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“Well, those other women won’t look as good as you look in that dress.” Silas said the words without the smolder this time, which gave them a more genuine ring.
“Hey, Lyric.” Thatch moved in on her friend. “I’ve been dealing with this sciatica thing and wondered if you could recommend some stretches.”
Tess snorted. That was a new approach. Had Thatch really stooped to asking for yoga advice? A month ago, her friends had opened up a holistic health clinic in Star Valley, offering medical care by Kyra and yoga classes and naturopath services from Lyric. But as far as Tess knew, Thatch had never had any interest in yoga before.
“Sure. I can recommend some things to try.” Lyric led him in the direction of the ballroom talking about a pose called half lord of the fishes. Either her friend was clueless or she continued to ignore Thatch’s blatant interest in her.
“I guess we should get in there too.” Silas offered her his arm. “Ready?”
“No.” Instead of letting him escort her away, she sat on a stool and ordered a martini. A little pregame libation would potentially relax the nervous fluttering that seemed to be gaining momentum.
“Ooookay.” Silas slid onto the stool next to her. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” Tess sipped the drink the bartender set in front of her and coughed. Whew! Martinis were a lot stronger than she remembered.
Silas swiveled his stool to face her fully, his expression calling bullshit. “Tess.”
The way he spoke her name said so much—that he knew her, that she wasn’t allowed to lie to him… not after all they’d been through together. Lying to Silas was impossible. She didn’t even know why she tried.
“I don’t know how to act at things like this anymore.” She played with the toothpick that held the skewered olive in her drink. “Everyone stares at me.” Most people still saw Tess the widow. But she was someone else now. Someone who was still finding her way and figuring herself out but also someone who had walked through hell and survived. “I wish I could just have fun without anyone watching me or judging me or feeling sorry for me.”
There was no official twelve-step program for grieving your spouse. And yet, a lot of people sure seemed to offer their insight and advice on how she should be living. “You need to get out there again,” her mom had insisted before she’d left the house earlier this afternoon. “It’s been two years, honey. Jace would want you to move on.” And then there was Jace’s family. His sister asked Tess if she was dating anyone every time they talked on the phone, and when she told her no, Kelly sounded relieved. “Oh good. I don’t know if I could handle that.”
Sighing, she forced down two more gulps of martini. Gah! Her whole face grimaced. The vodka started a fire in her throat.
“All right.” Silas stood and downed the last half of her martini, likely so she didn’t have to. “Then that’s my mission tonight.”
Even though her drink was gone, she didn’t budge. “What’s your mission?”
“Fun.” He tugged on her hand until she stood too. “I am going to make sure you have too much fun to care if someone’s watching you or judging you.”
“So, you think I’m a charity case too.” She picked up her purse, but before she could leave a tip, Silas threw a ten-dollar bill down next to her empty glass.
“Yeah, but you’re a hot charity case, so I don’t mind.”
Tess punched his shoulder but the effort was futile. Silas happened to be all muscle.
“Come on.” He threaded her arm through his and prodded her toward the ballroom.
Music already played, the bass thumping out into the hallway.
“There’s one catch to this mission tonight. You have to pay attention only to me,” he told her outside the doors. “Keep your eyes on me, and you’ll have the time of your life. I promise.”
“God.” She rolled her eyes. “Are you sure there’ll be room in there for me? What with your ego taking up so much space and everything?”
Silas laughed. He always laughed when she gave him a hard time, which made her laugh too.
“See? You’re already having fun.” He gently nudged her. “Remember. Eyes on me,” he whispered on their way through the door.
A crowd already packed the ballroom. Most people were dancing in front of the stage set up for the live band, but there were also guests sitting at the tables on the outskirts of the room, drinking and enjoying hors d’oeuvres.
“Hey, Sis.” Aiden ambled to meet them, holding tightly to his fiancée’s hand.
“I’m so happy you’re here!” Kyra hugged her tight. “This is going to be so much fun! You look ravishing, by the way.”
“Told you,” Silas murmured a little too close to her ear.
The goose bumps his voice roused down her arm annoyed her. “Congrats, you two.” She hugged her brother. “I can’t wait for the wedding.” That would be a new first too. Attending a wedding without Jace, listening to the same vows Jace had said to her when they thought they’d have forever.
