Page 24 of First in Line

“What a gentleman,” her mother says, almost mockingly. “Let me take a picture of you two.”

After a moment of shuffling inside, she returns with an old Polaroid camera. We pose together with my hand around Evie’s waist while she rests one of hers on my chest. Ms. G snaps the shot, and when the photograph slides out, she picks it up and flaps it in the air.

It’s still developing when she then asks, “Do you have condoms?”

“Mom!” Evie shouts, mortified.

“What? I know what happens at these dances. I have some, if you—”

“That won’t be necessary, Ms. G,” I quickly say. “We’re not… there yet.”

She doesn’t seem to believe me, looking down at me with a dubious expression. “Listen, I was young too, not so long ago. I had Evie’s sister at seventeen, and I’m not trying to become a grandma at thirty-nine, that’s all.”

“Mom,” Evie whimpers again.

“I promise you, we aren’t doing anything like that, Ms. G. And whenever we get there, we’ll be careful.”

This seems to work a little better, but she still says, “If my daughter gets pregnant before her twenties, I’ll keep your balls in a jar. Got it?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Good. Now, scoot. Go to your dance.”

Evie eagerly tugs at my arm, ripping us away from more potential embarrassment. “I’m so sorry,” she mumbles, mortified.

“It’s okay, princess. I know your mom is a little special.”

“She’s a basket case, that’s what she is.”

During our walk to my car, I say, “You look amazing, by the way.”

“Thank you. The dress belongs to my sister, and it doesn’t fit very well at the chest.”

I haven’t met Evie’s older sister yet, but from the dress, I’d guess she has smaller boobs because hers look like they’re about to spill out. Her heart locket sits right at the crease between them, and it’s the only jewelry she’s wearing. It might be all she owns, since I’ve never seen her with anything else. I make a mental note to add all sorts of expensive jewelry to the wardrobe I’ll get her. She’ll be covered in it.

“I like your dress the way it is,” I say after a quick look down. She catches my appreciative smile and gives my arm a weak slap.

Once we’re at my car, I open the door for her and, on her way past me, she rises on her tiptoes to give me a small kiss. I let her choose the music as I drive us to the school, and once we’re parked, I force her to stay seated so I can open the door for her again.

The homecoming dance is nice, we hang out with friends, dance a lot, have fun… I’m more excited about the date afterward, though. I haven’t gotten to spoil Evangeline like she deserves, and it’s finally time for it. I’ve been working with my brother at the garage, changing oil and air filters, cleaning up cars, polishing them… I’ve saved up enough for a fancy dinner, and I booked us a table at the best restaurant in Cañon City, the nearby town.

Tonight, she’s a queen, not a princess.

When we pull up in front of the restaurant after the dance, she frowns at it. “Jax, it’s—that place is too expensive.”

“Nothing’s too expensive for you, Evie,” I say with assurance. I step out of the car and almost run to the other side so I can open her door before the valet does. She takes my arm when I offer it, and I hand the key to the valet, as well as a twenty-dollar bill.

“You’re crazy,” she whispers as we enter the fancy place.

“Crazy about you.”

She’s still giggling when we arrive at the hostess. “Name?” she asks, looking at us like we don’t belong.

“Reyes, for two.”

After a quick look at her iPad, she says, “Of course. If you’ll follow me.”

She leads us into the restaurant, all the way to a small table between a fern and a column. I help Evie into her chair, then take my own seat. The guys at the garage have been helping me all week, teaching me proper date etiquette, and I’m trying not to mess it up.