“I haven’t seen you around here,” David noted.
“Well, that’s because I just got in yesterday.”
David and I remained silent and confused. Rory dipped his hand into his suit pocket and pulled out a card. He offered it to David, but I got a glimpse of the shiny, metallic finish of “recruiter.”
“California Bucks,” David read in a low voice. That was the top team on his list. I remembered, back in high school, he’d wear red jerseys in celebration with the rest of the town when the team won. New Harbor didn’t care about our state team; everyone was obsessed with the Bucks.
“Is this your girlfriend?” Rory asked.
“I am,” I answered for him.
Rory smiled and nodded. “Just my luck.”
Despite David’s fanboy past, his expression darkened at the comment. Thankfully, Rory didn’t notice as he continued, “Well, if you can convince him to talk with us, I’d very much appreciate it. Cali’s a beautiful place to live, and you’ll find plenty of opportunities to be politically active.”
“I’ll consider it,” I promised.
“More than what I could ask for,” Rory said. “We’d be honored to have you… both.”
I chewed on my bottom lip, holding back a laugh when David looked near ready to clock the guy.
“I’m sure you will,” David said with the calm that came from years of practice.
24
“How the helldid you do that?”
At first, I thought David was upset. So I readied my guard, willing and able to provide my defense like always.
“I did what you asked,” I said. “Pretended to be your girlfriend. One who was ignored most of the night, by the way?—”
“Yara, you were incredible.”
I paused. We were in the parking lot. There were still plenty of cars as people filtered out of the closing restaurant. We’d parked so far away from the entrance that streetlights were more helpful than the glow of the restaurant’s warm windows. I studied the blue shadows on David’s skin. The admiration in his eyes.
“Incredible—” I yelped when he pulled me into a hug. My arms wrapped around his neck in an automatic response, and he spun me around.
“How the hell did you get Rory Haynes to talk to you?” David asked once he put me down.
I gasped for air, trying to catch up to the fact that my feet were back on the ground even though my head was still spinning. David’s hands still gripped my waist, holding me closeenough that I could feel his chest rise and fall. The air was charged with the decades between us. The kiss at Weston’s house. Our back and forth, I’m now considering a kind of foreplay. Who needed a decade of foreplay? Me. Him. Us. Damn. We were ridiculous.
“I think he just… wanted to flirt with the only person close enough.” I shrugged, still breathless.
David’s smile waned a little. “Did he make you uncomfortable?”
“No, he was nice,” I insisted.
He nodded more seriously. “Did I make you uncomfortable?”
My eyes widened. “No, David. Not even almost.”
“I wasn’t trying to ignore you,” he said. “I kept reaching for you and… no. I’m sorry. This is a moment for sorry.”
I laughed a little. “Are you becoming sentient? Aware of others’ emotions and the need to connect?”
“I’m trying.” His cheeks were a bit red. “I’m sorry it doesn’t come naturally to me.”
“David, it’s fine. Promise.”
