Page 8 of Forever Fascinating

Jana saw several of the women turn towards her in surprise, wishing the floor would open up and swallow her whole.

She was actually starting to dread meeting the guy. If he was as dull as she suspected, then she was going to have to let him down gently… and what if he took a shine to her? Was she about to trounce some poor man?

Jana knew she was decent-looking and had several pageant trophies, ribbons, and other paraphernalia she’d earned over the years. Her brother was the one that everyone fawned over, and she was perfectly happy with that situation.

Pageants were ‘the thing’ to do with young girls to keep them busy, build bonds, or rapport with other young girls. They were either in pageants, cheerleaders, or girl scouts… except pageants only brought out a lot of competitiveness and made her feel even more lonely. That’s why she quit competing. It wasn’t fulfilling for her in the slightest.

“You’re talking with X-Ray?” Glory chimed in, surprised. “Alpo knows him and talks about how ‘still waters run deep’… the guy is awfully quiet and never says a lot.”

“He’s nice,” Jana said evasively. “We’re friends.”

“Hmmm…” Harley and Glory smiled at each other.

“Not like that,” Jana interrupted, frowning, before repeating herself. “He’s…nice. That’s it.”

A knock sounded at the door, just before it cracked open. A dark-haired man stood there politely, and Dixie lit up like a flare at the sight of him.

Jana almost sighed in envy… were all of these women just ga-ga over their men?

“Ladies, are you about ready?” Romeo asked politely.

“So ready…” Karen beamed, getting to her feet and shaking out the skirt of her ivory wedding gown.

Jana stepped beside her, pulling one of the sheer veils into place.

“I’m happy for you both,” she said tenderly, looking at her sister-in-law. “I’m so happy and wish you both many years of love.”

“You are beautiful, Karen…” Emily said softly, hugging her. “I love you, sis.”

“Love you too,” Karen smiled, reaching for a Kleenex. “I’m going to be crying before I ever get to the chapel to renew our vows.”

“Then let’s go…”

They all filed out into the hallway and began to line up, pairing off. Jana saw a few of the men were holding their children in their arms, partnering up with their spouses quickly… and she knew that left three airmen.

Sophie, Reaper’s wife, took the arm of one pilot and nodded politely. Jace had paired the pregnant woman with someone, only because Sophie’s husband couldn’t be there to attend.

Reaper was planning on coming home when the baby arrived in a little over two months. The poor woman was waddling in her blue dress and looked supremely uncomfortable.

Having studied the outline on paper where Karen wanted them standing for the procession, she knew the man in front of Sophie was her pen pal, X-Ray.

Jana looked up to say hello… and her world tilted as her breath caught in her chest, but not for her pen pal. It was because of the man standing directly in front of X-Ray.

She had no idea who that beautiful man was, but the pang of instant jealously that Emily was the one walking with him, was almost more than she could handle.

Meeting his eyes, she saw the flare of awareness in his gaze, as he stared at her with almost the same fascinated expression, she knew had to be plastered all over her own face.

She was dumbstruck.

There had never been such a vibrant awakening, an awareness, flaring to life within her at meeting someone for the first time. It was like having electricity surge within her as something unfurled in her being.

He was breathtakingly beautiful in a masculine way. Thick dark hair, classical and elegant features, with lips that made her want to…

“Jana?” X-Ray said politely, interrupting her thoughts immediately as she flushed with embarrassment and looked away from the other pilot, realizing she’d been staring at him.

The mysterious manhadto be a pilot because he was in uniform just like X-Ray… who was standing there waiting, with his arm outstretched, waiting.

“Hey buddy…” she began nervously, nodding. “Nice to finally meet you.”

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