Falling for Romeo (17 page)

“You were wonderful,” Maggie said, hugging her.

“Great job.” Randy embraced her too.

Maggie looked at him next. “That fight scene looked so real, John. Like the movies.”

“Great special effects,” Randy added.

Jennifer’s heart pounded. She still tasted John’s tears. She hadn’t had the chance to tell him what she thought of their death scene. Perfect.

Janice Michaels glowed. “You were wonderful. Both of you.”

Mitchell nodded in agreement. “I said to Jan, I can’t believe that’s our little Jenn Vien up there.”

“Their chemistry,” her dad grinned, “sizzled.”

“Convincing,” Mitchell put in. “Your expertise and training has paid off, Jenn.”

“And John was great,” Randy added.

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“Jennifer was the star,” Mitchell made the point.

“She’s earned it.” He didn’t even look at John. Jennifer’s heart dropped. No compliment for John’s outstanding performance?

“I still can’t believe that was John.” Her dad spoke up. “You were something else.”

John hid disappointment well, Jennifer thought, closely watching the expression on his face.

“Thanks, Randy.”

“Memorization has always been a challenge for him,” Mitchell put in. “Chip told us you took a swing that wasn’t choreographed.”

John stared at his dad. Jennifer tried to read the silent message being sent through angry eyes, but couldn’t.

John’s feelings were ignored then as her parents and his said their goodbyes and left. Jennifer’s heart swelled for him. He continued to talk and laugh with the other cast members, but she knew his face too well. The cordial mask he wore didn’t disguise that he was still thinking about his dad’s negligence.

Lacey’s flirty laugh broke the air like a howling saxophone. She walked up to John with her mother at her side. Unabashedly, she hooked her arm in his again.

“Party at my house, John. You’ll come, right?”

“You and Lace should go out sometime.” Ann reached a painted nail to his shoulder and tapped.

“You’re such a cutie.”

“Yeah, why don’t we, John? I’d love to go out with you.”

“Oh, don’t blush, honey.” Ann clacked on a piece of gum. “That makes you even cuter.”

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Jennifer’s blood steamed.

Ann looked over. “Hi, Jenny.” When Ann waved at her, her bracelets jangled. “It’s my patient. How ya doing, honey?”

“Great.” Jennifer joined them, annoyed John was now surrounded by three females. More annoyed that she was one of them. But she didn’t want to leave him alone with these two hyenas.

The faceted colors in his eyes flecked with ambers, pale yellows and greens. Beautiful eyes, Jennifer thought, glad there seemed to be no trace of disappointment in them now, only something curious she was trying to figure out.

Ann rambled on, “I told Lace that she and John should go out. He’s such a cutie.” Jennifer tried to keep her voice even. “Yes, well, Lacey knows she’d have to take a number. Right Lacey?” Ann’s laugh came out somewhere between a cackle and a whistle. “Well, I can believe it.” She patted her flowered bag, shaking her head.

“Take my word for it John, it isn’t gonna get any better than my Lace.” She wrapped an arm around Lacey’s shoulder and Lacey lowered her dark lashes. “Always judge a girl by her mama. Cause what her mama is, is what she’s gonna be.” She stuck both her hands out to her sides with a quick dip of her knees. “And look at me.” This was unbelievable. And neither mother nor daughter was at all embarrassed. Jennifer looked at John standing like a prisoner in the small circle, his throat constricting as if trying to say something. But it was impossible to follow up a tacky moment like this with anything dignified.

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“She’s very lucky,” he said.

Jennifer couldn’t believe John had the presence of mind to think it, let alone say the words, when all she wanted to do was dump buckets of cold water on Lacey and Ann and tell them to get over themselves.

Ann searched the crowd like a cat for a mouse.

“I’m gonna go find Mr. Chips.” Her fingers wrapped around Lacey’s cheeks and she squeezed, then planted a kiss on Lacey’s pursed lips. “Be careful, sweetie. See you at the partae, Johnny. Bye Jenny!” She turned, the
Juicy
embroidered across her backside swung with every step.

Lacey hooked her arm in John’s. “I live at 483 North Locust. Ever been on my street?”

