Mistletoe in Paradise (Wildstone #5.5) - Jill Shalvis Page 0,12

best of human behavior.

Which made her generosity and kindness all the more a miracle.

But on the third year of being stood up by the Cap, Jason finally sweet-talked her into joining them up the bluffs. Jason had been good at sweet talk. After promising he’d go first and be there in the water waiting for her, he jumped, and then he had indeed stayed right there in the water, waving up at her.

James had never been much of a sweet talker. When they’d been young, he and Hannah had pushed and dared and challenged each other. But now, with the dubious honor of maturity, he could care less about one-upping her, he just wanted to be with her. Terrifying in its own right.

“We going to jump?” she asked quietly.

“I am. But you don’t have to.”

She looked at the water, as if she wished Jason were waiting for her.

Same, babe. Same.

“You first,” she finally said.

He laughed. “No can do, Hannah Banana. The second I jump, you’ll walk back down.”

“Yes, but that would technically still be meeting you down there,” she said, biting her lower lip, staring down at the water with genuine trepidation.

Watching her, something in him softened. “If you don’t want to jump,” he said, “we’ll both walk down.”

“But you always jump. Every time. That’s what we do.”

“That’s right. That’s what we do.”

She stared at him. “Yeah, but the adult half of this so-called we realizes what a stupid and idiotic tradition that is.” She paused and looked down again. “I don’t remember this being so scary.”

“Hannah.” He squeezed her hand. “We don’t have to do this.”

“Yes we do. Jason might be watching. Besides, I want to.”

“Really? Because you look like you’re going to throw up.”

“I always feel this way before I jump,” she said. “It’s just been a long time. And . . .” She took another peek over the edge and swallowed hard. “I mean, shouldn’t things look smaller when you’re older? Does this cliff seem higher and bigger to you? And the waterline far lower? Global warming, right?”

He laughed and felt some of the weight lift off his chest. “It’s called fear. It’s okay, Hannah, seriously. We don’t have to do this.”

“We’re doing this.”

He knew that stubborn tone and that equally stubborn set of her chin. There’d be no turning back now. “Fine,” he said, “then we do it together.”

Staring at him, she nodded.

So they jumped.

Or more accurately, he jumped and she came along with him, since he was still holding her hand. And then they were flying through the air together, she screaming at the top of her lungs, the sun making her anklet glow, he feeling a ridiculous carefree grin cross his face for the first time in far too long.

Chapter 5

Hannah stopped screaming to suck in a lungful of air just before she and James hit the water. When she broke the surface, she was thrilled to find herself not dead. “Oh my god. We lived.”

James, who’d surfaced at her side, laughed, looking far lighter and freer than he had at the top of the bluff.

Her heart ached for him, deeply. He and Jason had been inseparable. For her, losing Jason had felt like the hacking off of a limb, so she couldn’t even fathom the pain James felt. “You didn’t have to hold my hand,” she said, treading water. “We’re not kids anymore.”

“Maybe I felt like one again.”

She could tell he wasn’t kidding, and that reached right into her chest and squeezed her heart. They were still treading water and staring at each other when a big swell nudged them together. His hands gripped her waist to keep her with him, their legs brushing together as he kicked to keep them afloat.

“Is this really your first time back here?” she asked.

“Yeah.” He gave a small smile. “I’ve seen nearly every stretch of beach on the planet, but not this one, not since . . .”

“I know,” she whispered, shifting closer without thought. Their thighs bumped again. Their chests, too, so he tightened his grip, holding her against him.

“What made you come back this year?” she asked, her hands going to his shoulders. “Why now?”

“I told myself it was because my mom asked, and because I needed to talk to my dad, but I’ve gotta admit . . .” He held her gaze. “I’m glad I did.”

Her heart tightened. “What about Candy?”

“She’s an employee of mine,” he said. “Married to one of my investment partners. They’re very happy together and have an adorable little