me. “Miller, this is my sister, Kimberly,” he says to me. “She is your biggest fan.”
I smile at the girl in front of me, and her face lights up. “I am,” she says to me. “I mean, my brother is good and all, but he’s not the best.”
“Kimberly,” Patrick says. “I’m right here.”
I laugh now and hold out my hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Kimberly.”
“I should get a picture,” Patrick says. “Do you mind?”
“No, of course not,” I say, but I really do mind. Suddenly, I want to get out of here, but she puts her hand around my waist, and I don’t move. I pose for the picture, and then she turns to look at me after.
“Thank you so much for the picture,” she says. “You are having a great year.”
“It’s been great so far,” I say. “Now, let’s hope we can beat Nashville tomorrow.”
“I have no doubt you will,” she says. “I’m sorry about my little brother,” she says, and I laugh.
“He thought by telling you that you were my favorite, it would embarrass me.” She laughs now. “I bet him fifty dollars that I would ask you to dance.” I look at her. “I actually bet them all fifty bucks.” She points back at her brother and his four friends.
I laugh now. “You did what?”
She shrugs. “I wasn’t going to let them tease me without egging them on. I know this is totally awkward, and I’m sorry, but would you dance with me? Even if it’s for half a song.” I take a deep breath. “It’s two hundred dollars.”
“Sure,” I say, walking to the dance floor. I put my hand around her waist and look over at the guys with their mouth hanging open. “You boys better pay the lady.” They all groan, and I chuckle.
I feel eyes looking at me as I turn around on the dance floor and listen to Kimberly tell me about her work. My eyes fly up, and I see her just looking at me. My heart fills my whole chest as I take her in. My feet don’t move now as I stand mesmerized by her. She is more beautiful than she is in my dreams. She looks like she lost weight, and I wonder if she’s been sick. Her gold sparkly skirt hugs her hips. The white long-sleeve shirt is tucked into the skirt. She lifts her hand to say hello to me and smiles at me, but the smile doesn’t reach her eyes.
“Are you okay?” Kimberly’s voice makes me look down at her. Oh my God, I think to myself, she must think I’m here with her. I look up and see her walking to Candace as she smiles at her and hugs her. I see her going to Ralph and giving him a hug also, and I want to run over to her and take her in my arms. I want to ask her how she has been doing. I want to tell her that I have thought about her every single day. I want to tell her that it doesn’t fucking matter that she was married. I want to tell her all that, and I want all of that with her. “Um, Miller.” Kimberly laughs now uncomfortably. My eyes fly back to Kimberly. “Do you have to go?”
“Um,” I say and then look back up when I hear Nico beside me.
“Hey, Miller, can I borrow you for a minute?” he says, and I just smile at Kimberly.
“Okay, but first, I have to do something,” I tell him, and he shakes his head.
“I need you, Ralph, and Manning for a photo op,” Nico says, looking around and spotting Manning and Ralph, who nod at him when he motions with his hand. I look around the room and see her mingling and saying hello to everyone. Her purse is in one hand while she shakes with the other hand. Her hair is longer than I remember. She must feel me watching her because she turns back around, and for a split second, our eyes meet again. I wonder if she can see how much I miss her. I wonder if she knows that I spent all of Christmas Day thinking about her. I spent the past month building up the courage to go to her, hoping she didn’t slam the door in my face.
“What do you need?” Manning says, and I turn my head, hoping that this goes fast so I can get to her. My hands itch