Page 30 of A Hexcellent Chance to Fall in Love

Until the Store Closes

Christina

I told Emily I was bringing someone to her engagement party today, so that’s what I’m going to do.

But now, as I stand in my bedroom looking at the dress I dug out of my closet for this very special occasion and the shoes Pepper bought for me, I’m starting to second-guess myself.

I should’ve gotten something new. Not that the dress isn’t nice.

It’s simple. It’s elegant. It’s Chanel. I wore it to a holiday party a million years ago so no one in my family has ever seen it before, but it also means it’ll just remind them of all the things I used to be able to afford.

Licorice stops cleaning himself to stare at me from his spot on the bed.

“Ugh, I know. This is a bad idea.” I rub the scar on my arm.

He goes back to licking.

It’s not that I don’t want Pepper to come with me.

There’s nothing I’d rather do since shutting down haunted house construction early for the day than hang out with the one person who has finally made this little town feel more like home than it ever has before.

Since I moved here, it’s been fine—it’s a lovely place to live with just about everything anyone could need and nothing more—and while teaching is a struggle and not something I plan to do forever, it’s all suited me well.

It’s been a way to make the world—my family—take a pause when it comes to me and all their expectations, and it’s worked for a while now.

But going to this party today, wearing this dress, and being surrounded by them will just put everything on fast-forward.

Emily promised not to say anything to anyone about me bringing a plus-one, and from the family group chat, no one seems to know, but part of me wants to keep it that way.

Here everything is perfect and safe, and Pepper and I can exist in a space completely of our own creation.

I can swim in this sea of joy, of being accepted as I am without any outside pressures.

And to be honest, I don’t miss spending stupid amounts of money on things.

I like my comfortable clothes and flats.

I like not having to put a full face of makeup on all the time.

I like living in my little Clover Creek bubble.

But in two and a half hours that bubble is going to burst.

Maybe I shouldn’t go.

But unfortunately, that isn’t an option. I can’t let Emily down. Plus, I already bought a gift and had it professionally wrapped at the store with a big white bow, and it’s presently sitting next to the door so there’s no way I can forget it on my way out.

In my head, I’ve played out just about every scenario that could go wrong today.

Forget the present—put it by the door. Blow a tire—had Harold at the shop check the pressure in all of them yesterday.

Spill something all over myself—wear a black dress.

Hear how I shouldn’t have worn black to an engagement party—well, there’s nothing I can do about that.

Anyhow, it’s a dinner party, and black is always acceptable for an evening event, so hopefully I won’t be the only one wearing this color.

And having a plus-one will mean no one will ask me why I’m still single.

At least I hope they won’t. So I’m totally and completely prepared. Aren’t I?

Everything needs to be perfect for Emily. I cannot be the one to screw today up for her.

Moths swarm in my stomach, eating holes right through the center of me.

There aren’t any holes in my dress, are there?

I quickly flip the garment over, checking all the seams and everything in between. Luckily, it’s fine. There’s not even any cat hair since I lint-rolled it earlier, so I sit on the edge of my bed and take a few deep breaths.

My gaze lands on my shoes—the beautiful blue ones Pepper bought me. A smile tugs at my lips as my mind whirls with all the thoughts of what she’ll be wearing. For sure it won’t be black.

That’s it. That thought is all I need to get me moving. I want to see her, so I put on my dress and finish getting ready.

The parking lot is already full by the time I pull into the restaurant where the party is being held.

Pepper sits in the passenger seat next to me looking gorgeous in a light blue dress that hugs her body—accentuating all her gorgeous curves.

She even brought me a scarf that matches—like she knew I’d be in all black and could use a pop of color.

We sort of match without matching. We complement each other in a way that people will likely assume we’re a couple, but it’s not like we’ve put a label on it—although I might be ready to do just that.

I glance at her again from the corner of my eye. Her legs are crossed, and her dress has ridden up, showing off her thigh. The perfume she’s wearing is sweet with a deep undertone. I want to bottle it up and swim inside it.

But what happens after Halloween when Pepper’s store closes?

