Making It Right (Most Likely To #3)

The tone of his voice suggested maybe she wasn’t. She said yes anyway.

“I told him the woman I’ve grown to care about more than life itself needed me. And that if I had to take a leave of absence to watch over you, I would.”

Gill’s words stole her breath.

“You know what he asked?”

She swallowed.

“He asked if he was going to be invited to the wedding.”

Jo felt dizzy. “What did you say?” she whispered.

“Only if he granted me time off.” Gill was slow to smile. “Then he told me of his fondness for wedding cake.”

If she’d been taking pain medication, she’d swear she was dreaming. “Wedding cake is just like any other cake.”

He didn’t agree. “No, it’s sweeter than birthday cake, because birthdays happen once a year, weddings happen only once.”

“Not always,” she found herself saying with worry.

Gill kissed her forehead once again. “For us. Only once.”

The conversation scared and thrilled her equally. “Gill—”

“Shh.” He pointed two fingers at her head. “Let all that cook in there for a while. It’s taking time marinating in mine.”

She snuggled back in his arms, the silly grin he’d put on her face threatening to stick. She licked her lips, thought of cake.

Sugar.

“Gill?”

“Yeah?” he asked in the dark.

“Is there any of Mrs. Miller’s pie left?”



“I want a prom picture,” Gill said as he straightened his tie.

“You’re kidding me.”

He poked his head into the bathroom, smiled at Jo through the mirror. “Does this look like my kidding face?”

Gill pinched his lips together. And when Jo laughed, it didn’t hurt like it had the week prior.

The doctor had given her the go-ahead for desk work. Which she’d already been cheating with. A few more weeks and her bones would be mended enough for her temporary disability to lift.

She couldn’t wait.

Now she just needed to convince Gill to go back to work.

“One picture.”

“I’m holding you to it.”

She pointed to the back of her dress. “Help me.”

Gill zipped her up, kissed the back of her neck before standing back. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you in a dress.”

“It doesn’t happen often.”

He slid a hand down her waist, lifted the edges of her dress until the length of her thigh was exposed. “Dresses have an advantage.”

She leaned back. “As much as I’d like to explore that idea . . .”

Gill dropped the dress. “I know. Three weeks.”

The doctors had warned her against moving too soon. From running to sex. The frustration building between them was thicker than a twenty-eight-ounce steak.

Jo had to close her mind to the thought.

“Three weeks.”

Gill kissed her neck and nibbled on the lobe of her ear. “We can make out. Like in high school.”

“I doubt you stopped with kissing.”

“I can.”

She closed her eyes when his teeth grazed her neck. “I can’t.”



The high school gym was glowing with white twinkling lights and silver balloons. The theme was “Reach for the Stars,” and the associated student body, along with a few parent volunteers, had done a brilliant job of taking the gym space and making it feel small and intimate. It might have been considered the senior prom, but that didn’t stop freshmen and sophomores from attending.

“Take a good look,” Jo told Gill. “The same decorations will come out for the reunion.”

“River Bend goes all out.”

“Hey, we’ll have a bar.”

“Big-timers.”

They were both laughing when Jo heard her name. “Coach Ward!”

Tina and Drew were walking toward them, hand in hand.

“You both look spectacular.” And they did. Tina wore a strapless black dress that hugged her waist and stopped just below her knee. Drew’s tux looked like he was born to it. They both were so grown up.

“I’m so glad you came,” Tina said, giving her a one-arm hug, careful of her arm still stuck in a sling.

“You wouldn’t be saying that if I hadn’t had the accident.”

“That’s not true.”

The town sheriff was a killjoy at a high school party.

“You clean up rather well, Drew.”

He tugged on his tie with a grin. Something about his action rang in her head.

“How about a picture?” Gill suggested.

Drew and Tina flanked her. Drew placed his arm around Jo’s shoulder, and Tina leaned in. The moment was frozen in time. One that Jo knew she would keep for years.

“Going to be a couple busy weeks. You both ready for graduation?”

“I am.” Tina had already committed to the University of New Mexico. Drew had been accepted to a few colleges but had yet to say where he was going.

“Drew? Any more thought on school versus military?” Karl wouldn’t like that she asked, but Jo couldn’t bring herself to care.

“I honestly don’t know.”

“You’ll figure it out,” Jo told him. “Either way, I’m proud of you.”

Drew looked deep in her eyes. “Thanks, Coach.”

Jo waved them off. “Now go on . . . I’m sure standing around talking to the sheriff isn’t your idea of how to spend your night.”

“No way,” Drew said, taking Tina’s arm. “We have an epic party out at Grayson’s farm.”

Jo knew she scowled.

“Kidding!” Drew laughed. “No one parties out there anymore.”

Jo warned him with a look. “I did.”

“Yeah, we know that,” Tina said before they walked off.

Gill slid into the space the kids had left behind. “They have your number.”

“I’m going to ignore that they said that.”

“Probably a good idea.”

She glanced over her shoulder, saw Drew pull Tina into his arms to dance.

“How about that prom picture?”



Drew kept half an eye on Coach Ward while dancing with Tina. “Do you think we should skip the senior prank this year?”

Tina followed his eyes. “It’s a tradition. TPing the coach’s house on reunion night never fails.”

“Yeah, she’ll probably feel left out if we don’t do it.”

The slow song switched to rap. They both danced until breathless. And when it wasn’t too obvious, Drew pulled Tina outside for air.

He kissed her as soon as they were alone.

Tina kissed him back, completely into it.

“How long do you wanna stay?” Drew asked when his body raged.

“An hour?”

An hour . . . he could do an hour. “And then?” They’d talked about taking the next step. He knew he was ready, was fairly certain she was, too.

“And then . . .” Tina’s coy smile answered his question.

“You sure?”

“I’m ready.”

His dick jumped and he kissed her again. “This is going to be the longest hour of my life.”



Jo’s first day back to work was Gill’s first night away from River Bend. She forced the issue.

Glynis celebrated her return with a candle in a donut.