The Wedding Date

Whoever You Want Me To Be

Hi everyone, sorry for the big break between chapters. This week was...pure chaos. But we made it to Friday so hooray for that! This is a pretty big chapter in that it's the first time we get a real clear glimpse of what's going on in Dianne's head...plus it's also big as in word count ;) I hope you enjoy it!

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Dianne sucked back the cold drink the bartender had handed her, hoping it would cool her down. Literally and metaphorically - the latter caused by the dirty dancing she'd just done with her fake boyfriend.

Joe had rhythm. Too much rhythm. He'd made it way too easy to get up close and personal through the pulsing beat on the dance floor. She could still feel his fingers gripping her hips and brushing her skin, and even though he'd left a few inches between them now as they both leaned against the bar, it was like an invisible magnet was pulling her back toward him.

She'd asked him to dance under the guise of making Will jealous, but in all honesty, it was because Will had been making her feel awkward all day.  She'd just wanted to get away from that table...away from the sad eyes and unspoken words she could feel radiating from her ex. Her plan had backfired though, because now all that was radiating around her was the magnetic pull to Joe that felt so strong, she wanted nothing more than to pull him back onto that dance floor so she could feel it again. That weird, delicious bubbling in her stomach that she hadn't felt in so, so long...

"You're really good," Joe murmured, leaning in a bit more so he could be heard over the music. She snapped her head up in surprise.

"At dancing," he elaborated, with a small smile at her confused expression.

After Dianne had composed herself, she managed to return his smile, "So are you."

Joe snorted, "Okay."

"You are!" Dianne leaned in a bit closer, intrigued by the way he was staring at her.

"Well, I guess I had a good teacher," Joe winked, and she noticed his pupils dilate slightly as he nudged her shoulder, their upper arms now pressed against each other. She watched as his eyes dropped down to her lips for a split second.

"Dot?"

Ripping her eyes away from the handsome blue-eyed man in front of her, she sucked in a sharp breath at the familiar voice.

"Hey Will," she murmured, noticing how Joe had straightened up next to her, taking a small step away. She immediately missed the warmth, as she watched her ex-boyfriend awkwardly shuffle in place.

"Can...we talk?" Will asked, his eyebrows furrowed.

"It's a little loud in here," Dianne raised her voice to be heard, quirking up an eyebrow.

"Outside?" he elaborated, fighting slightly. "I'll get you a drink."

"I have one," Dianne replied instantly, gripping the gin and tonic Joe had just bought her.

"Please, Dot? Just for a few minutes," Will pleaded, and the hurt in his eyes was enough to make her sigh in defeat.

"Fine," she turned toward Joe, already regretting her choice, "I'll be right back. Five minutes, max."

She watched him shoot her a small smile, nodding his head in a way that made her heart race, "I'm not going anywhere."

As she followed Will through the crowds toward the front patio, she couldn't help that warm bubbling feeling that overtook her again as she glanced over her shoulder toward Joe who was watching her with a piercing gaze - his eyes never leaving her, even after the door closed behind them.

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"So what's up?" Dianne tried to keep her tone light, as she leaned against the brick wall, nursing her drink, eyeing Will nervously.