led to the hall’s back lawn as we all filed through. There was an unlit path with a soft glow up ahead that we followed.
“You guys,” Tyra cautioned, “I’m pretty sure we’re not supposed to go toward the light.”
Vaughn quickly scooped her off her feet when she stopped in her tracks. “Don’t be a baby,” he teased before tossing her over his shoulder.
“Can you blame her?” I said. “We all know the black characters are always the first to go.”
“Exactly,” Tyra chimed in, shocking everyone, including me. She wasn’t exactly my biggest fan, but I was slowly winning her over. I think.
The music had almost faded when we eventually stumbled upon a small gazebo. Vines and rose garlands wrapped around the stone columns while pink gossamer curtains draped the entrance like a canopy. The filigree carving the iron of the domed ceiling allowed the full moon to cast its welcoming glow despite the lanterns. Pink rose petals littered the ground and were crushed under our feet as we reached the end of the path, which sloped up onto the small hill.
It was perfect for a late-night rendezvous, and one glance at Ever, Vaughn, and Wren told me they were thinking the same thing. The girls rushed up the stone steps, leaving us behind and oblivious to our lascivious thoughts.
Before long, we were all silently arguing over who’d get to take advantage of the intimate space.
“Are you kidding me?” Wren hissed when Vaughn and I faced off with our fists lifted over our palms.
Vaughn shrugged as we pounded our fists three times. “Rock-paper-scissors, bro. It’s the only way to avoid bloodshed.”
“Best two out of three?” I heard Ever ask.
A moment later, they were pounding their fists. Vaughn and Wren both lost, and Ever and I faced off. Before we could even begin the first round, I heard a throat clear. Four stood next to Ever with her arms crossed. Not the least bit sorry, he lustfully stared her down as Bee pinned me with a glare of her own. I slid my arm around her waist, but she swayed into me with a sigh before I could pull her close. As if I’d done it a million times before, I skimmed my lips across her forehead. The feelings stirring in my chest from the action were familiar but long-lost.
Afraid that I might be falling into her trap all over again, I whispered, “It must be killing you to see them together without you in the middle.”
She stepped away with her painted lips curled, and I let her go. It was for the best. I couldn’t stay away, but I couldn’t let her get too close either.
Lou’s voice broke through my thoughts, chasing away the turmoil. “You guys weren’t seriously playing rock-paper-scissors to decide who gets laid out here, were you?”
Wren scratched the back of his neck as he avoided Lou’s gaze.
Four was still glaring at Ever, waiting for a response.
“What?” he asked, feigning innocence. His voice came out high-pitched, making him seem even more guilty. Four’s lips pursed, and he grinned before pulling her back inside the gazebo.
Since I wasn’t about to let them enjoy it alone if I couldn’t, I grabbed Bee’s hand and pulled her inside along with the rest of our crew. Vaughn slyly pulled the cord holding the curtains open until we were hidden away inside. For a few seconds, we all stood around awkwardly, resigned to sharing the space. Deciding to set the mood, I pressed a few buttons on my phone before tossing it on the single long bench. “Iris” by the Goo Goo Dolls began to play, and the look in Bee’s eyes told me she remembered. It was the first song I’d played for her on my father’s guitar. I didn’t know then that I’d fall for her. I’d merely acted on instinct when I realized she was the first person I ever cared to know the real me.
If only I’d known it would send her running the other way.
“Jamie…”
I wrapped my arms around her waist and skimmed my lips over her ear. “You remember, don’t you?”
“Of course, I do.”
I shook my head as I inhaled her scent. “I should have never played that song.”
I felt her fingers clutching at my tux. “Please, don’t say that.”
“You wanted the fantasy, Bee. You didn’t want the real me.”
She pulled away enough to meet my eyes. “If you believe nothing else, Jamie, believe that you were more than a fantasy. You were a dream come true.”
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