But nothing like that does happen.
Clutching my gloves and mask, I move around the side of the building, knowing I can get a good view of what’s going on without actually having to go into the dining area.
It looks like the dinner is wrapping up, and my heart stops when I see my dad giving one of his longwinded speeches, looking right at the window I’m peering through for a moment.
But he can’t possibly see me outside, there’s too much light inside.
Gathering up some more courage, I lean in closer, scanning the room and looking for James.
I can’t see him.
A wave of panic ripples through me as I boldly press my face against the window now, needing to see James in there.
He’s running for Mayor and yet I can’t see him at the main table with all the others including my dad.
I feel something drop in the pit of my stomach, certain something terrible’s happened to James and my mind starts to race with the most insane possibilities.
Everyone is suddenly clapping and then they all get up to leave the dining hall.
Looks like the dinner is over and the Ball will be starting soon, but where the heck is James?
I move from window to window, watching everyone filing out into other parts of the building, but no James.
A few hundred people I’m guessing and he’s not the hardest person to spot in any crowd, easily standing six inches higher than most people.
I can hear some branches being crushed under me as I scramble for a better look when a sudden beam of blinding light is reflected back into my eyes from the window.
“Alright, easy does it. Step out of the bushes, miss…”
I freeze on the spot, realizing that even without my mask or gloves on I’m not entirely invisible.
Before I can even think about it, I’ve slipped my mask over my face in a desperate attempt to maintain some anonymity.
“C’mon miss, back it up out of the shrubs.”
I turn to try and see, but that damned light.
The voice is familiar, one of the Town Hall’s security team who also doubles as a janitor when there’s nothing happening.
I stumble out of what I now realize is a juniper bush, towards the light.
“Bit too much wine at dinner?” he asks with a chuckle before I see his outstretched hand offering to help me back onto the path.
He pulls me from the bushes onto the path, but also a little too close to his own body for my liking.
I feel my chest pressing against him and he makes a low sound as I try to pull away.
“Now, now. Don’t resist or I might have to call the sheriff,” he sneers, and I catch the smell of liquor on his breath, which makes me start to panic until I hear another familiar voice.
“I’ll take it from here,” The deep, smoky voice says with complete authority, the guard drops my wrist straight away and steps back.
James!
“I was just…” The guard stammers as James’ shadow falls long and tall over him as he moves forward.
“You were just apologizing before disappearing out of my sight,” James says with strained anger in his voice, holding his hand out for me, which I rush to clutch hold of with both of mine.
Like finding a life raft after falling overboard.
James.
Like anyone who receives a direct order from James, the guard does as he’s told and disappears swiftly, not wanting to get anywhere nearer me or James for the rest of the evening, I’m sure.
Once he’s gone. I grab hold of James, throwing both my arms around his waist, and hug him tight as I feel his huge arms envelop me, one of his hands moving to stroke my hair before he thinks better of it.
Instead, he lifts my chin with his thumb and forefinger, looking into my eyes with his own full of concern.
“Just tell me you’re alright,” he says and I nod once before I feel his whole mouth over mine.
Warm, wet, and with such pressure and intensity it feels like everything my first kiss should be.
My own mouth opens, but James is a gentleman, only proving how much he cares and just how much he’s waited to do this.
I hear myself moan softly and my knees feel weak as I lean into him fully, running one hand down his front and feeling his chest and abs flexing through his tuxedo before I hook both hands around his waist again as I press myself against him.
We stand there for a while, just him holding me, his strong heartbeat mirroring my own.
Neither of us saying anything because we don’t have to anymore. We both know how it’s going to be but at the same time, it’s exciting because we don’t really know either.
We just both know and feel that we’ve finally found each other. We’ve made our first step towards being whole for the first time.