“I once heard you drove from Silo Bay to Riggsby Cattle without having a license… Doesn’t sound very responsible to me,” another voice adds, and I stare at the familiar man behind Heath.
“And whose fault was that, Levi?” I cock my hip and rest my hand on it, giving him all kinds of attitude.
“Are you insinuating it wasmyfault?”
I wave my hand around the room. “It surely wasn’t me who decided to drink my weight in beer at Greer’s house party.”
“Is she talking about us again?”
I jump at the sound of his voice as I whip around to the back entrance. Jett moves through the room like a man on a mission with his dark denim jeans hugging his thick thighs. A brown pocketed work shirt stretches across his broad chest and a baseball cap is flipped backwards on his head. My stomach flips at the sight of him. Since the night he slept over, our whatever-ship hasn’t progressed. He’s come over for dinner a few other nights, and we text constantly, but we haven’t slept together since that night. We’re taking our time, relearning each other, and enjoying our company without the pressure.
“She seems to think she’s responsible,” Levi chides as they step closer, caging me in like two hungry bears. Levi and Jett take measured steps, their dark eyes locked on me.
“Wh-what the hell is this? Gang-up-on-Wren day?” My head bounces between both men. “And what are you guys doing here?”
“Fire check,” Levi answers at the same time Jett says, “Coming to see you.”
His admission has me turning in his direction.
“Coming to see me?”
He nods. I watch as his throat bobs with his swallow. It’s cute how nervous he is.
It feels like the room fades away. I hear Jacob and Heath talking, but I’m no longer processing. Levi slips to the back of my mind as I watch Jett tuck his hands into his front pockets. The glint in his eyes takes me to a time long ago, when he was a young, shy boy with an ornery streak.
“Got a second?” Jett asks, tipping his head to the side.
I glance around the room at the boxes of decor waiting to be set up. At the other women watching our interaction. It’s as if my life’s a movie and they’ve got a front seat. Everyone is nosy, waiting for that exclusive moment they can run home and tell their friends about.
“It’ll only take a second,” he presses, before grumbling, “I didn’t realize so many people would be here.”
I nod and glance at Levi, who’s smirking. “We’re going to do our fire check.”
Jett turns on his heels and steps toward the far corner, and I follow him like a lost puppy. Turning to me, he runs a hand down his face.
“You’re making me nervous.”
“I’m not trying to,” he says on a sigh. “I, uh, I was wondering,” he pauses, clearing his throat, “if you’d be my date tonight.”
My eyes widen, and Jett’s face falls, mistaking my shock for a no.
He begins backpedaling. “We don’t…”
“No, no,” I plead, gripping his forearm. “You surprised me.”
“I did?”
I nod, smiling. Butterflies take flight deep inside me.
The corners of his eyes soften, and I’m transported back to high school all over again. To the first time he asked me to be his date. It was the homecoming dance during our freshman year.At the time, we weren’t dating, just childhood friends going to our first dance together. High school dances were intimidating. I was terrified to go, of what to expect, but knowing I was going with my best friend eased every worry.
A gentle brush against my face has a soft breath escaping my lips.
“Your hair is always falling in your face.”
“It’s the haircut.”
“I know, but I love seeing your freckles.”
