To My Romeo, with Love novel · Chapter 12 of 24

Chapter 12: Benefit Night

"I want to thank everyone for coming out tonight," Shelby said into the microphone.

Her voice was warm and a little wet.

"When I found out that one of our own was fighting for her life, I knew I couldn't just sit and pray."

A few people in the front rows said, "Amen."

I stood in the vestibule and watched her through the open doors.

My father's arm was rigid under my hand.

"Let me do it," Teddy whispered. "I'll go around the side. I need five minutes to get the laptop to the projector."

"Go," Fraser said.

Teddy went, ducking low, his ponytail swinging.

Marge took off her coat and handed it to the usher.

"Well," she said. "Shall we?"

I took one step into the hall and my legs locked.

Four hundred faces were turned toward a stage.

Not one of them was turned toward me.

For a moment I felt like I could still turn around, go home, and stay a face on a flyer.

Fraser stepped in front of me.

He put both hands on my face, my bare cheeks and my bare ears, and he kissed me.

It was a firm, slow, unhurried kiss, in the open doorway of a church hall, under a banner with my name on it.

He kissed me.

Someone in the last row gasped.

When he drew back, his thumbs were wiping my cheeks.

"There you are," he said quietly.

"There I am."

"Walk with me."

We went in.

Dad on my left, Fraser on my right, Marge behind us, holding her head like a queen.

We started down the center aisle.

I heard the rustle first.

Then I heard the hush.

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