“I don’t think so,” I say, but he reaches for my hand, holding firm.
“One dance.” My statement goes to Katie as I look down at her while her father tugs us a few feet away. I call back to her. “Then ice cream.”
Suddenly, Jess wraps his arms around me, and we fall silent as the singer croons about love lost and second chances.
“Jess . . .”
“Shh,” he mutters as he pulls me a little closer, almost as close as two people can be. But I know what it’s like to be closer to him. How did we get to this place where I feel so distant even in his arms?
“Did you just shush me?”
Jess snorts and admits nothing.
“Where’s Sami?” I snap.
“Where’s Gabe?” he retorts.
“I did not come here with him.”
“And I didn’t come here with her.”
We stand at an impasse. Actually, we sway to the beat of a slow song, and I’m reminded of dancing in my nana’s living room, when I felt for a just a moment like happily ever after could be a real thing.
Not for you, Emily.
“God, I want to kiss that mouth of yours,” he mutters.
“Not after you kissed her last night,” I say. “Not to mention, you smell like her.” I exaggerate a sniff and lie because he smells like Jess, all man and sunshine with a hint of cinnamon. But I’m still upset that she was hanging on him like he was her next pole routine, and he did nothing about it.
Jess tugs me tighter. “You have no idea what you’re talking about, but I like your jealous streak.” He looks over my head as he speaks instead of addressing me directly.
“Jealous? Of that?” I snap, no longer worried about defending the sisterhood of scorned women.
“Hey, kids.”
Jess groans, and I peek around his arm to see his brother dancing with Karyn.
“Aw, ain’t you two so cute,” Tom coos.
“Shut up,” Jess growls, spinning us so my back is to his brother, but Tom isn’t having it. He moves so he and his wife are next to us.
“Did I see you dancing with Katie?” Tom asks as of me, surprise in his voice. “Got her moves from her father, eh?”
“Eh? What are you, Canadian now?” Jess glowers.
I glance at Karyn, in the hopes I’ll find about the source of the tension that rolls off one brother without affecting the other. She’s used to the banter between them—the teasing from older brother and the brooding responses of the younger—but I sense this is more than friendly fire.
“You’re quite the dancing queen yourself, Emily. Don’t you think so, Jess?” Tom continues. “Bet you could teach Jess a move or two. He’s out of practice.”
Jess stops and turns on his brother, but I rest my hands on his firm chest, pressing against him to keep him where he is.
“Now boys, let’s play nicely. Tom, you pay attention to this dancing queen,” Karyn addresses her husband while winking at me. Jess’s heart thunders through his tight T-shirt.
“Jess,” I say gently as I slide my hand up to his shoulder. He turns his attention back to me.
“Aw, look how she tames the beast,” Tom mutters. Karyn playfully smacks her husband’s chest, but he continues. “If only he’d accept his feelings for the beauty.”
My mouth falls open again, and I wonder what Tom means by his comments. However, Jess has had enough and guides us out of the dance circle.
“Wait.” Tom stops dancing but still holds his wife as his eyes meet his brother’s. “Did you tell her?”
“Later,” Jess commands. My head swivels as I glance from brother to brother. Something passes between them, and Tom shakes his head in disappointment. His eyes meet mine with a touch of concern, and then he spins his wife, falling back into his playful self. He smiles at someone in the crowd and then dramatically dips Karyn.
“What was that all about?” I ask.
“Nothing,” Jess grumbles. He releases my hand like he doesn’t want people seeing us holding on to each other. I look around and notice a few people are watching us. They’re probably wondering who I am and why I’m with him.
“People are watching us,” I mutter, warning him.
“People are watching you. They’re curious about the woman who danced with my baby girl.”
I tug my head back to look up at his face.
“Well, I’m just Emily.”
“There’s nothing just about you, darlin’,” he drawls and then slips his hand to my lower back.
“Jess, you don’t like liars and cheaters. Well, I don’t like secrets. What was that with Tom?”
He looks down at me and then shifts his gaze. “Please, can we talk about it later?”
Fine. I need to get Katie some ice cream and get back to Nana’s. I’m no longer hungry myself. This day needs to be over. We find Tricia and Katie on the sidewalk waiting for me, but Sami intercepts Jess again, and I have no patience for this type of nonsense.
I take Katie’s hand in mine, and we swing our arms as we walk to the ice cream shop where Katie points at the picture of the Superman ice cream as her order. It’s a Michigan favorite of bright pink, blue, and yellow swirls. We step back outside, and Gabe appears, sulking as he greets people who recognize him. Jess and Sami stand off to the side. She’s clearly arguing with him, but he’s not having it.
What a shitshow.
“She’s a clinger,” Tricia says, and I look over at her, not understanding her meaning. “She can’t seem to take the blatant truth. He doesn’t want to date her or whatever he was doing with her anymore. He has you.” Tricia winks at me, and I open my mouth to protest. “My soon-to-be ex is like that. Can’t accept what’s right in front of him, that it’s over. It’s that easy. Not rocket science. Done. Finished.” Tricia claps once, sharp and loud, and then wiggles her fingers like an explosion.
Then she turns to her niece. “Katie girl, ready for fireworks on Saturday?”
“There’s fireworks?” Of course, there’s fireworks. How could I forget? Instantly, I recall the times when Grace and I would run around Nana’s yard with sparklers and then walk down to the harbor to watch the display that always marked the end of summer.
Marking the end of days.
My brows crease, and suddenly, Jess is at my side. “What’s wrong?”
I shake my head, but the desire to go home is strong. I’m hit by a tidal wave of emotions slamming into me over Nana and her house. How could I forget something so innocent as fireworks?
“Katie bug,” I address her. “How about if I walk you home? Then this old gal is going to bed.” I gaze down at her sweet face all covered in pink, yellow, and blue and then take the napkin from her fingers and help her wipe her face.
“You’re so good with her,” Tricia comments. “Isn’t she good to her, Jess?”
Jess grumbles something, but I don’t hear him. I focus on Katie, who offers me her dripping ice cream cone.
“Are you offering me a lick?” I ask, taking the sugary confection from her. “All finished?”
Katie nods, and I take the treat, swirl my tongue around the edges once, and then open my mouth to suck from the top. Jess groans nearby, and I’m reminded of what I did to him. I hope he’s thinking of it as well. When I glance up, I find Sami lingering as if waiting on Jess, and think, Never gonna have that again, pal.