Page 7 of The Second Dance
I take a deep breath, reminding myself that I hate this guy. There is absolutely nothing to be jealous of. Let that other woman have him.
But damn if he hasn’t filled out since high school.
He was always fit. Quarterbacks tend to be in pretty good shape. But back then he was lanky and leggy. He’s put on a lot of muscle since then, his shoulders seem wider. He even has a short beard.
It looks irritatingly good on his square jaw.
He’s transformed from a heartbreakingly cute high school kid to breathtakingly handsomeman. It just proves the point—Mother Nature plays favorites.
His hands pat gentle circles on the little baby’s back and he lifts his eyes, catching me staring.
Aw, fuck.
Instant embarrassment.
I slouch a little, leaning closer to my dad.
For the rest of the sermon, I make a pointed effort not to look at Bo.
And when people start filing out, I hide behind my dad, hoping Bo won’t notice me.
He does.
I blush, hoping he won’t stop to talk to me.
He does.
“Andy Reed. I haven’t seen you in years.”
His wife must have the baby, because those hands rest easily at his sides. Long fingers with a dark tan despite the chill in the air.
“Yeah. Crazy.” I say, trying to follow dad out. Like a traitor, dad stops over to talk to an old classmate about fishing, leaving me alone with Bo.
He shoves a hand in his pocket. “How long has it been?”
I stare up at him. Was he always this tall? He has at least a foot on me. “Since graduation? Eight years.”
“Damn.” He sighs. Wincing, he glances back at the cross behind the altar. “Darn.”
I grin, and he catches me, matching my smile with a blinding grin of his own.
“You have a baby.” I blurt, trying to keep the conversation rolling so that we canendit and I can move on.
“Belle? No. She’s not mine.” He grins, rubbing the back of his neck. “She’s Josh and Erin’s little girl.”
“Erin?”
“He remarried… after Ana…”
Every time I remember Ana passed away, it’s a fresh surprise. Unnerving and heartbreaking. She was in the grade below us, so I didn’t know her that well, but she always stood out.
She was an athlete. So dogged and strong. It seems impossible. How can someone so vibrant and young just pass away like that?
I glance over, finding Josh standing with his arm around his new wife. She’s a curvy little thing.
“He seems happy.”
Bo nods. “Yeah. He is. I’m happy for him. He deserved something good after all that.” He looks back at me, compassion thick in those dark eyes. “I’m sorry about your mom.”