CHAPTER 28
When Ali first brought up the idea of having her reception on the pier, two days after she got married and inviting the entire town, Jess thought she was crazy. But as she looked around and saw everyone celebrating, laughing, dancing, and drinking, she realized her bestie was brilliant.
The festive atmosphere was contagious and Jess was determined to enjoy herself, even if a certain person was driving her crazy because he kept staring at her.
Which you only know because you keep checking to see if he is, the voice in her head pointed out.
And you’re disappointed when he isn’t, that same voice added.
She wouldn’t say disappointed. It was more like irritated.
Mostly at herself.
The last two days Ethan had been calling, texting, and had even stopped by the shop. She’d ignored all of his attempts. She’d even hid in the back when he stopped by the shop and made Amelia lie and say that she wasn’t there.
She was avoiding him.
She told herself that it was because she needed a fresh start, but she was just scared. What if he didn’t love her, but he didn’t want to leave things how they were. Ethan was a standup guy. Her biggest fear was for him to ask her to talk and him start off by saying, “I’m sorry I led you on.”
At least as long she avoided that conversation she could hold on to the hope that he actually had been in love with her. She wasn’t sure she could face a reality where what she had with Ethan really hadn’t been love.
“Jess!” Ali waved her over from across the pier. “We’re ready for pictures!”
Jess put her pity party on hold and set her drink down as she joined her friend.
“Thanks again for wearing the dress,” Ali said as Jess reached her.
Ali had texted her this morning and asked if Jess could wear her Dirty Dancing dress because she wanted to take bridal party pictures tonight. She’d asked if she could just wear the dress that she’d worn for the wedding, but Ali said since she had a different dress for the reception she wanted Jess to have a different one too. Since it was her one and only bridezilla moment, Jess had agreed.
“No problem.” Jess started to look for the photographer when the music stopped and a familiar voice came on over the speakers.
“Can I have everyone’s attention?” Ethan stood at the end of the pier where they’d cleared a space for the dance floor.
She turned to her friend to see if she knew what was going on. Ali didn’t look at all confused as to why Ethan had a microphone in his hand and was asking for everyone’s attention instead of just joining them for pictures.
“Are we doing a group picture?”
“No.”
“Are we supposed to do another toast?” She and Ethan had given a toast at the private reception a few nights ago. Hers had gotten more laughs than his, but he’d definitely beat her in the sentimental department.
“No.” Ali shook her head.
“Then what’s he doing?”
Ali shrugged, the universal I-have-no-idea gesture. But Jess knew that she absolutely had an idea.
“So, first off I want to say a huge congratulations to Kade and Ali.”
Applause erupted from everyone gathered on the pier.
When the cheering started to subside, Ethan continued, “When I told them what I wanted to do tonight, they didn’t hesitate in giving me the okay. So thank you, both.”
The crowd around them all clapped as they looked between Kade and Ali.
Jess smiled, and spoke through her teeth as she asked, “Ali? What is going on?”
“You’ll see.”
Jess was about to demand she spill it when Ethan’s voice once again came over the loud speaker. “So, I’m not sure how many of you know that at the beginning of the summer, Jess and I started dating. And, sadly, we broke up about a month ago.”
The nerves in Jess’s stomach were full on raving with glow sticks and house music. She had no idea where this was going and she hated it.
“What some of you might not know is that we weren’t actually dating.”
The crowd looked at her and then back at Ethan. People looked as confused as she was. She continued smiling.
Jess squeezed Ali’s arm. “What is he doing?”
“Just wait.” Ali whispered.
He continued, “I asked Jess if she would pretend to be my girlfriend because there were certain people that I won’t name to protect the guilty, who were actively trying to set me up and I didn’t want to spend my summer on a dating show that I didn’t sign up for.”
Waves of whispers spread through the crowd and Jess heard the name “Needlepoint Mafia,” “Mrs. D,” “Mrs. Chen,” “Mrs. Weathersby,” and “matchmaking dons,” all mentioned.
“I told Jess that the reason I was asking her specifically was because I didn’t want to lead anyone on. But, I have a confession to make. That’s not the reason I asked Jess Myers to pretend to be my girlfriend.”
“The truth is, I’ve been head-over-heels, madly, crazy in love with her for most of my adult life.”
A round of “awws” and “how sweets” rippled through the crowd.
Jess couldn’t believe what Ethan was saying, and that he was saying it in front of the entire town. Her adrenaline was pumping so hard that she felt herself starting to float away. It was the trick that she’d learned when she was younger to avoid pain and stress. Her consciousness would drift away. But now, she pulled that sucker back into herself. She wanted to be one hundred percent present for what was happening.
“I know what you’re thinking, why didn’t I just tell her how I felt? Well, there were a lot of reasons. One of them being, based on our interactions up until a couple of months ago, I wasn’t sure the feeling was mutual.”
