Find me in Stonebrook

Eighteen

*Tessa's POV*

I don't know why I was expecting Parker to not have a clue what he was doing but tonight had been something else. He'd picked me up with wild flowers he had 100% gone out and picked himself. He hadn't cut the stems, you could see how rough they were. He hadn't been to the place he took me for dinner before but it was amazing, some of the best food I've eaten in a long time.

I'd called Lina when I was home alone today. She'd laughed at me as I told her what had happened since her last update. Told me I was right for just being where I was right now and that the smile I had on my face when I was talking about Parker was something she hadn't seen on my face in the whole time I'd known her. I can't wait to send her pictures of the flowers. She was going to flip her lid.

The band continued playing covers of songs I've listened to since I was tiny. We'd danced to these in the fields back home, at weddings and parties and wherever else we ended up. Parker had always been one for dancing with me. All the way back in high school he'd sneak into the theatre during rehearsals and wait until everyone was gone to jump up and dance with me on stage, still sweaty from practice. I don't know where he got it from. His dad wasn't into dancing and I don't think I ever saw him dance with his Mom before she died but he danced with me any chance he possibly could.

"I didn't think you'd remember all this." I chuckled at him, following his lead. I danced for work. Two stepping with Wells at home was normal. Being a performing arts teacher, I was Wells' test subject for new routines and when he found out I could two step a few years ago it became his obsession with learning it. There was very rarely a chance he wouldn't be dancing in the kitchen.

"You're joking right? I taught you."

"Yeah but I dance for work and Wells needs me to know all this stuff. You don't have a reason to have remembered it." I shut my mouth. "Shut up Tessa." I shook my head, looking over his shoulder. I won't be the only girl he's ever danced with. He knew about this place. Chances are he's been in here with whoever he's dated after me.

"No keep talking."

"I'm just being dim." He pressed his hand a little harder into my back, forcing me to look at him.

"I haven't danced with anyone else Tess. I dance at home alone, thinking about you." The music slowed right down for the next song, Parker not missing a beat, just pulling me closer. "Do you know when I learned to dance?"

"Not a clue."

"When we were 13, when my crush was starting on you, we were at a wedding for someone in town and we were stood against one of the walls watching everything from there and you were watching the feet of everyone dancing. You said it looked complicated but it was essentially 4 steps and you started counting them. Jules said dancing was stupid and you said that you thought it was romantic, going out of the way to learn something just to be close to someone for 4 minutes. The next morning when Dad was at work I asked my Mom to teach me so I could teach you and we could do it at the next wedding. Took me weeks to get it right and then when I had it wedding season was over and I was pissed so I made Mom throw a party just so I could say do you know how to dance? No? Well, I can teach you if you want."

"Why haven't you told me that before?"

"Didn't seem important." He shrugged. "There's a lot of things I learned to do because of you Tess. I learned to fix cars because you complained about yours always cutting out in the middle of nowhere and I hated you getting stuck out in the middle of nowhere. So, I taught myself how to fix your car. Your floorboards creaked when I was sneaking in and out so I asked around town on how was best to fix floor boards. Said my Mom was complaining and I wanted to fix it for her as a surprise. And then I fixed them so I could be with you longer. 90% of the things I do daily, I learned to do because of you or for you. You have no idea how much of an impact you have on my life without even being in town. I'm not going to stand here and tell you them all because we'd be here for hours."