Page 66 of Welcome to Forever
“I can turn around. We can leave and just go have fast food.”
“In this?” She gestured toward her fancy dress and heels, forcing a laugh. “Really, Micah. I can do this. It’ll be fine.” The small smile stayed stamped on her lips, as if trying to convince him, and maybe herself, too.
She was tough. He’d give her that. It was one of the things he admired about her. He wasn’t buying her tough girl act, though. Inside, she was terrified. He could see it in her eyes. It was the same fear he’d glimpsed when she’d first seen him in uniform at the school.
He was about to make the call and just turn the Jeep around. There was no way he was letting Kat go through with this for his sake. It was idiotic of him to let it get this far. “Listen,” he said, lifting his foot off the gas pedal.
She reached over and placed her hand on his, as if reading his thoughts. “This is something I want to do. I need to do. I want to prove to myself that I’m strong.”
He divided his attention between her and the road. “You don’t need to convince me. I already know that.”
A real smile, not forced, bloomed this time. “I can do this.”
After a long moment, he nodded. “Okay then.”
The parking lot for the Pavilion Center was crowded as they pulled in, and more vehicles spilled in behind them. He parked the car and reached across the seat to squeeze Kat’s hand. “You say the word and we’re out of here, though. You promise? Leaving wouldn’t make you any less strong.”
She focused on their interlocked hands and then squeezed back. “Promise.”
They got out and began to walk among the other couples, the women wearing fancy gowns of every color. Kat bumped up against him as they walked. He suspected it was the heels, but maybe some part of her enjoyed staying close to him, too. Or maybe, being here just made her need to be closer, which he was happy to oblige. He protected the people he cared about, and he cared about Kat.
“Hey.” Micah stopped before leading her inside. “Thank you for coming with me.”
She arched a brow. “Like you couldn’t find a number of women to volunteer for the job.”
His mouth quirked. “I’m usually the type to come alone. Easier that way.”
Tilting her head, she revealed the long curve of her neck. “But not this time?”
“This time, being with someone, with you, feels right. So thanks.” He faced the building again, then slid a glance in her direction, holding out an elbow. “Shall we?”
She released a wobbly breath and straightened. She was tough, just like the pink lily in his garden. Compared to everything she’d been through in the last two years, attending the Marine Corps ball was a cakewalk.
“Ready,” she said.
The breath whooshed out of Kat’s body as she stepped through the entrance of the Pavilion Center. It was like stepping back into the past, only John wasn’t with her.
Micah’s grip tightened on hers. Okay. She could do this.Maybe.
“Just say the word,” he reminded her.
She nodded and forced another smile. Her face was already starting to hurt from all the fakery. But someone had once advised her to “fake it until you make it” and she’d found that to be good advice. It’d gotten her this far.
Micah’s gaze hung on hers for a long second, his dark eyes revealing that he wasn’t buying her brave act for a second. “Do you want some punch?” he asked.
She nodded, hoping to God it was spiked.
“It’s not spiked if that’s what you’re thinking,” he said with a sexy smile.
Her mouth fell open. “How did you know?”
An easy laugh escaped his lips as he pulled her toward the table of treats. “Because I wondered the same thing my first time at one of these events.”
This wasn’t her first ball, though, she wanted to say, taking the cup he offered her. She took a timid sip and then gulped it, hoping the sugar would cause a kind of euphoria that would make her forget where she was. She glanced around at all the couples in their dress blues and sequined dresses. She’d never really enjoyed an event like this, even before John’s death. It’d always felt like a lot of pressure to look just right and to make sure you said hi to all the right people. Heaven forbid you forgot someone’s name or got his or her rank wrong.
She took another sip and looked at Micah. “So, who are we supposed to be mingling with?” she asked.
He shrugged, tossing his cup in the trashcan nearby. “I’m supposed to be mingling with you. That’s all.”
