Love Bait

29| One last dance

There's a moment of panic as Jordan walks over. I step back from Ryan, needing to avoid a potential confrontation, and dart toward Lina and Lexi over by the buffet.

"Please don't tell me that dojo head is back for good," Lina says, nodding at Ryan.

"Seems like it."

"What did he want?" Lexi asks.

I wave my hand dismissively. Getting into my conversation with Ryan is too much to handle right now, especially with Jordan here. It's like all of the air has been sucked from the beach and I'm trying to catch my breath.

"Well, I have a feeling we've raised quite a bit of money tonight," Lina says, squeezing my arm, "and if not, at least this will be a night to remember, right?"

Nauseous, I say, "Right."

The pair start talking about college – the last topic I want to be discussing right now – so I'm relieved when Kali walks over and asks if I want to dance.

"Be warned that my wife says I have two left feet," he says. "It's why she's refusing to dance with me."

I laugh as if he's joking, but as soon as we start dancing, I see why she's reluctant to dance. Kali is like a giant trying to be gentle but failing spectacularly. He ends up stomping on my feet several times, causing me to let out an exasperated 'ow.' He quickly apologizes, looking sheepish, then does it again ten seconds later.

"You know, we haven't really had much chance to talk since you were fired," he says as I wince. "How's everything going?"

I shrug, trying my best to look anywhere but at Jordan. "Complicated, as always. This is my last chance to save the cafe, and if we don't make enough money, it's really over, Kali."

"Nothing is over," Kali says, looking serious. "Life goes on, Evvy. Maybe not in the way you hoped, but it does."

"Everyone keeps telling me to move on," I say, looking into the distance. The waves are barely visible through the dark, but I can see the faint foam as they crash against the sand, their ripples endless. "What if I don't want to?"

"It's a part of growing up, kiddo," Kali says. "Sometimes we have to do the things we don't want, and maybe it's hard and it sucks, but it's life. You just have to keep running, even when you don't know what you're running toward. As long as you don't stop."

"Well, that's depressing." Even though I know I shouldn't, I glance at Jordan. He's standing by the pillar of the gazebo, staring out at the waves, and my heart is suddenly lurching from my chest, trying to  reach his.

"Okay, Mr. therapist," I say, turning to Kali. "What about Jordan?"

He raises an eyebrow. "What about Jordan?"

"Lexi says our friendship won't last if he sells the cafe. Is she right?"

"Hold up," Kali says, pulling back to grin at me, "you and Jordan are friends? Did I miss something?"

Yeah, a lot of kissing, I think. "Can you answer the question?"

"I don't know, Ev, I'm not Mystic Meg. I'm a cafe manager drowning in debt with two left feet. You sure I'm who you want to take advice from?"

"Who better?"

He laughs. "Fine, you want to know what I think?"

"Yes."

"I think you won't know unless you try."

My face falls. I wait for a moment for some big revelation, but he's quiet. "That's it? That's the best you've got?'

"Yep. Stop being so afraid, Evvy. Do you think someone like me would have ended up with someone like her if I'd been afraid? Hell no." I glance to where he's staring adoringly at his wife. "I took my shot, and it worked out."

"What if it hadn't?"

"Well, at least I'd have known I did everything I could. Nothing is worse than wondering what if, believe me."

I swallow hard. Even though I know he's right, taking that chance, setting myself up for potential heartache, is easier said than done. Even if we somehow worked, everything is working against us: if him selling the cafe doesn't kill what we could have had, then us trying to be long-distance would.

Right on cue, Jordan walks over. He and Kali share a fleeting look before Jordan steps forward. "Can I cut in?"

Kali raises an eyebrow, waiting for my response. I nod briefly, and Kali grins, sticks up his thumb, and heads back to his wife.

I force myself to look at Jordan. I hadn't expected him to show up here after leaving me in the cove, and I don't know how I feel about it. "Didn't think you'd show tonight."

"Neither did I." He takes my hand and pulls me in between other couples. With a flick of his wrist, he wraps a hand around my waist and draws me into his chest. I lean in slightly, wrapping my arms around his neck.

"What are you doing?" I murmur.

His eyes are dark as they search my face, his hand tightening its grip. "Dancing with you."

My heart is pounding. There's something thrilling about being so close to him, like I can't catch my breath. I lean my head against his chest, letting myself breathe in the clean smell of his shirt and aftershave.

"But we just argued."

"We always argue."

He has a point. My hands tighten around his neck. "Jordan, we–"

"I know." His voice is low and warm against my jawline. "Forget about it tonight."

Things fall silent as he holds me close. A gentle wind blows a curl across my face, and he pushes it back, letting his hand fall to my shoulder. His fingers brush my skin, sending a ripple of shivers through my body. Everything about this is perfect, from the fairy lights hanging overhead to the flickering candles around us. Right now, with Jordan, it's like we're the only ones left on this beach.

"You know, I saw you once," Jordan says. "A long time ago."

Confused, I say, "What do you mean you saw me? When?"

He smirks at my confusion. "I was eleven or twelve," he says, "visiting my grandpa one summer. He took me to the docks to watch the boats come in, and there was this girl standing on the bow of one of the yachts. She had this curly hair that blew around her face, and her arms were outstretched like a bird about to take flight. I stopped dead because she looked so – I don't know – wild, I guess. Free. I couldn't look away."

I suddenly remember the day like it was yesterday. I'd headed to the docks with a few girls from school, and we were  jumping from boat to boat, playing the water is lava game. But I'd made it to this boat which was bigger than the rest, one of those flashy white yachts belonging to the tourists. I'd stood on that bow, eyes closed, arms out, and I remember this feeling of being on top of the world like nothing could touch me up there.

"You dived into the water like a mermaid," he says. His voice is a low, gentle hum, his warm breath sending tingles along my skin, "and I remember thinking how brave you were to have jumped like that, no hesitation." His eyes meet mine now, dark. Alive. "How beautiful."

I swallow hard. My heart and chest are moving as one, dancing and dipping as though a thousand butterflies have taken flight at once. "You remember me after all this time?"

He leans in closer, voice a whisper, and says, "You're hard to forget."

For a second, I close my eyes. I have to, because if I continue to look at him, I'll cry. Or kiss him. Or possibly both. And either one of those options just complicates things further. Instead, I rest my head on his chest, tightening my grip around his neck. His grip tightens, too, and for the next few minutes, we just close our eyes and dance to the music, lost in each other's embrace.

A/N

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