Brad was wiping at his eyes before my mom even came out. He must've really been in love with her. A grown man wouldn't break down like that over nothing.
I tried to be more opened to the idea of Brad as a step-father. He was kind of cool, I guessed. He was a better running partner than Dev—Brad didn't need frequent breaks to catch his breath.
Being civil with Brad also kept my mom in a good mood, too. It had only been a week since our talk, but there were some improvements to our relationship. Especially when it came to girls.
I thought she'd say no when I asked her if I could bring LaToya to the wedding. Toya liked any reason to dress up and basically begged me to bring her. Toya and I were just friends. She claimed she was done with men and would just focus on herself for a while. Besides, my head was still occupied by another girl.
I wasn't expecting to see Waverly at my mom's wedding—or ever again, if I was being honest. But there she was. Sitting with her family at the back of the room. The frames of her glasses were gold and matched her earrings.
We were stuck in a staring contest. I wanted to know what she was thinking. She probably hated me. I wondered how many apologies it'd take to make for what I said the last time I saw her.
Everything she said that night was the truth. I got scared and pushed her away. The fact that she called me out on it only made it worse. She knew things about me I didn't even know myself.
I definitely owe my mom and Brad an apology. A lot could happen in two months.
The only thing able to to tear my eyes away from Waverly was my mom. The back door opened and the guest stood, some pulled out their phones. All eyes were on my mom as she walked down the aisle with her dad.
A live singer sang a song about love as my mom took her place at the alter. She and Brad grinned at each other, both of them and laughing and misty-eyed.
I glanced back at Waverly and her eyes were on my mom and Brad. She didn't look my way for the rest of the ceremony.
• • •
After a teary vow exchange and some PDA I wished I could delete from my brain, the guest moved to the main ballroom while the rest of us had to go out back to take pictures.
It stopped raining, thankfully, and everything was dry already.
"How many more pictures does this woman need?" I said through a wide grin as I posed with my mom.
"That's what the ceremony was missing, a complaint from my loving son." Unlike mine, her smile wasn't forced. She was cloud nine. I didn't think there was anything I could've said to upset her that day.
The first chance I got, I snuck away to the ballroom to get away from the photographer. There were buffet tables and seating on one end and a dancefloor with a DJ on the other.
Waverly was sitting at a table by herself. Perfect, I thought. I took two steps in her direction and froze. Someone sat down next to her with a plat full of appetizers. LaToya.
I spotted Dev at the chocolate fountain and pulled him away. "What the hell, man? I got chocolate on my shirt."
"Toya is talking to Waverly." I said, turning my back to them so they wouldn't catch me staring.
Dev stoped messing with the chocolate stain on his white dress shirt and glanced around the ballroom before his eyes landed on the two girls behind me.
"Damn. What do you think they're talking about?"
All that stuff I said to Toya after that Christmas party came to mind. Would she tell Waverly how I really felt about her? Would that be a bad thing?
Yes! If Waverly was going to know how I felt then it had to come from me.
"Should I go over there?" I asked Dev. I need an outsider's opinion because my insides were ready to run in the other direction.
"Nah," he said. "She's coming over here."
"What?"
I relaxed when I saw it was just Toya. Dev laughed, pointing at me like the obnoxious ass he was. "You should've seen your face."
I mocked his laugh before socking him in the arm.
He winced, rubbing his arm. "Really?"
Before he could retaliate Toya stepped in, all motherly. "Boys, behave."
I smirked at Dev before turning to Toya. "What were you doing with Waverly?"
"Talking," she said, taking out her phone. She was messing with me and she enjoyed it.
"Toya, really, what were you talking about?" I tried not to sound desperate, but that's exactly what I was. "Did you tell her something about me."
She laughed. "Relax, Steph. We were talking about girl stuff. Make-up and shoes. You did not come up."
I relaxed a bit. "That's it?"
"Am I missing something here?" Dev asked, looking from me to Toya. "What are you afraid of her saying to Waverly?"
"Our little Stevie's in love." Toya tried to pinch my cheek, but I blocked her.
"I never said that."
Dev scoffed. "Oh, that's old news."
"You knew?" Toya said, grinning. "Since when?"
"That party he threw last month? It for Waverly."
The back of my neck felt like it was on fire.
Toya went wide eyed. "That explains why you ran out on me."
"Can we change the subject?" I didn't know it was possible to feel that much embarrassment. "Look, the bride and groom!"
That did the trick. When my mom and Brad entered all attention was on them. They were surrounded by guest congratulating them and taking photos.
