(51) Jessica

Jessica

I laid four evening gowns on my bed. I still had the whole afternoon to get ready, but I felt like it wouldn't be enough. I couldn't choose what to wear. I wondered if she had enough time to go shopping.

A knock on the door stirred me from my train of thought.

Matthew had to go to a meeting, so it must be one of my friends. I opened the door and found friends crowding the hallway.

"Hi," Chassie beamed.

I crossed my arms over my shoulders. "Hi," I monotone. I'm still not over the emotional distress they put me through.

Audrey, Kathie, Kylie, Summer, Andrei, Chandra, Rachel, Julie, and Harper had apologetic smiles on their faces.

"We're sorry," Andrei spoke for everyone.

Julie raised a hand. "In our defense, you wouldn't have acted on your feelings."

"I was going to tell him. I planned a whole dinner for him," I pointed out.

"Oh."

They were silent for a minute.

"But you were taking so long. You were still in denial." This came from Kathie, who had a garment bag over her arm.

"Exactly. We simply fast-forward everything for you guys." Chandra shrugged; she was also holding a garment bag.

In fact, Andrei had a couple of garment bags and the girls had one each.

"The point is, you're finally together." This came from Rachel.

She gave her a dirty look. "I still couldn't believe you could do that to me. I thought you couldn't lie."

"I'm getting better at it. Besides, I was only looking out for your best interest."

Jessica clicked her tongue. "Fine. I can't stay mad at you guys."

"Okay, yay, let's hug it out." Kathie was the first to jump into a hug.

I stepped aside to let her inside my apartment. The rest of the girls followed suit.

"Are you guys going somewhere? Why does everyone have a garment bag?" I finally asked closing the door.

Harper looks up from her phone. "Well, we heard that you're going to the opera with Matty, so we brought you some brand-new gowns."

I gasped delightedly. "You should've started with that. We could've reconciled in a heartbeat."

I didn't question where they've heard the news—I'm thinking France. Our conversation back at the restaurant surfaced up, but I tamped it down. I'll deal with it later.

"You guys have no idea how much I needed this. I had a few stand-by in my closet, but I didn't think they were good enough.

Andrei patted his back. "Trust me, honey. We know."

I rubbed my hands together. "Okay, show me."

A few hours later, we chose an emerald-green sleeveless silk gown. They said it matched my eyes, so we're going with it.

I curled my hair and put on red lipstick and kept the rest of my makeup minimal. I wasn't sure about the gown, but the way Matthew couldn't stop glancing at my cleavage and couldn't focus on the first-half performance confirmed the dress was perfect.

He was struggling to keep his eyes on the stage. His arm was secured around me, and his fingers were lazily tracing my right shoulder blade. Like he couldn't keep his hands off me. Not that I'm complaining.

Plus, he's copped a feel a few times. Maybe more than a few times. I am not complaining about that either.

When we got to the intermission, his lips were practically grazing the outer shell of my ear.

I turned to look at him. "What do you think of the play?"

His brows knotted together. "It's too early to tell."

I gave him a look.

He chuckled. "Okay, you got me. I wasn't watching the stage."

I grinned. "I'll take that as a compliment." I decided to reward him with a kiss for being more agog about me than the play. I tugged at his suit jacket and pulled him in.

Matthew brushed his lips against mine, kissing me softly.

However, I had to stop him when the kids escalated. I tried not to laugh when he gave me a grumpy look.

"Lipstick," I murmured. Just as I thought, I smeared my lipstick on him. I took a hanky out of my purse and started cleaning off the lipstick.

I'm starting to regret wearing one.

"I don't mind."

I smiled. "I do. I don't want them to think I mauled you."

He chuckled. "Trust me. They'll know it's the other way around once they look at you."

I felt my cheeks seared.

He was about to say something else, but his phone vibrated in his pocket. I gave him privacy by taking out my compact, checking my lipstick, and doing a little touch-up.

I could still hear the conversation though; it has something about him attending a conference for three days.

Three days!

Once he ended the call, I tried not to look disappointed. "You're going away for three days?"