Everyone laughed and people looked at her like they all knew some inside joke about how Jess had treated Ethan.
“I wasn’t that bad.” Jess murmured under her breath.
“Yes, you were,” Ali responded flatly.
“So, I waited. And waited. And waited. I was always looking for the right angle, the right moment to make my move, and then I found it. My plan was to tell her my dilemma and ask her to play along. And my hope was that once we were in a fake relationship, she might see that we really belonged together. And guess what? For the most part, my plan worked.”
There were more “awws” and a spattering of applause.
“But then, life happened, and I won’t get into it, but I messed everything up, starting with the terms of our agreement. She pretended to be my girlfriend but I wasn’t able to fulfill my end of the bargain. So tonight, I thought I would remedy that.”
A spotlight shone on the “dance floor” and everyone started clapping as Ethan set the mic down and took off his jacket, revealing a black, button-up shirt that looked identical to the one Patrick Swayze wore in the movie. Music started and Jess instantly recognized the song as “(I’ve Had) The Time of my Life.”
Beside her, Ali was vibrating with excitement. “This is why I told you to wear the dress.”
Ethan walked over to Jess, who already had tears in her eyes as he whispered a modified version of the famous line. “Nobody puts Jess in a corner.”
A nervous laugh bubbled up as she placed her hand in his and wrapped her other around his bicep at the exact moment the cue for the first move came. Ethan dipped her back and swooped her in a half circle and when she straightened again he guided her so that her back was to him. She lifted her hand and as he ran his fingers down the inside of her arm she said, “I can’t believe you’re doing this.”
“A deal’s a deal.” He grinned right before spinning her out.
She hadn’t practiced the choreography in over a month but it came back to her.
As they got closer to the big finale, she breathlessly asked, “What about the lift?”
She knew that his shoulder was better, but better didn’t mean he could lift one hundred and thirty pounds over his head.
“Just follow my lead.” He winked at her.
It had been the same note that Miss Penelope was constantly telling her. And Jess relaxed and did just that.
When it came time, she turned and walked to the other end of the dance floor, like they’d rehearsed. When she turned back, she saw Ethan waiting for her. Their eyes locked and he nodded his head. She took a deep breath and started to run toward him but stopped midway when she saw him get down on one knee as he pulled a small box from his pocket.
She gasped as the momentum that she already had going propelled her toward him, stopping right in front of him. Her hands flew to her mouth. She was shaking her head in disbelief as she asked, “What are you doing?”
He smiled up at her. “A wise woman once told me that if I loved you, I should do something about it. So, I’m doing something about it. I’m sorry it took me so long.”
She felt her hands dampen with tears.
“I love you, Jess. I don’t know how one person can have so much strength, vulnerability, tenacity, humor, depth, passion, and persistence. It is truly mind-boggling. You are a beautiful contradiction, a perfect puzzle that I want to spend the rest of my life trying to solve.”
He opened the box and there was a stunning vintage ring with a single stone in the center surrounded by a floral halo of diamonds. It was unique, classic, and totally her.
“Jessa Nicole Myers will you drive me crazy for the rest of my life?”
“Yes, yes, yes!” She nodded as he slid the ring on her hand, stood, and pulled her into his arms and kissed her.
She didn’t even realize that there were people cheering until he broke their kiss. When he did, they were surrounded by friends and family.
Kade and Ali were the first to congratulate them.
“Thanks again for letting me hijack your reception.” Ethan said as he and Kade did the one-arm man hug.
“Are you kidding me? Seeing you dance was the best wedding gift we got.” He held up his phone to show he’d gotten video of it.
Ali playfully swatted her husband when Jess felt herself being pulled into another hug.
“Congratulations, sweetie.” Her mom said as she embraced her.
Jess teared up even more as she hugged her mom, suddenly very overwhelmed with emotion. “I’m sorry I lied to you about not really being a couple.”
Her mom pulled back and smiled as she shook her head. “Honey, the only person you were lying to was yourself if you thought that relationship wasn’t real.”
She smiled and hugged her mom once more before she hugged her dad and half of the population of Whisper Lake.
Once the excitement had calmed down, the music started playing again and everyone sort of dispersed, leaving Ethan and Jess alone at the end of the pier.
She looked up at him, and he smiled and cupped her face with his hands.
“Did you notice where we are?”
Her forehead creased and it took her a second, but then the realization hit and the tears that she’d managed to control came back in full force. “Our first kiss.”
He’d asked her to marry him in the exact spot where they’d had their first kiss. He leaned down and his lips brushed against hers. “I love you, Jess.”
“I love you, too.”
And then he kissed her and it was better than Jake and Samantha’s kiss in Sixteen Candles, or Claire and John’s in The Breakfast Club, or even Andie and Blane’s in Pretty in Pink.
Ethan was her real-life hero, and she knew that they were going to have their happily ever after…driving each other crazy, every day, for the rest of their lives.
The End