“Never have.”

Lacey tugged John in the direction of the doors.

“That’s okay, I can show you how to get there. You can give me a ride, how’s that?”

Jennifer rolled her eyes.

Jennifer almost didn’t go to the party, so infuriated with Lacey and Ann and with John for not shoving Lacey away. But why would he push away a dark, tantalizing vixen like Lacey? No red-blooded male would.

She parked in Lacey’s driveway. Too bad if it was considered presumptuous—John’s truck was there. They were probably inside snuggling on a couch in some dark corner. Lacey was probably dropping strawberries into his mouth or blowing her breath in his face to cool him off.

Sniffling, Jennifer passed his car, saw his student council jacket neatly folded on the back seat and

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stopped. She gave a quick look around to make certain she was alone. Noise pulsating from the house meant most everyone coming to the party was already inside.

She opened the door of John’s car and smelled the faint scent he showered in. Her tongue nervously grazed her teeth. Plucking the jacket from the back seat, a delicious chill of mischief skittered down her spine. The jacket was soft. She brought it to her nose and inhaled, an involuntary smile filling her face.

Music blasted from the house, something about Stacey’s mom. She heard the voices inside singing along, but changing the words to ‘
Lacey’s mom’
.

Hmm, figures.

Jennifer slipped on the jacket and comfort infused her every pore. She ran her palms against the soft leather sleeves, taking in another deep breath of him, and closed her eyes. How many times had she dreamed of wearing this coat? He wore it everywhere. She’d never seen any other girl wear it. That was nice. Not that wearing a boy’s letter jacket at Pleasant View High School meant anything. It didn’t. That was an old tradition. Jennifer would have loved everyone to see her wearing John’s jacket—loved it. She almost started laughing.

She would have, but she sensed she wasn’t alone.

Her heart pounded. She froze. She didn’t dare open her eyes; it was embarrassing for anyone to find her. But one person in particular meant wrist-slitting humiliation.

When he cleared his throat, her pounding heart dropped to her feet. She opened her eyes, turned and looked right into John’s. It was the first time that night she’d seen his face light, caught somewhere between happy and intrigued.

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“I was cold,” she offered.

His brows lifted over eyes that said, “Uh-huh.” But he didn’t say anything. He reached behind her, coming close enough that their bodies touched, and pushed the car door shut. Then he stayed there. So close, Jennifer was forced to look up at him, her eyes blinking fast, her heart beating even faster. Her face was hot. She was sure it was red.

“You’re welcome to wear it.” The kindness in his tone melted her insides into marshmallow. She expected him to tease her. But his eyes were void of anything confrontational or condemning.

“Thanks.”

“You coming in?” He still hadn’t moved. His body heat began to warm her. She looked over his shoulder at the house. Somebody peered out the window, watching.

Then there were two.

“You leaving?” she asked.

“I needed some air. It’s suffocating in there.” The living room window filled with silhouettes, all with noses pressed to the window. The music of Stacey’s mom wound down. Something slow and sweet came on—one of her favorite songs.

“I won’t need the jacket inside then, will I?” Jennifer said, fantasizing about a slow dance.

“Wear it. It looks good on you.”

“It does?”

He nodded. They took the path to the front door slow and easy. The shadows in the window disappeared.

Through sheer drapes Jennifer saw couples locked together in a slow dance. The song, her chance, was slipping away.

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He reached for the door. If she didn’t ask now some other girl would take him, stealing her opportunity to dance with him to her favorite song.

“I love this song,” she blurted.

He paused, listening. The words were romantic and poignant. Serious words about being a hero. Their eyes met. Her heart opened, ripping wide. She wanted him to step inside of her heart so she knew for certain he was hers.

“You did great tonight,” she told him. “I didn’t get to tell you.”

“You were the one who was awesome,” he said.

“Amazing.”

His compliment thrilled her. She opened her mouth to ask him for that dance when the door flung open. They were bathed in light.

“There you are.” Lacey looked Jennifer over only momentarily before setting her smile on John. She reached for his sleeve. “Hurry, I want to dance with you to this song.”

