MARRIED TO MY CRUSH

or Friday evening. This time, she promised herself there would be no coffee spills, no tripping, and definitely no embarra

that's wha

, there was one more hurdle to

e chance of things going horribly wrong. And after her track record of embarrassing moments, she knew she had to be extra

as already dreading it-Hawaiian shirts, leis, and fruity cocktails sounded like the perfect rec

y in the office bathroom. "And who knows, maybe you'll get to see Ethan in some

hink I want to see him in a Hawaiian sh

, this is a perfect chance to spend time with

han in a different light, and maybe even get to know him better in a more rela

er the top-palm trees, tiki torches, and a giant inflatable pineapple in the corner. The sound of islan

she looked around. "Th

ssing tray. "Told you it'd be fun. Now le

eved or nervous that she hadn't spotted him yet. Part of her wanted to impress him, but the other part-the p

of Ethan. Lena tried to relax, sipping her drink and making small talk. Jessie wa

, nudging her with an elbow. "You look l

lied, glancing around nervously. "The

It's a party. Have fun! Look-the

the middle of the rooftop. The music was louder here, and people were swaying to the beat with drinks i

gan, but Jessie was already twirl

a little!" Jessie c

er loosen up. She moved awkwardly at first, feeling self-conscious, but as

tarting to enjoy hers

She flailed her arms, trying to catch her balance, but in the process, her hand smac

oss the floor, the sound of glass shattering echoing through the roof

ered under her br

whole thing, burst out laugh

o help the waiter clean up the mess. "I'm so sorry,"

en

. She knew

ed surprise on his face. He was wearing a tropical shirt-bright blue with

people to witness her lates

eeling like she wanted to disappear into the

learly trying not to laugh

ll bright red. "Yeah, jus

his head. "You sure know

neck awkwardly. "I swear, I don't do

tep closer. "Hey, don't worry about it.

been sure this was going to be another disaster, but here he was, s

came up behind Lena and gave her a playful

dn't help but smile. Maybe this wa

k?" Ethan asked, ges

to escape the scene of her latest emb

s at her, his smile still in place. "So, are you alwa

not just you. I've been like this my whole lif

a drink. "Well, it definitel

d been dreading this party, but somehow, Ethan's laid-back attitude was making everything feel easier. Maybe thi

ar, "you think you'll survive the rest

her drink in mock to

evening chatting, laughing, and-surprisingly-dancing. And for the first time, Lena felt like she wasn

-