“Lord, that sounds like fun,” he said. “Back in my day, the only dancing we did was at the juke joint.”
That made me laugh harder. “I can’t imagine you sitting still when the music came on.”
“You damn right,” he said, chuckling. “I had moves, now don’t let the cane fool you.”
Ocean’s phone buzzed, and he frowned, standing up. “I gotta take this real quick. I’ll be right back.”
“Go ahead,” Ol’ School said. “She’s in good company.”
When the door closed, I turned back to the old man.
“My little Trouble really likes you,” he said, referring to his puppy as he scratched behind his ear.
“Yeah, he’s got good taste,” I said, smiling.
“That he does.”
We talked for a while about life, work, and Ol’ School’s days in the military. He told me about the neighborhood, and the old days when his wife was still living. He also mentioned his son, which sounded like it came from a painful place, so I didn’t linger on that subject too long. I tried to get back on the subject of his wife since that seemed to be a more pleasant topic.
“She used to dance too,” he said softly. “Not on a stage, but around the house. Whenever music came on, she just couldn’t help herself.”
“That’s love,” I said, smiling gently.
“It is,” he said, eyes sparkling.
Before I could say anything else, Ocean came back in, sliding his phone into his pocket. “Everything good?”
“Yeah,” I said. “We were just talking about his wife.”
Ocean nodded, glancing at his phone. “Listen, I need to run over to the club real quick. It won’t take long. Are you cool staying here for a bit?”
“Yeah, I’m fine.”
Ol’ School grinned. “Of course she’s fine. She probably likes me more than she likes you anyway.”
“He might be right,” I said, teasing.
“Wow, that’s cold.” Ocean chuckled as he leaned down and kissed me. “I won’t be long.”
“Take your time,” I replied, smiling.
He left, and I turned my attention back to Ol’ School, Trouble now curled up on my leg.
Despite his sudden departure, I didn’t feel uneasy.
There was no worry. No anxiety. Just…peace.
And that’s how I knew...whatever this thing between me and Ocean was, it was real. Maybe a little messy, maybe complicated. But real.
And for me, that was everything.
30
OCEAN
I eased the car into the empty lot behind the club. The city noise seemed muffled, replaced with the low hum of air conditioners and the faint clink of bottles from the back storage. I took a slow breath, hands tight on the wheel. Skye was safe with Ol’ School. I’d left her laughing, and that made me feel at ease.
When I made it into the club, Melina was leaning against one of the tall tables, laughing like she owned the place. Despite all the makeup she’d piled on, I could still see the bruising around her eye.