I guess I failed because he comfortingly toyed with the curled tresses of my hair. "I'll be back before you know it. It's just three days."

We were silent for a moment. Then he sighed sharply. "Screw that. My life is going to suck for three whole days."

A laugh bubbled up from my throat. I wanted to kiss him, but I didn't want to do another cleanup on his mouth. Instead, I just leaned to his ear and whispered, "If it's any consolation, I'll be miserable without you."

His blue eyes twinkled.

Now that we cheered each other up, we both looked over the balcony to people-watch together. When I threw him a quick glance, he was squinting his eyes at someone. "Who are you looking at?"

"I think it's your parents."

"My parents?" I leaned over the balcony and followed his line of sight.

Sure enough, I saw my dad happily waving at us. He turned to my mother and gently tapped her shoulder. Our gazes met.

I waved back. Even then, my dad didn't stop waving.

Matthew awkwardly clears his throat. "Should we...?"

"Yep. We definitely should. He won't stop waving at us until we say hello. Intermissions are tediously long anyway, so we have time."

God, my dad is a dork sometimes.

He reached for my hand and led me out of the box, and then onto the undulating staircase. I could tell that it wasn't the first time he ran into my parents at the opera because he knew exactly which closed curtains belonged to my parents' usual box.

"Matthew!" My dad beamed and gave Matthew a one-arm hug.

My mom was arching a questioning brow at me, and I answered with a shrug. "Hi, mom."

She pulled me into a quick hug. "You look so happy," she murmurs quietly.

She held me at arm's length, her palm going over my cheek. Her thumb skated over the corner of my mouth and cleaned something off. "I see you guys made up," she whispers, giving me a meaningful look.

I blushed, cursing my mother's unfailing attention to the tiniest detail. As if it couldn't get any worse, I turned to my dad who was showing Matthew my baby pictures in his wallet's picture slots.

They were both grinning.

I dove between them and snatched the wallet. "Dad, no."

"I found more baby pictures while I was cleaning the attic and thought I could put them all in my wallet."

I opened his wallet, and it was worse than I thought. He had accordion-style picture holders inserted into his wallet.

My baby pictures cascaded into a display.

I gasped in terror. "Dad!"

He chuckled. "What? You really look cute in them, honey."

Matthew raised his hand. "I agree."

I gave them both a black look and shoved the wallet into my purse. "I gotta use the restroom."

I took about fifteen minutes trying to redo my lipstick. I rushed out of the bathroom, freezing mid-stride because I heard voices coming from the left corridor.

Out of curiosity, I snuck a peek.

The corridor was empty except for the couple making out. There was something familiar about them.

I squinted my eyes at them, swallowing a gasp when I realized it was Jason and the same woman I saw him with the other day. France told me he followed them after they left, and they went to check in to a motel.

I doubled back. Now that his infidelity is no longer in question, I have no idea what to do with the information.

I should tell Matthew.

"What are you doing?"

I yelped.

An arm encircled around my waist. Matthew's perfume engulfed my senses for a moment. "Sorry. I didn't mean to scare you."

I turned around and glanced over my shoulder. Jason and the woman probably heard us and scurried off.

Matthew pulled me close. "What were you up to? I was starting to miss you."

It was on the tip of my tongue. But when I saw the soft look in his eyes, I couldn't stomach to make it go away.

I shoved the words back in. Maybe another time.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and slid to my tiptoes. "I'm just checking which corridor is better to make out in."

He smiled lopsidedly, his forehead resting on mine. "Don't tempt me."

I smiled back. "It's a good thing that you don't have to be a gentleman around me."

His blue eyes glinted. "So, you don't mind that I kept copping a feel?"

I feigned a gasp. "You were copping a feel this whole time? I didn't even notice."

He chuckled, a shy smile on his face. "Sorry. I thought I was subtle."

Matthew didn't sound apologetic at all. And I like it.

"If it's any consolation, I can't wait to get you alone."

His brow arched a little. "Is that an invitation? Because I have nothing to lose. I already missed half of the play."

I gently tweak his nose, my heart swelling from the utter perfection of this man.

Have a very merry Christmas, ladies! I can't thank you enough for your support. 🙏