Jolene:
I had to take money from Shelly for that dress. I can’t go back from that.
Adam:
I’m serious. Return it.
Jolene:
I look really good in the dress.
Adam:
You look good in anything. Think your mom will stay silent through me picking you up?
Jolene:
Here’s hoping. So tonight we’ll be an awesome teen dance movie, right?
Adam:
Tonight we’ll be us, so the awesome is a given.
Jolene:
How do you always say the right thing?
Adam:
I’m learning.
Jolene:
Oh, I’ll get to meet the famous Erica!
Adam:
We’ll probably want to give her some space, but she’ll be there. This guy John pulled off an elaborate ask involving the entire marching band.
Jolene:
Wow, seriously?
Adam:
Yeah. Wait, should I have done something like that?
Jolene:
What could possibly have been better than asking me while I lay on the couch with a heating pad on my stomach so I wouldn’t die from cramps?
Adam:
I suck.
Jolene:
I’m messing with you. Besides we don’t go to the same school.
Adam:
I could have done something.
Jolene:
The point of the big ask is to get a yes. You got that just from saying the words. No pomp and circumstance needed.
Adam:
And you say I’m the one who always says the right thing.
Jolene:
G2G. It takes a zillion hours to do my hair.
Adam:
Is it weird that I’ve been dreaming about seeing you with your hair down?
Jolene:
Totally. See you at 6. Don’t be late!
Adam:
For you? Never.
Jolene
“Would you believe they were all out of shark dresses?”
Adam acted like he hadn’t heard me. The second I’d opened my front door, his face had gone blank and I couldn’t tell if he was struck dumb by my overwhelming hotness or didn’t recognize me. “Well, you look nice.” I stepped forward to straighten his tie, but Adam caught my hands.
“You’re so beautiful.”
I stilled at the reverence in his voice and it was like the sun was rising inside me, all bright and warm.
Okay. That felt good. I’d wanted a sort of La La Land thing, specifically the blue cocktail dress Emma Stone wore. My dress was full-length instead of knee-length, but the royal color was spot-on. I was going to freeze to death for sure, but Adam’s rather awestruck expression made it worth it.
I twirled, because it is impossible not to when wearing a flowy skirt. My hair—which had taken two full hours to dry and curl and make look shiny and soft—swished around me like a chocolate cape. Adam swallowed.
Worth it.
Just then a prolonged horn blared from the driveway.
Adam’s mouth thinned. “I need to talk to you about my brother and his date.”
I waved him off. “We need to get a quick pic for your mom.” I sized up his jacket and then grinned when I correctly guessed which pocket held his phone. I squeezed against his side and he smiled without any prompting from me as I took the photo. “Tell her we’ll keep sending them until we get too drunk to work the phone.”
“Jolene says hi,” Adam intoned as he typed out a quick message and sent the photo.
I laughed. “Already editing me? Aren’t you worried I’ll do irrevocable damage to your reputation by the end of the night?”
“You’re definitely going to do something to my reputation.”
The sun inside me went supernova. I almost glanced down at my skin to make sure it wasn’t glowing. I grabbed my coat. “Adam, are you trying to say you like my dress?”
“I’m actually afraid to touch you right now.”
“Okay, now I am the one blushing.” I could feel my face heating and it was nothing compared to what I felt inside. He was way too smooth with the compliments, and he wasn’t even trying to be smooth.
“But seriously, about Jer—”
“Jolene! I found them!” Mom came running down the stairs, breathless but triumphant, with her fist held in the air. She brushed past Adam and, taking me by the shoulders, spun me to face the hall mirror. A second later she draped a delicate string of pearls across my collarbone and fastened the necklace. “There. You’re perfect.”
My fingers rose to caress the pearls. They were lovely and made me look too sweet, but I said thank you because she was smiling, something she hadn’t done since I’d mentioned Adam and the winter formal.
She’d kept up the silent treatment until about an hour earlier when Tom had shown up, and then she’d thrown herself into the role of fretful mother sending her daughter off to her first dance.
I had to keep reminding myself that it wasn’t real, because it felt nice to have her fussing over my hair, invisible wrinkles in my dress, and her last-minute quest to find the necklace she’d worn to her prom.
She’d gone into a panic over locating it for me, like it was some symbol of mother-daughter bonding for us both to wear the necklace. Or that was what I’d thought until I realized it was Tom’s reaction she was looking for instead of mine. It was the first time that he’d been by in a week, and she wasn’t going to waste it.
She’d angled her body as she stood behind me so that he could see her face as she lifted it to catch the light. It was all so Stepford Wives, and not the original one either, the crummy remake that Nicole Kidman was wasted in. If I’d had more time, I’d have looked for a control panel to switch her off.
“Lovely,” Tom said, joining us in the foyer and sliding an arm around Mom’s waist. “I can’t decide who’s prettier.”
“Jolene,” Mom-bot said, her computer programing releasing enough fluid to add an alluring shine to her eyes when she looked at me. “She’s a vision.” She kissed both my cheeks, leaving lipsticks smears that I’d have to rub off, before turning to Adam. “Jolene, aren’t you going to introduce us?”
“Mom, this is Adam Moynihan. Adam, this is my mom and her boyfriend, Tom.”