“All right.” He grinned, ignoring my question. “See you tomorrow. I love you.”
“Love you more,” I said. Because saying I love you, too, didn’t feel right with him. I wasn’t just copying the sentiment or going through the motions like I’d done for so long with Alec. I truly loved Jett in a way I’d never experienced. And there were no words to express how deep my feelings ran.
I watched his bike drive down the street and I walked back inside. I helped Mama clean up the kitchen and thanked her for inviting Jett and making the effort. Our home felt a little less fractured today, and I was happy about it.
Clem came into my room and dropped to sit on my bed.
“Have you ever heard Mama apologize before? That was a first.”
I laughed. “Definitely a first. But she owed him an apology.”
“Absolutely. Damn, that boy is so fine.” She fell back on the bed and giggled.
“You sure don’t hide your crush on him.”
She smiled. “I doubt any girl does. But he’s crazy about you. Even a blind person could see that. Do you think you’ll go to TU with him?”
“I’d like to go there. And not just because Jett is going there, but that’s certainly icing on the cake. But they have such a good journalism program, and I wouldn’t be too far from home, but far enough, you know?”
“So why not just hit accept and be done?” she asked, pushing to sit up.
“Because I know Mama doesn’t want me to go there, and even though I’m mad at her, I don’t want to hurt her. I just need some time to figure it all out.”
“You’re a much more thoughtful person than me. Always have been.” Clem pushed to her feet and hugged me before leaving my room.
I pulled up my account on the TU portal and stared at the box asking me for a decision. I had a little more time. And I hoped Mama would come around before then. It would sure be nice to have her blessing when I pressed that button. I declined the other schools aside from State and TU. I wasn’t ready to crush her just yet.
But at least I knew where I wanted to go. And that was progress.
I drove out to the lake to meet Jett after school and parked beside his motorcycle. I had the top to my car down. The weather was finally warming up, and I loved the feel of the breeze blowing all around me. When I stepped out of my car, I saw pink flower petals on the path that led down to the water and I held my hand to my chest. I bent down to pick up one of the petals and recognized that it was a peony petal right away. My favorite. He knew it. He knew me. Better than anyone. I’d shared things with Jett that I’d never told anyone. Things about my family, my dreams for the future, my fears of not making everyone I loved happy. He listened. He held me. And we loved each other a little more each time we shared a different piece of our hearts with the other.
I followed the petals down to the hammock where he sat holding a bouquet of peonies. My short white eyelet dress was flowing in the breeze, and my favorite cowboy booties kicked up dirt as I made my way to him.
“You know those petals are from this bouquet and Violet would be none too happy that I ripped them off of three of her flowers to make that path.”
I laughed. “It’s perfect. I won’t tell her, I promise.”
He handed me the bouquet when I dropped down to sit beside him, and I held them up to my nose and breathed them in.
“So. How does one ask a writer to prom?” he asked, and his tongue swiped out to wet his bottom lip and it took all I had not to climb in his lap and kiss him. It was getting more challenging to not take things further. I wanted him in a way I’d never experienced. I’d never had physical needs before Jett. Sure, in the past I’d felt like it was something I was supposed to eventually do when I’d thought about taking things further with Alec. But now… it was something I wanted to do. Something I dreamed about and thought about all the time. There was a fire burning so strong in me, that I’d never felt before. And I loved that he wanted to make sure I was ready. I most definitely was ready.
“Hmmm… great question. What did you come up with?”
“Words. They’re your thing.” He laughed and handed me the Willow Springs newspaper. “Search the want ads.”
I flipped through the paper frantically, my heart racing as I did so. Because I loved the newspaper. I read it every morning before school with my dad and he knew that, but I’d never paid much attention to the want ads. And there it was.
Ace, Will you go to prom with me? I love you, Jett
My breath caught in my throat, and a tear rolled down my cheek. This was quite possibly the most thoughtful thing anyone had ever done for me. From the flowers, to the newspaper—this boy just got me. He took the time to think about what I’d want, and that wasn’t a common occurrence in my life before him.
“Oh my gosh. This is so sweet. Yes, of course I’ll go with you,” I whispered because my emotions were making it difficult to speak.
“Eh, eh, eh… not so fast.” He set the paper on the hammock and reached for my hand. I followed him down to the water pausing when I saw the rock display. The words YES and NO were spelled out in rocks right near the water. This took some time, and he’d done it for me. The water lapped against the shore, making one of my most favorite sounds in the world. Cypress trees surrounded us, and I took in the little white buds that had popped up all over the dark bark as the fresh scent of sage and lemon flooded my senses. I loved Texas in the spring.
I covered my mouth with my hands and shook my head. “I love this.”
“So, I know you like rules. The rule is… you have to skip the rocks that hold your answer. And I sure as fuck hope it’s yes because it took me forever to get the rocks straight.” He laughed and so did I.
“Let’s do this, Jett Stone.” I leaned down and picked up the first rock at the top of the Y and skimmed it across the water with absolute precision. Just like he’d taught me.
He wrapped his arms around me and engulfed my small hand in his, skimming the next one together.
Because everything was better when I was with this boy.
We hung out at the lake until the sun disappeared behind the clouds and I kissed him goodbye. When I got home, dinner was ready, and I washed up before joining my family at the table.
We’d just finished eating and I’d shared how Jett had asked me to prom. Clem collapsed on the floor after falling from her seat in dramatic Clem fashion. We all laughed.
“That boy is something else. I need to get me my own Jett Stone someday,” she said, returning to her seat.
“There’s no rush,” Mama said.