She turned around and closed her eyes. It didn抰 matter what she looked like. Her friends would be there to support her, and Wade had offered to give her a ride, so none of them had to drive all the way out back there to pick her up. Next week, she vowed, she was going to take the RV to Killeen and trade it in on an SUV. She抎 thought about a car and then a truck, but an SUV seemed to make more sense since she could haul more people in it. She was all the way across the bar and about to go out the front door when it opened, and Wade just stood there with a grin on his face.
揅an we pretend we抮e on a date??he asked.
揧ou would want to do that??Her eyes traveled from his freshly shined cowboy boots, up his khaki western-cut slacks, and to the forest-green shirt that matched his eyes. 揂ny woman there would be glad to be your date. Why would you want to saddle yourself with a giant??
揑 never did go for those petite women.?Wade offered her his arm. 揊or the first time in my life, I抣l be the envy of every guy that ever graduated from Riverbend High School.?
揥ith a compliment like that, how could I ever refuse to be your date??Jessica slipped her arm into his.
揑 should抳e asked you earlier and brought a corsage,?he said as he locked the door behind them.
揟his is not a prom,?she said with a chuckle, 揳nd I抦 probably overdressed as it is, but it was this or my camouflage pants.?
Wade opened the truck door for her. 揧ou look drop-dead gorgeous to me.?
揧ou clean up pretty good yourself.?She got into the passenger seat and fastened the seat belt.
He whistled all the way around the front end of the truck and slid in behind the steering wheel. 揑 didn抰 think I抎 ever be this happy again after Danny died. I owe you, Jessica.?
She smiled across the console at him. 揥e all owe each other. If you hadn抰 come to the parking lot that first night I arrived in Riverbend, and if you hadn抰 suggested turning the old church into a bar, none of this would be happening.?
揥hat would you have done if that hadn抰 happened??he asked as he started the engine and drove away from the bar.
揑 would have given the church to the city to do whatever they wanted with it and driven my RV on west in search of a home,?she answered honestly. 揑 told myself when I left Maine that I would know where I belonged when I got there because I would feel peace in my heart.?
揝o, you feel peace??Wade asked.
揧es, I do,?she said with a nod. 揇o you??
He didn抰 answer until they turned off the dirt road onto the paved one leading down to Riverbend. 揑 didn抰， but I do now. I feel like I can finally let Danny go, and that . . .?He paused.
She turned to focus on his face. A lot could be read from a person抯 expression, especially when they were searching for the right words. Wade suddenly smiled, and it reached all the way to his eyes.
揑抦 not sure how to say this, Jessica,?he said. 揥e are partners, and getting into a relationship might not be a good idea, but I抎 like to see where this chemistry between us would lead, but I抳e been afraid to even bring it up for fear if it didn抰 work out, we would . . .?Another hesitation.
Now his face looked less relaxed and more tense. She reached across the console and laid a hand on his arm. The electricity between them seemed even hotter than ever.
揥e抮e adults,?she told him. 揑f a relationship didn抰 work out, I think we could handle being friends, but if we never see where whatever this is between us might go, then we might be passing up on something wonderful.?
揜ight!?he said as he turned into the high school parking lot and found an empty space. He turned off the engine and turned to face her. 揝o, can we call this a real date tonight??
揧es, we can.?Jessica was tired of fighting the battle between her heart and her mind.
揟hat means I get the last dance of the evening??Wade leaned across the console and kissed her on the cheek.
Jessica抯 heart threw in an extra beat and then raced ahead with a full head of steam. Her face suddenly felt hot enough to melt all her makeup off. Granted, it had been a while since she抎 had a boyfriend, but she felt like a teenager out on a first date again.
揙f course, and the first one, too,?she answered.
Mary Nell jerked the door open and said, 揧抋ll are finally here. We抳e been waiting in my car for you, so that we can all go inside together.?
揝trength in numbers??Jessica asked.
揧ou got it,?Haley said as she stepped up. 揇on抰 you look all fancy. I feel underdressed now.?
揂ll three of you look awesome,?Jessica said, 揳nd I feel overdressed, but this is the only thing I had other than camouflage and a full dress uniform.?
Haley wore a strapless blue sundress with cute little wedge heels. Risa was wearing a hot pink sleeveless dress that stopped at the knee, and Mary Nell had chosen a dark green dress with big yellow sunflowers on it.