table. Darcy is on the mic singing “Good Morning, Baltimore,” which is the same song she performed at the pageant years ago.
It also happens to be the same song Haddy’s mom, Aunt Raven, sang when she was in pageants as a little girl.
Her experience was as short-lived as Dove’s and equally confusing to me. I think all the ladies in my family are beauty queens.
Mom takes the chair beside me, sliding her hand into the crook of my arm. “I’m so glad I get to see you safe and well.”
She rests her head on my shoulder, and guilt pinches my gut. “Me, too.” I put my hand over her small one. “I’m sorry I scared you like that. Maybe you should be like when Dad was playing football. Don’t watch.”
She presses her lips in a sideways smile. “Maverick Murphy, you know I never missed a single one of your dad’s games.”
“Yeah, but you hid in the kitchen with Papa T watching on his teeny tiny black-and-white television.”
“Thomas is very superstitious. He believes if he watchesthe games on that television, they’ll win, no one will get hurt…”
“Glad to hear I got my superstitious nature honest.”
“You’re just like every athlete I’ve ever known.” She gives the side of my hair a gentle tug. “I don’t know what to make of this long hair.”
“Can’t cut it til we win the finals.”
“At least it’s shiny and clean.” She shakes her head, and we both perk up when the karaoke DJ calls Dove’s name.
Everybody claps. Gina cat-calls, and Dove steps out onto the stage, looking shy. We’re all preparing to hear her standard “Over the Rainbow” number from her pageant days when she was a blonde Dorothy with a helpful husky accompanying her down the yellow brick road.
I’m surprised to hear the strains of a steel guitar playing the opening chords of the classic love song "Hopelessly Devoted” from the movieGrease.
Mom lets out a little squeal, squeezing my arm and giving it a shake. “Will you do ‘Greased Lightning’?”
My eyes are fixed on Dove singing the song in a way that feels directly to me as I answer slowly, “I guess I have to.”
We cheer and the girls sing along as Dove performs the number. She’s very Sandy with her big blue eyes giving all the innocent vibes.
Although, I’m thinking she might be more end-of-the-movie Sandy than kiddie-pool Sandy.
She finishes with the finalooo, and the place erupts with cheers and more cat-calls. I think I start to breathe normally again, until she runs right off the stage straight to me, looking up and laughing.
“Well?” Her eyes are bright, and she holds my arm.
“You got me,” I confess, shaking my head. “I was expecting Dorothy.”
“I figured it was time to retire Dorothy and test out some new material. Something more in line with what you like.”
