Chapter 142

TESSA

The recital starts with a long-winded welcome speech from a woman in a sparkly shawl who takes her volunteer position very, very seriously. The parents clap like they’ve just been handed an Oscar, and then the lights dim until the stage glows.

Tiny ballerinas file out in matching pink tutus, arms bent like crooked teapots. I spot Kenzie immediately because she’s the only one beaming like she owns the stage. Her bun is slightly off-center, and her tights have a smudge at the knee, but she does a perfect curtsy before the music even begins. My heart just about combusts.

Beside me, Aaron leans forward a little, elbows on his knees, watching like nothing else in the world exists. The tough hockey player melts into a soft pile of uncle mush, and it’s devastatingly attractive.

“She’s so good,” I whisper, my hand clutching the edge of my program like it’s my ticket to heaven.

He turns his head, slow, just enough for his profile to catch the faint light f