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Fifteen

Jennifer refused to watch Lacey dance with John, the skank’s arms so tight around his neck they could have cut off his circulation. Serves him right, she scoffed under her breath. For a flash, she hoped he’d choke and die.

She put on her thespian smile and flitted from one person to the next, ignoring the dull ache in her heart.

Everyone did double takes, and she couldn’t figure out why. She’d made sure her makeup was perfect, her nose free of anything offensive. And she wasn’t wearing any lip gloss, so she knew it wasn’t smeared or crooked.

“Hey.” Fletcher poked her in the ribs.

“Fletch.”

He popped a handful of M and M’s from a nearby candy dish into his mouth, then rubbed his palms back and forth. Andrew and Drake bounded up behind him, smiling at her. All three eyed her curiously, then Andrew asked, “Where’s John?”

Jennifer shrugged. “Somewhere.” She made herself not look over, not see if John was fine, dancing with Lacey. For some reason, when her head turned anyway, the sight didn’t bug her as much as she thought it would.

“Wanna dance?” Fletcher asked. “I mean, is it okay?”

“Why wouldn’t it be?” Jennifer hooked her arm in his and followed him to the small area where furniture

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was pushed back so everybody could dance.

Something inside of her settled. Gone was the turmoil she normally carried. She and Fletcher talked about the night’s performance while they shook and shimmied. She kept watch on John, on who he was with.

But those strangling feelings of jealousy she’d carried for so long weren’t there anymore.

John’s attention stayed with her. She liked that, and smiled at him. Her heart carefully crept open.

Once, he jerked his head toward the dance area, wordlessly suggesting they meet and dance, but she was grabbed by somebody and when she searched for him again he’d been snagged by Lacey’s mom who cornered him into a dance of her own.

Later, Jennifer found Lacey coming out of the powder room. “This is so much fun,” she said “Great idea, having us all over.”

“Thanks.” They stood awkwardly in the darkened hall. Lacey’s eyes honed in on the name on the jacket.

“How can you be cold? It’s hot in here.”

“I’m not cold.”

“Then let me take your jacket.” Lacey stuck out her hand. “I’ll just put it in the bedroom.

Jennifer wrapped her arms around the soft leather of John’s jacket and shook her head. Disappointment mixed with envy on Lacey’s face. “No thanks.” Jennifer turned to go but Lacey stopped her.

“Did he give that to you?”

A smile crept on Jennifer’s lips. “He did, as a matter of fact.”

Ann relinquished John to Lacey, then danced her way around the food table where an impressive spread k

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of chips, dips, salsa and cookies was laid out. Jennifer would have sworn this whole party-thing had been planned, rather than spontaneous.

Jennifer reached into the potato chip bowl.

“Hey, there she is.” Ann waved, her body didn’t stop bopping to the beat. Jennifer waved back. Ann wrapped her in a squishy hug. Jennifer’s nostrils were assaulted by the smell of burnt flowers and spice. “Glad you came, honey.” Standing back, Ann eyed Jennifer from head to toe and her right brow lifted. “What’s this you’re wearing? Are you and he?” Jennifer noticed that some of the cast snacking at the food table quieted, listening. She took a deep breath, was ready to speak when Taunia appeared with Trish.

“Is that what I think it is?” Trish pulled on the hem of the jacket, exposing John’s embroidered name. She gasped. “It is.”

Everyone snacking suddenly turned to her. Voices.

Giggles. More gasps, whispers.

“I can’t believe it.”

“Me either.”

“I had no idea they were—”

“I thought she liked Alex Jesperson.”

“They broke up.”

“Seriously?”

“But I can’t believe John gave her his jacket. That’s like—”

“I know.”

Ann Naeverson’s heels clacked on the tile floor of the kitchen, her arms waved excitedly. “How cute it looks on you, Jenny.” She tugged here and flattened there as the crowd thickened around them. Voices rose.

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Excitement rang like bells. Every time Jennifer opened her mouth to explain, she was turned, elbowed or hugged by some well-wisher like a bride after vows.

“You should have said something,” Ann talked over the noise. “Here I was thinking John was on the vine and you plucked him already.”