Abbeyglen has a way of slowing a person down.
Usually when I need it most.
—Travel Journal of Will Sinclair
Finley.”
When I opened my eyes, I saw two things—Beckett leaning over me, his eyes wide and his frown heavy. And every citizen of Abbeyglen hovering behind him in a gigantic circle.
“Oh no,” I whispered.
“Are you okay?” He glared at a few standing too close. “Step back. Give her some breathing room.” He looked back to me. “You just crumbled. It happened so fast, I couldn’t even catch you.”
“Like something out of a movie,” Orla said.
I peeled myself off the floor, aware of a throbbing knee and obliterated pride. “I’m pretty sure I want to die.”
Beckett helped me to my feet. “You’re really pale.
“It must be bad if you find me pasty.”
Beckett pulled me closer and studied my face with a look that was far from romantic. “Are you all right?”
I laughed. “Yeah, of course. I’m such a klutz. I haven’t had a pair of heels on in a long time.”
“Finley, you didn’t just fall,” Erin said. “You passed out.”
Beckett took a steadying breath. “Longest moment of my life.”
I fought a groan as Principal Plummer, dressed in a linen suit the color of spring peaches, walked our way, the old mayor limping beside him.
“We need to call a doctor,” the mayor said.
“No!” They couldn’t.
“Should I call my mother?” Erin’s face pinched in worry.
“Definitely so,” Mr. Plummer said. “Young lady, you were out for a good ten seconds.”
“No. Please.” My heart beat a wild tempo. Why hadn’t I eaten today? I was so stupid. I’d just let it go. I’d wanted to be sure I fit in the dress. And it just . . . made me feel better not to.
Until now.
Lord, help me. If my mom finds out, I’m dead. She’ ll make me come home.
“It’s the lights.” I startled as the music struck up again. “And the crowd. I just got dizzy from it all.”
But Beckett and Mr. Plummer both looked doubtful. “Let’s go sit down and get you some water.”
The principal frowned at one dangerously intertwined teenage couple, then gave me his full attention as Beckett helped me to our table. “Are you sure you’re quite all right?” Mr. Plummer asked. “You took a good spill, sure you did.”
“Yes.” Humiliation. Could you die from that? “I’m fine. Truly. No need to call anyone.”
“But your knee,” Erin said.
“It’s just a little sore. Seriously, it’ll be good as new in a few minutes.”
“No.” Erin pointed. “I mean look at your knee. It’s bleeding right through your dress.”
Sure enough, a crimson stain had seeped through my dress right at my knee. My gorgeous dress. Ruined.
And so was this evening.
The principal scanned the perimeter, then gestured to someone behind me. “Plasters!” Mr. Plummer called for a bandage, handing over his keys. “In the school, please. Be quick about it.”
The mayor tut-tutted. “We’ll get you something for that.”
Erin put her arm around me. “Go ahead and sit down for now. Get the weight off your leg.”
I just wanted to go home. Fatigue and exhaustion waltzed with embarrassment as I grabbed a napkin off the table, pulled my hem above my knees, and stuck the napkin to my oozing wound. I must have looked so glamorous to Beckett. “It’s fine. I don’t need anything.” Did the entire village have to look this way? Hadn’t anyone ever tripped?
Five ridiculously long minutes later someone returned bearing a handful of Band-Aids.
“What took you so long, Beatrice?” asked Mr. Plummer.
Of course it would be her. Because this night needed a cherry on top.
“Sorry. There’s so much stuff in the nurse’s office, I had trouble finding the plasters and had to open a lot of cabinets and drawers. Here you go, Finley.” Beatrice watched me with a movie villainess grin as she handed them to me. “Different sizes. Wasn’t sure what you needed, so I just . . . grabbed a few things.”
“Very helpful,” Mr. Plummer said. “Thank you, dear.”
Helpful? I wondered if this would be a good time to remind the dear one’s father about her setting me up for cheating. Or how she’d nearly sabotaged Erin’s chances for a date.
“Your hands are shaking.” Beckett took a medium bandage from me and kneeled on the floor. He leveled those famous eyes at the small crowd around us until people drifted away.
“Just let me know if you need anything else.” Beatrice gave one last smirk, then swiveled on her fancy heels and walked away.
Beckett’s fingers were cold on my skin as he blotted at my knee with a napkin, the crisp white cotton coming away red and gross. “You took quite a fall. I’m really sorry.”
“It wasn’t your fault.” I watched him gently apply the Band-Aid.
