Page 52

Claire

M id-April, just as we were starting to get seeds in the ground, Jenna convinced me to attend the next community dance, where she and Liam planned to play music as usual.

It had all happened so quickly—one moment, I was helping her tune her violin, the next I heard myself reluctantly agreeing to sing a few songs with them.

“You’ll be a hit,” Jenna gushed. “And we’ve been practicing for a while now.”

“O-kay,” I said, my stomach churning. “I’ll…see you there, I guess.”

A few days later, I found myself sitting in front of the vanity table in my bedroom, filled with equal parts dread and a strange sense of excitement.

It’d been a long time since I’d sung publicly.

The music practices with Jenna and Liam had restored the musical part of me that’d withered from disuse, so I had to hope this would be good for something, at least.

I put on the one and only dress that Nimkii had made for me: a light green frock that brought out my eyes. I hadn’t yet had an occasion to wear it .

“I’m nervous,” I said to John as I fixed my hair at the vanity in our room. I pinned it half-up, then smoothed the front of my dress.

Fresh out of the shower, John pulled a clean shirt over his head as he answered, “You have a beautiful voice, baby. It’d be a shame not to use it. Besides, Jenna’s gonna be up there too, and Liam.”

“Yeah, Jenna talks an awful lot about him,” I said with a small smile. “He’s so quiet, though. Hardly talks during music practice, but she acts like he walks on water. Who’s he related to again?”

John grinned. “Didn’t know she was into him. Guess it makes sense. He’s one of Noah’s little brothers. Quiet like Noah, but not as socially awkward. Always thought he had the hots for Asra, though.”

“The one who’s in love with you?” I teased with a smirk.

John rolled his eyes. “Still can’t believe she said that at the council meeting. We never even went out. I helped her fix their truck one time .”

I giggled, couldn’t help it. Realizing that John was the reluctant hottie of the Valley cracked me up. It shouldn’t have been surprising, given how attractive he was, but his utter indifference to the female attention he received was undeniably funny.

I didn’t feel worried or threatened by it, and my heart squeezed as I realized that it was mark of the trust I had in him—trust that I’d worked so hard to cultivate.

I’m not perfect, but I’ve come a long way.

“I’m just glad Asha’s coming,” I said absently as I fiddled with my hair again. “For Kimmy’s sake. She’s been gone so often lately; Kimmy’s been a little depressed about it.”

John put his hands on my shoulders and bent to kiss my cheek, watching my face in the mirror.

“Well, no one’s going to look as good as you tonight,” he said in a low, intimate tone.

“Will you dance with me?” I asked with a playful smile.

He chuckled. “I never dance.”

“You did once with me,” I reminded him.

“That was different. I had a crush on you, and it was a chance to hold you close without telling you.”

My smile broadened. “You can hold me close now all you like. And, if you’re lucky, maybe more.”

John turned my face towards his and kissed me full on the lips—hungry, needy, wanting more. It’d been over a week since we’d last had sex. Between school, work, and the farm, we’d both been exhausted every night.

Tonight was our first leisurely evening together since our date, and my body ached to make love to him, especially when he thrust his tongue into my mouth.

I let out a muffled gasp, and he seized my face in his hands, forcing his mouth harder against mine.

We kissed frantically for another moment before resurfacing for breath, and he moved his lips to my throat, making me gasp again.

“Forget the dance,” John murmured against my skin. “We’ll say you’re sick. Let’s stay in for the night. Alone.”

I groaned. “I can’t no-show on Jenna. And you said we’d be there. It won’t look good if it seems like I’m avoiding seeing people.”

The tip of his tongue caressed my earlobe, and I shuddered.

“Then go get your coat,” he whispered in my ear. “Or I’ll be on my knees with my tongue inside you in the next sixty seconds.”

Pleasure shot straight to my groin at that image, but I took a deep breath and stood. I tore myself away from his hungry gaze and went downstairs to fetch my coat.

The hall inside the Lodge was already bustling with people by the time we arrived.

Chairs lined the walls, and two tables at the head of the room held food and drink.

Sarah and her husband, Bruce, were in the corner, chatting with Danny and their oldest son, Matthew.

Nearby, Isla and Noah sat with Ely, who was nursing quietly in Isla’s arms. As soon as he finished, Noah scooped him up in his arms and started walking with him, patting his back.

