Page 61 of One More Chance
Harper
Jensen stepsacross the stage to the microphone and throws the strap of his guitar over his shoulder, adjusting and strumming it. God, he looks good up there. The suit, the guitar. His hair is slicked back on top, all city boy like. I want to run my fingers through it and mess it up and maybe nibble his bottom lip while I’m doing it. Lord, get a hold of yourself, Harper.
His hand grips the microphone, adjusting it, and I watch a wry smile spread wide across his lips, exposing his gorgeous dimples and bright white teeth. There’s a sparkle in his eyes as he looks at me, then winks. He introduces himself to the crowd and clears his throat. I swallow, nervous for what’s about to happen. I barely heard him before when we were camping, not enough to know how talented he actually is. But as I sit here about to listen to him sing, my hands are clutching the napkin in my lap and I can barely contain myself.
Gentry leads my sister into the center of the otherwise empty dance floor and grips her in his arms. I watch only this much before my eyes travel back to Jensen, and he begins to strum the opening notes of Lady May by Tyler Childers, the song their first dance will be to. It’s a beautiful country song, so soft and gut wrenching. One of my favorites.
Then it happens. Jensen starts to sing.
His voice bellows out over the quiet tent and everyone is watching the newlyweds on the dance floor. Everyone except me. I’m stuck in a trance, watching Jensen’s mouth move. His deep raspy voice sings the words of this song and I’m in awe. If I didn’t know him, I think I’d still be impressed. But having had that mouth on me, having kissed those same lips, it’s like I’m carrying around a secret, like I know just how far the talent of that mouth extends. And Jensen might be singing their wedding song, but he’s looking at me. From the start of the song to the last note, he hardly takes his eyes off mine.
When he’s finished, everyone claps. Gentry and Lyla even turn and applaud his talent. I stand and clap for him too, because he deserves it. Just when I think he should be putting his guitar down to come off stage, he clears his throat again and steps back up to the microphone.
“Thank you, thank you very much. Now, I got special permission from the groom to do this, so you’ll have to excuse the interruption. I know it’s their day, but I have a surprise for a special girl. Her name is Harper,” he says.
Oh god. Oh no, oh god. What. The. Fuck. Panic!
Everyone’s eyes shift toward me because everyone here knows me and suddenly I’m set ablaze with embarrassment. My skin is hot. I know I probably look like a lobster. I crouch low in my chair, but Cora elbows me.
“Stand up,” she says.
I cover my face with my hands but it’s no use because everyone’s starts to clap and cheer. So I stand slowly, wrapping my hands around my waist and pressing my lips together to suppress the I-can’t-believe-this-is-happening grin I have.
Jensen points down at me. “This one is for you.”
Every last ounce of resistance I have melts away as he starts to strum the guitar and sing the words to Ocean Eyes by Billie Eilish. I laugh as tears brim my eyes because it’s the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me. I don’t know how he found out this is one of my favorite songs.
In all my life, no one has even come close to doing anything like this. I swallow again, not fully understanding the entire range of emotions I’m feeling in this moment. I try to push away everything and just enjoy it, getting lost in Jensen’s voice as he serenades me.
He finishes to another eruption of applause and sets the guitar down. Then, he rushes off the stage and straight toward me, wrapping his arms around my waist once he reaches me. I meet his embrace, wrapping my arms up around him and burying my face into his chest. He snarls into my neck and I giggle.
“You’re ridiculous,” I whisper.
“Good ridiculous?” he asks.
“The best kind of ridiculous.” I kiss his lips, gripping tightly onto his lapels to bring him down to me.
He inhales against me. “Careful, woman.” His warning sends tingles all over.
“Or what?” I tease.
“Or we won’t make it through the whole reception, and that would be rude,” he whispers.
A shiver travels my spine and I straighten up. “Wanna dance?” I ask, hearing the DJ start up in the background.
Jensen nods and our hands fall in unison, mine into his as he leads me out onto the floor. He turns, pulling my arms up around his neck, and sways back and forth to this slow song I couldn’t name for all the money in the world because all my attention is on him. His hooded eyes are dark and fixed on mine. They’re everything sex and heat with a hint of playful mischief behind them.
“I have a proposition,” he says.
“A dirty one?” I ask.
“Well, it can involve dirty stuff,” he says, tilting his head back and forth, lips pouted.
“Go on,” I say, pressing my lips together in curiosity.
“Well, I have to leave tomorrow. I fly back home to North Carolina. And I want you to come with me for a few days,” he says, his words stopping abruptly.
“What?”