First Dance (Strip in the City, Book 3)

09 • Single for the Very Last Time

Kennedy

Somehow, I make it through the entire weekend, and no one is the wiser that Flynn and I are having difficulties. Difficulties that I intend to sort out whenever he shows up at our apartment.

I busy myself while I wait for him, tidying up the apartment and unpacking my bag so there isn't a mess in our bedroom. Then I get ready, making sure that my hair is done in the way I know he likes, and my makeup looks perfect.

I can't remember being this nervous when I hear his footsteps outside the door. My hands are shaking, and I'm getting all flustered. Every thought and well-rehearsed sentence that I had in my brain vanishes.

His key turns the lock, the door swings open, and suddenly, I'm face to face with my fiance.

When I see him in the doorway, with his thick, brown hair that falls in waves and his dark, endlessly brown eyes, I force a smile even though my heart feels like it's breaking.

He looks exactly the same, but something about him feels different—like something has changed.

I shake off the strange feeling. I don't want him to think I'm being weird.

Before I met him, I never would've said someone so tall and thin was my type—I normally went for short and muscly—but there was something about him that drew me in. Maybe it was because he was so talented and so beloved at Liberty Ballet, having his attention over all the pretty girls in the company made me feel like I'd won a prize.

He kept choosing me. Even now.

He's never going to see the Las Vegas stripper again, but he is standing here–staring at me. Athough I wish he isn't staring at me quite so intensely. His slash of a mouth is pressed in a hard line, which sets my anxiety on edge.

"Hi, hunny," I say, like nothing happened. Like I didn't get a phone call from him during my bachelorette weekend announcing that he had sex with someone else and that he didn't know if he loved me anymore.

My cheeks are straining from how hard I'm smiling. "How was your flight?"

Flynn tugs his rolling luggage inside the apartment and closes the door. Running one hand through his messy hair, he lets out a sigh. "I didn't think you'd be here yet."

My confidence explodes into a million pieces like a balloon that's just been popped. No, hi. No, how are you? No, I'm so sorry I'm putting you through all this. Just...I didn't think you'd be here yet.

I try to keep my temper in check because I know raising my voice around him doesn't do any good. He'll just tell me to stop being so emotional and shut down.

Which means I need to swallow everything I'm feeling and go dark.

"Well, I hope it's a good surprise," I say, laughing like he just made a funny joke while wringing my hands together.

I should've said something more casual instead of sounding so desperate.

I try again.

"We said we'd meet up in ten minutes, and so I got here a little early to make sure the place was clean."

I internally cringe. That wasn't any better. It still sounded clingy and desperate.

He lets out another sigh, and I know I'm annoying him.

"I was going to use those ten minutes to shower. Do you mind? I feel disgusting."

I bet you do feel disgusting, a bitter voice inside me says, and I tell that part of me to shut the heck up.