The next couple of hours went by so fast. There were speeches and cake and first dances. I don't think my mom stopped smiling once and I didn't want to break the streak.
That's how I ended up dancing with her. The DJ play "A Song for Mama" by Boyz II Men. It was just us two on the dance floor as the guest watched on.
"I finished the book," she announced. "You can sneak into my office and read it later."
"You knew I'd been reading it?"
"You're not as sneaky as you think," she said. We continued to sway in silence before she continued you. "I'm calling it Evan's Heart."
"I thought Avery was the main character?"
"She is. They both are," she admitted. "But the other night I realized Evan had the most growing to do. He's the one who had to learn to open up and not be so afraid to let people in. He had to get over the fear of rejection."
Subtly was not my mom's strong suit. Her thinly veiled advice hit home, though. I needed to stop being a punk.
The song ended and she pulled me into a tight hug before she was pulled away by her husband.
The dance floor was busy again, making it harder to find Waverly. I couldn't say for certain if it was love or not, but I knew I liked her and I couldn't let things end the way they did.
Waverly wasn't in the ballroom. When I couldn't find her parents or brother I started to think I missed my chance. They probably left early.
I ran out to the parking. What would I even say when I found her? Would she even want to hear what I had to say?
The parking lot was huge and I didn't even know where to start looking or what I'd be looking for. I didn't know what kind of car they came in. It also didn't help that it was dark and the parking lot was barely lit.
Call her, I thought, patting down my pockets. My phone wasn't on me, I left in my bag in the dressing room.
I ran back inside the building, slamming into someone. "Shit! I'm sor—"
Waverly stared up at me from the tiled floor. I was so worried about having the chance to talk to her that it took me a minute to think to help her up.
"Sorry," I said reaching out a hand. She stared at me before taking my hand and letting me pull her up.
She fixed her skewed glasses and smoothed down her dress. "I'm starting to think you do that on purpose."
"What?" Of all the things I thought she'd say to me the next time we spoke, that wasn't one of them.
"Knocking me over."
My mind was extra slow that night. "The book festival," I said, finally remembering our first meeting. "Are you leaving?"
She nodded, tucking a curl behind her ear. "My dad has work tomorrow."
Of course. Right when I get the nerve to talk to her, she's leaving. She started walking away and I didn't know what to say to stop her. What could I have done to make her stay?
If that was going to be my last chance to talk to her, I at least wanted her to know one thing. "I'm sorry."
She stopped and slowly turned back to me.
Before I could get a word out a kid ran up to Waverly. "Dad said tell your boyfriend you'll call him and to come on."
Waverly's face turned red and she glared at her brother. "Tell him I'll be there in a second."
Her brother shot me a look. "Better not try anything funny." Then he backed away and did that "I'm watching you" signal before running back to the car.
Waverly shook her head at him, but there was a small smile on her face. "I have to go," she said to me.
"I'll drive you home," I said quickly. What I wanted to say needed to be face to face, not over the phone.
She chewed at her lip and glanced back the car where her family waited. "My dad wouldn't be okay with. Or Bryce, apparently."
It was now or never. I just needed to lay it all out, right there in the parking lot. My heart tried break out of my rib cage, my fingers had that pins and needles sensation and my temples started to sweat. I sucked down some air and courage and didn't hold back.
"When we were at that pizza place, the day we met, and you were telling me your favorite thing about books—that's when I knew I liked you. You're confident in who you are and that's not a common thing these days," My hands were completely numb at that point, but I kept going. "But all I could think about was how messed up I am and how you couldn't possibly like me like that."
She held her elbows, looking up at me. "Is that why you pretended to Kev? You didn't think I could like you?"
"Yeah."
"I told you, Kev was forgettable," she said. "But you're not. Trust me, I've tried and it's kind of impossible. But You let your friends think we had sex just to save face. I felt like crap after what you said to me that night. I can't be with someone who isn't willing to stand up for themselves, or me. Do you even know what you want?"
"I want you." Her brown eyes widened behind her glasses. I even shocked myself. "And I'm working on that other thing. No joke, if I had my phone on me right now, I'd tell everyone I'm a virgin who spent my summer talking books and—"
She grabbed my tie, pulling me down to her level. Then, she was kissing me.
It happened fast, but I caught on quick and didn't question it. Cupping her face in my hands I kissed her back. That one topped the mistletoe kiss.
Then a car horn blared.
She was grinning when we parted. I'm sure I was, too. She cleared her throat, tucking that same curl back behind her ear. "I should go before my parents drag me away."
"Yeah." Was all I could say in the daze she left me in.
Shit.