I was seeing Jesse again for the first time tonight in four weeks. The nerves were back tenfold, but when I sat in front of my vanity to do my makeup, only happiness glowed on my face.
I was more than ready to see him again.
I wore high-waisted jeans and cream-colored, cropped sweater to the restaurant. I’d styled my hair just like my stylist had shown me, wearing a light layer of makeup and a red lip stain. Emma linked our arms, chatting away about a party she went to at A&M, but all I could think about was seeing Jesse again.
Minutes—it was mere minutes until we met up.
As we rounded the corner, the familiar sight of Chris and Jesse standing outside the restaurant made my heart flip.
Chris turned first, and seeing us approach, he broke away from Jesse and ran toward me. “June!” he greeted, picking me up and spinning me around.
I laughed, holding on to him tightly. Just like Jesse, Chris had filled out and looked great.
When he put me down, I looked up and felt lightheaded at the sight of Jesse standing across from me. He wore a long-sleeve, white Henley, his favorite faded jeans, and his old, orange Longhorns cap, worn backwards, of course. His hair had grown a little more, his curls peeking out beneath the rim.
My heart kicked into a sprint as his forest-green eyes met mine. I watched as his gaze roved over me, his focus mostly on my hair. Jesse’s lips parted and a flush spread on his cheeks. I knew I blushed too, under his attention.
He stepped forward cautiously, and I smiled. That smile seemed to be all the assurance he needed to walk right up to me.“Junebug,” he rasped out, so much feeling in that one term of endearment.
“Hey, Jesse,” I said, reaching out and taking hold of his hand. The minute our fingers entwined, I felt reborn, like my body had been restarted by an electric jolt.
“Your hair,” Jesse said, exhaling deeply. “It’s so beautiful.” I knew he meant it—Jesse always meant everything he said to me. “You are so beautiful.” He reached out with his free hand and ran the back of his finger down my cheek. “I’ve missed you so much, Junebug.” His voice shook at that confession.
I leaned into his touch. “I missed you too.”
Jesse smiled. My heart soared. “I’m glad you came tonight.” He appeared nervous. “I wasn’t sure you would.”
“I wanted to,” I answered quickly, and tried to tell him with my eyes how much I missed him but how good it was that I’d found myself again and grown stronger. I stepped closer still, and just an inch from his chest. “I really wanted to see you again.”
“Yeah?” he said, swallowing deeply.
“Always,” I said, and his smile grew bigger.
“Um, guys?” Chris said. “Just gonna say it—this is kinda awkward for me and Ems.” It was so like something Chris would have said at the ranch that it made me burst out laughing.
Jesse laughed too. Chris and Emma were giving us amused expressions.
“Fine,” I said. “Let’s go inside.”
Chris and Emma led the way.
I moved to follow and realized that Jesse still hadn’t released my hand.
“Is this okay?” he said.
“More than,” I said in return.
CHAPTER 23
June
Jesse and June’s Happily Ever After
“Holy shit!” Chris said as the team was called and they ran out into the stadium. It was something to see, one hundred thousand people screaming and dressed in orange.
“I get it now,” Emma said, and looked at me. “Why it was overwhelming.” When we had gotten back to my dorm last night, I had told her everything. It took all I had to not allow her to go and find the girls who said things about me and give them a beat down. But like the best friend she was, she understood why I needed a break from it all.
It was a lot.
