Page 58 of Here's to Yesterday

11

“Icannot believeyou ditched your dress fittingandyou bought a new dress to wear. Someone is getting brave,” Kassi says from her relaxed position on my bed. She has a rare day off and refuses to spend it at my parents’ dinner. Can’t say I blameher.

Chuckling, I finish putting the back on my earring and smooth my hands down my dress. Taking a step back, I peek at myself in the floor-length mirror. After Tucker’s little dress talk, I decided that he was spot on. I shouldn’t have to wear something my parents pick out for me. I should be able to get my own dress to wear. So I did, and I could not be happier about my choice. The morning after lunch with Tuck last week, I went straight to Jane’s and exchanged inventory help hours for her finding me the perfect dress. Let me just say, Jane is a godsend! She found me an empire-waist, floor-length champagne chiffon gown that fits me like a freaking glove. There’s a sheer beaded mesh along the upper half of the dress with a design that’s intricate and classy. The back is my favorite part, because it’s a keyhole design, leaving the dress to be sexy and alluring. I happened to have a pair of shoes that match it. My short blonde hair is elegantly styled to one side, the pink tips slightly concealed so my mother doesn’t have too big of a heart attack. The look is completed with smoky eyes and simplejewelry.

Who’s the designer? No clue, and I don’t care to know. My mother is the one who’s all about labels, notme.

“You ready for this thing with the stud? Your parents are gonna flip. Not only is he tattooed, a mechanic, a musician,andsinfully sexy, he’s not Tanner. Your boyfriend. That’s gonna cause an uproar all on its own, you know,” Kassi tellsme.

She’s right; it will cause a hassle with my parents. My dad probably won’t give a crap since he doesn’t pay any attention to me anyway, but my mother is bound to flip her lid—in private, of course. I can see it now: she’ll give a tight-lipped smile, a kiss on the cheek for show, and whisper in my ear about what a disgrace I am.Can’twait.

And then there’s the matter of going with Tucker. I told Tanner last night that I was still going to the dinner, but I didn’t tell him who I was going with. I didn’t see the huge deal in telling him since the reason we’re going together is because Tanner bailed. I would say that I feel guilty for not telling him because he’s been apologizing constantly for not being able to make it, but that would be kind of a lie. How am I supposed to know if he means it? How am I supposed to know how genuine he is about everything? It’s horrible that I’m now questioning everything he says or does, but I can’t help it. I feel like I don’t know him at allnow.

Get through the dinner tonight and then worry aboutTanner.

Pushing aside my thoughts, I check myself in the mirror one last time. Happy with how I look, I spin around, the dress swishing at my feet. “Well?”

Kassi’s eyes go wide, and tears start to form. “A vision,” she says happily. “You look absolutely incredible, Maurie. You alwaysdo.”

“Thanks,” I sayquietly.

Kassi is about to speak, but as she opens her mouth, the doorbell rings and I freezeup.

“He’s heeeeere!” she squeaks. “Want me to go getthat?”

I nod my head, unable tospeak.

“Breathe, girlie. Breathe.” Apparently I haven’t been doing thateither.

I follow Kassi out of my bedroom and down the narrow hallway to the living room. I wait in there as she rounds the corner to the small entryway and opens thedoor.

“Hey you! You’re lucky I love Maura and have this creepy outlook toward dating dudes who are younger than me, because,damn, you are handsome ashell!”

I hear Tucker give a small laugh and say, “Thank you, Kassi. Don’t let her boyfriend hear you saythat.”

The mention of Tanner can’t stop the goosebumps that form when I set my eyes on Tucker in a simple black tux that hugs his muscles in the best way. The air whooshes out of my lungs, and my knees wobble. He’s absolutely dazzling. And then he smiles, and it’s like a damn beacon because I automatically start walking towardhim.

“Stop,” he says, holding his hand up. “I want to admire you amoment.”

And he does. My God,he does.Tucker’s stare on me feels divine. The glimmer in his eyes is captivating and full of want. Nobody has ever looked at me the way he’s looking at me now, and I’ve never felt more beautiful in mylife.

He lifts a finger and twirls it in the air, signaling me to spin around. A part of me doesn’t want to and wants to surprise him with the back, but I know he’ll never allow us to leave without me showing him, because Tucker is stubborn like that. So I turn slowly and unsteadily, my eyes locked on his. When I’m fully facing away from him, I hear a sharp inhale and the heavy thumps of his feet approaching me. Next I feel his body heat and warm breath on myneck.

“I hate that we’re just friends,” he says in a hushed tone, his lips brushing lightly against mybody.

I gulp loudly and step away from him. We’ve been crossing too many lines lately, and I’m not about to add another to the list, but I want nothing more than to spin around, wrap my arms around his neck, and kiss him until I can’t breatheanymore.

“We should get going,” I tell him, my voice stillthick.

Creating a wide berth, I walk around him, going straight for the hallway to grab my clutch and light cardigan in case it getschilly.

Kassi meets me there before Tuckerdoes.

“Wow. That was…,” shestarts.

“I know,” I cut heroff.

She frowns. “Is it always likethat?”

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