“We need to call your host mother.” Mr. Plummer reached for his phone.
“No!” He couldn’t. Please, God, no. “I don’t want to worry her. I feel fine now,” I lied. “I’ll just sit here the rest of the night. Drink some Diet Coke. Take it easy.” I implored him with my eyes. “Tonight’s a big deal, and I don’t want to mess up anyone’s evening. Please.” I shot Mr. Plummer a pleading look.
He reluctantly put the phone back in his suit pocket. “If you become the least bit light-headed, you are to let someone know. I still think I should call the O’Callaghans.”
“I’ll keep an eye on her, sir,” Erin said.
“As will I.” Beckett watched me with a frown.
“Fine. But I’ll be checking on you later.” He walked away with the mayor, making a beeline for a large gentleman dancing on a table, and my shoulders sagged in relief.
“Why didn’t you tell me you were feeling this badly at the house?” Erin turned to Beckett. “She had a little spell earlier.”
Beckett gazed up at me as I righted my stained skirt. “You’ve felt like this all night?”
“It’s nothing. Just a little under the weather. No big deal.” I wanted to go home. I wanted to go to bed, pull the covers over my head, wake up on a brand-new day. One where I did things right.
“Why didn’t you say something?” Beckett asked.
“I’m okay.” How many times did I have to say that? “Let’s go back out and dance. That’s what we’re here for.” My voice sounded a bit too snappish, so I countered it with a smile and held out my hand to Beckett. “Besides, I didn’t get my whole dance.”
“No way,” he said. “Erin, you and Joshua go on. I’m going to sit here with Finley.”
Joshua offered his arm to Erin. “I do a mean pop and lock. Want to see?”
Erin hesitated. “Finley, I don’t know . . . Can I talk to you for a second?”
“Go.” I waved toward the dance floor. “I’m fine. Orla, you go too.”
Beckett and I watched Joshua lead a worried Erin to the center of the crowd, with Orla and her date beside them. I knew they were talking about me.
“Erin will be watching you all night,” Beckett said.
The ice in my glass clinked as I took a sip of Diet Coke. “She has no reason to be concerned. She’s just so kindhearted.” And I hoped her kindness extended to refraining from telling her mom about my little episode. Though I knew I couldn’t count on that. Panic coursed through my nerves as I thought of all the possibilities for fallout.
Beckett pulled his chair closer until his legs touched mine. “You’d tell me if something was going on, right?”
His eyes looked at me so directly, I feared he could see straight into my mind, where my every lie, every truth scrolled by. “Yes. I’m sorry I ruined your night.”
“Except for nearly having a heart attack, I’ve had fun.” Beckett rubbed my hands in his, as if trying to transfer some of his heat. “Now I can say I’ve been to a village dance. Check it off the list.”
I pushed past the weariness and the fog in my head and tried to focus on his eyes on mine, his gentle hand covering my fingers, his comforting nearness. Tomorrow I’d eat more. Erin was right. I couldn’t keep doing this. “I didn’t know there was a list.”
“Look at your arms. You’ve got goose bumps all over you.” Before I could protest, he peeled off his jacket and draped it over my shoulders. I was instantly surrounded by his warmth and the smell that was only Beckett Rush. I wanted to remain in this safe cocoon, but when I got home, there would be Erin to answer to.
“I just came up with a list,” he said. “Things I’ve missed out on.”
“Like what?” I watched a couple clear the table beside us.
“School. Senior trips. Holidays.” He ran his finger over my hand. “Fin, you swear you’d talk to me if there was more to this, right? You’ve just been . . . different lately.”
Him too? “Of course I’m behaving differently. I’m going to lose my mind before this audition.”
“I know you’re working really hard on it, but—”
I moved in closer, hoping to distract him. “What else is on that list?”
“List?”
“The things you haven’t gotten to do.”
He blinked at the topic change, but let it go. Then smiled.
“Kissing a girl under the stars.”
“Too bad we’re inside.”
He looked up, pointed to a web of fairy lights above us. “Looks like they found us anyway.”
I rested my forehead against his chin, wishing I could stay there forever. “People are looking.”
“In my life, someone’s always looking.”
I smiled, despite the sad note in his voice. “Sometimes it’s worth doing anyway.”
His grin returned. “You are worth it, Flossie. You are definitely worth it.” And as the band played, my friends danced, and my knee burned, Beckett Rush covered my lips with his, and I felt my head spin once again.