“Google it.”
His dare wasn’t in his words, but in the way he pulled a glowstick from its donut and twirled it between nimble fingers. “It’s a chemical reaction. Generates unstable compounds…which form an excited state.”
She had no doubt Sarit and family could hear her heart beating in the next room, as Avi offered up the available donut to her lips. She gripped the desk, not trusting her shaky legs would hold her.
“You ruined our perfectly good menorah.” She took a bite, careful to avoid his fingers.
“Hanukkah is all about destroying and rebuilding.” He popped the other half into his mouth. “And I’m still hungry. And not at all tired.”
Leah got in the spirit, pulling the next stick out and offering him the donut. He growled a little when she pushed the sugary morsel past his lips. His tongue darted against her fingers, a flick so quick it was gone before she could even catch her breath.
“Last candle standing,” he whispered, reaching for the lone donut hole left. He held it between them. “Make a wish.”
Leah smiled. “I think you’ve got your holidays a little mixed up.”
“Close your eyes anyway.”
“So you can sneak the last donut without me seeing you?” She chided but did as she was told.
A feather-light kiss touched down on her lips, barely a brush. In fact, it could’ve been the air from the slow rotation of the ceiling fan teasing her, getting her hopes up. But then, the touch of his fingers ghosted along her jawline. The warm nip of his mouth followed, catching her cupid’s bow, tugging her top lip, and she gasped as his tongue grazed hers.How had he known her wish?
“Say you’ll save your first dance on the boat for me?” he whispered. “My wish.”
“Avi –”
“The doc can wait a little longer to get his rugelach,” he added, his breath sweet and close.
“Avi, I’m not going to be on the boat,” she confessed. “to meet the doctor or the investors or anyone. I gave up my Matzo Baller tickets for the auction tonight. This woman and her daughter…it was a thousand extra dollars for the family in that fire, I couldn’t – ”
Avi pulled back to look at her, and that was when Leah noticed his necklace in the blue glow streaking down his bare chest. The chain was empty. She dropped her glowstick, colors streaking across the floor.
“Where’s Sylvie’s ring?”
“It was never really hers,” he murmured, tilting his head toward Leah’s as she tentatively touched the silver chain. “And I had been holding on to it because, well…letting go had felt like failing. It wasn’t the right story for Sylvie, or for me.” He lifted his heavy brow. “So I donated it, too.”
As Leah tried to wrap her brain around that, he added, “I wondered how long it would take you to notice.” She gave him a gentle push, but it only caused him to gravitate closer.
“I seriously considered throwing it over the Falls last night, but – you know. Upstanding citizen of the law.”
“Well, I’m glad you saved it for a worthier cause. And kept us out of jail.” Her heart lurched a little. This felt like more than just playful banter, or their shared commitment totzedakah. This felt like a line being crossed. “And don’t worry – I’m still your ride or die to get to the pier tomorrow so you can catch your mishpacha.”Including Sylvie.
These surreal, short days had left memories that would outlast any harbor cruise.
Avi laughed. “Leah. I don’t think you’ve been listening. My mishpachaisthe Matzo Baller. My friend Jay created it for our crew, originally. He’s just been scaling it up ever since, in typical Jay Katz fashion. You’ll see when you meet him. Trust me, you don’t need a ticket if you board with me. I’ve got plus-ones for life.”
“Wait a minute…did we justGift of the Magieach other?” The old story was even better with a Hanukkah andtzedakahtwist. “And the Schnee family, too?”
Avi’s expression changed, so minutely she barely caught it. “Yeah…I suppose we did.”
Avi lay in his bunk, staring at the glow stars stuck to the bottom of Leah's bed above him, his fingers tracing the empty chain at his throat. The ring he'd carried across the country was gone now, turning his ending into a fresh start for someone else.
Tomorrow, he'd bring Leah on board the Baller cruise as his plus one, setting her up for a new beginning—just not his own. The irony was not lost on him. And yet, deep down, he couldn't shake the lingering hope that maybe, just maybe, she might choose him instead. Letting go of Sylvie's ring was one thing, but letting Leah go was another—one that he wasn't ready for, even if he had to pretend he was.
He’d asked her once how he could prove he wasn’t the kind of guy who’d hurt her. This was his answer: keeping his promise, even if it meant letting her go. If that meant standing alone on the Baller tomorrow night, staring at the stars and trying to forget her smile, he’d manage.
This was about Leah, about keeping his promise—not what he wanted.
Chapter Eighteen