The intrusive thought is there before I can stop it, but now isn’t the time to fall down that rabbit hole of what-ifs, so I quickly push it away.

Luckily, there are still empty parking spaces, so I pull into one and cut the engine.

Nerves bubble inside me like an over-carbonated seltzer.

Tonight will be fine. It’s just that there will be so many people, including my big, loud, well-meaning but intrusive family.

That’s the problem. With Pepper here, maybe they won’t notice me so much and will instead have questions about the girl who’s with me.

She’s stunning, and now that I’m not driving anymore, there’s nothing stopping me from looking at her.

She has swept her dark hair up and off her neck, highlighting a gorgeous statement necklace in contrasting blues and oranges.

Tonight, she isn’t in bold patterns like she normally wears, but the necklace is completely her.

Bright—beautiful. She’s the kind of person who commands a room.

They’re going to love her.

“You ready?” She reaches over and squeezes my arm. “Or do you want to sit here for a few minutes?”

The anxiety I’ve built up inside my gut crashes together like spastic bumper cars. I take a deep breath and place my hand on top of hers—it’s so steady, even though she’s about to be in a room with my entire family for the first time. I wish I could be that calm. “I just need a minute.”

She nods like she understands, because of course she does, and we sit there in silence—nothing to fill the space between us like there had been on the ride over with the music playing, but it’s calming—the sounds of our breaths mixing together and falling into sync.

Sometimes simply occupying the same space with someone can be the most intimate experience.

A few couples walk inside carrying gifts; one of the women I don’t recognize is also wearing black. Thank god I won’t be the only one. Pepper doesn’t say a word, but she glances at me and smiles like she knows what I’m looking at—like she knows exactly what I’m thinking.

“There sure are a lot of cars here,” I say instead of asking her how she does it—how she somehow sees right through me.

“Everyone is going to be watching your sister. It’s her night after all.”

She’s right. Aside from Mom and Dad and Emily, most people probably won’t even care that I’m here. Ashley will just make a mental note about my attendance so she can’t hold it over me later.

“You’re going to be fine,” Pepper says.

I take one last deep breath. Whether she’s right or not doesn’t matter, and I’ve already stalled long enough. “Let’s go.”

Pepper is first to exit the car and comes around to open my door like she knows I need the extra help to really get me moving.

She reaches out her hand, and I take it.

Even though my heels are higher than hers, she’s still taller than me.

I’d never be able to stand in hers all night.

I hope mine don’t bother me. But on the list of all the terrible things to happen—spill something, mess up my speech, bump into someone and cause a chain reaction that makes a huge scene that somehow starts a fire, choke and need the Heimlich, or possibly just die from asphyxiation—pinched toes are basically nonexistent as something to be worried about.

“Thank you,” I tell her, my hand trembling—hers is so steady like she’s trying to pass along a little of her strength to me.

“I got you.” She leans down and brushes her lips against mine.

Little fireworks ignite along my spine and fizzle all the way down.

They’re like a shot of electricity to my soul, and now not wanting to go in is for a totally different reason, but I need to, so I pull away even though I don’t want to, and I close the car door, pressing the fob to lock it.

“Forgetting something?” she asks.

I slap my hand against my forehead. “What would I do without you?”

“You’d have to come back out to your car.” She smirks. “Plus, I need to get mine, too.”

I press the button to open the trunk. “You really didn’t have to bring a gift.”

“I wanted to.” She lifts her box out. “My mom always said you never show up empty-handed.” The little glimpses Pepper has given me into her family make me feel like this experience with mine won’t be so far off from what she’s dealt with herself.

And knowing she’s going to be okay in there—that she’ll be able to handle herself—gives my raging nerves a sense of calm.

Once the trunk is closed and the doors are locked, I drop my keys into my purse, and we carry our gifts toward the front of the restaurant.

My box is large and heavy. I had to get something that would be just as good as what Ashley bought or I’d never hear the end of it.

If you still had your last job, maybe you would’ve been able to afford to buy Emily something nicer.

No way was I going to set myself up for that.

“Do you want any help?” Pepper offers.