Kimmy and Asha went to sit with Isla, who looked pleased with their company.

They’d both dressed up. It felt nice to see Asha looking more the way I remembered her—wearing nice clothes, her hair braided and shiny, her warm brown skin clear and bright.

She also stuck close to Kimmy, linking arms with her, which warmed my heart, especially because Kimmy looked so happy about it.

Jenna and Liam had already started playing on the small platform where the council chairs normally sat, and there were a few people dancing. Jenna smiled and nodded at me to come over.

When the song finished, I went up on the platform, nervously surveying the room.

People looked over at me with curiosity, and I recognized many of the parents of my students.

My heart leapt into my throat, however, when I realized that Zach Jameson was standing near the back of the hall, drink in hand, with what I assumed were his brothers.

He pretended to ignore me, but I caught his occasional, razor-sharp glances.

I tried to forget about him as Jenna signaled the start of the next song. Instead, I focused my gaze on John. He’d gone to stand beside Danny, but he was watching me, a small smile on his face and a drink in his hand.

I took a deep breath and started to sing. It was the same song I’d once performed for John and Kimmy by the campfire, the first time they’d heard me sing, over a year ago. It was the first time I knew I wanted you , John told me later. When I couldn’t get your voice out of my head.

I kept my eyes on him, avoiding the stares of everyone else, and my voice grew stronger.

When the song ended, the sudden burst of applause almost startled me.

Most everyone looked pleased by my performance, other than those I already knew didn’t like me, and I sagged a little with relief.

Danny whistled, which made me flush, and John’s smile widened.

He raised his glass to me as I started into the next song.

Altogether, I played three songs with Jenna and Liam, and each seemed to be a hit. When I finally joined the party again, Kimmy and Asha were there to meet me.

“Your voice is beautiful as always,” Kimmy said fondly. “It made me nostalgic, hearing you again. Feels like so much longer than a year that you’ve been with us.”

“She’s always had it,” Asha added, far more warmly than usual. “I always tried to get her to sing at bars back home, but she never would. Glad that you finally did it.”

“Guess I just needed to feel like I belonged,” I answered, and something dark flitted across Asha’s face. A half-second later, however, she’d assumed a pleasant expression again, making me question if I’d imagined it.

“I’d like to borrow my girl,” John’s voice said behind me, and then he turned me toward him. “If that’s alright with you two.”

Kimmy smiled and nodded, pulling Asha toward the dance floor. To my surprise, John did the same with me.

“What are you doing?” I asked.

“I thought you wanted a dance.”

“You said you wouldn’t,” I replied as he placed a hand on my back. Jenna and Liam had started playing a slow ballad.

He drew me closer, lacing his fingers with mine. “I changed my mind.”

A lot of couples were on the dance floor now. John oscillated us slowly, but his movements were still unnatural and out of rhythm, which made me giggle.

“You’re still a hopeless dancer, I see,” I teased.

John grinned. “Did you really expect anything else?”

I recalled again the night we’d danced—or more like swayed together, really—by the campfire.

At the time, we hadn’t even kissed yet, and every touch between us felt electric.

Although I was used to his touch now, feeling his hand shift lower on my back still sent a small spark of pleasure through me.

“I suppose not. But I like you anyway.”

“So kind of you,” he said, amused.

We were quiet for a moment, listening to the music as we swayed gently. John’s eyes never left my face, shining with sweet contentment, and the corners of his mouth curved upward. He was perfectly at ease—a rare thing in the last few months—and was only more handsome for it.

“You look beautiful,” he said in a low, husky tone. “I haven’t seen you in a dress since the day we met.”

“Hardly a dress by that point, was it?” I replied wryly. “Just a tatter of dirty fabric.”

The corners of his mouth ticked upward. “True. At least this time, it won’t be a group of maneaters ripping it off you.”

I gave him a scandalized look.

“You’re not ripping anything! This is the only dress I own, and it’s staying fully intact. ”

“We’ll get you another,” John said, his gaze moving to my lips. “As many as you want. I like seeing you like this.”

“Like what?”

“Like you feel pretty,” he said with a warm smile. “You carry yourself differently. More confident, less shy.”

Of course, that made my cheeks redden, and he chuckled. I moved my hand from his shoulder to caress along his jaw with my fingertips. His grip on my other hand loosened, and we stopped swaying.

“Kiss me,” I said softly.