“They’re really good sliders,” Ben says with a shrug. “And listen, the list of things I’d abandon you for is pretty long. I’m just here for the food.”
“Liar,” I say, rolling my eyes. It’s a slow song, so I’ve got one hand on his shoulder and the other in his hand, and we’re moving more or less in time to the music. “You like me, and you also like my dad. Besides, no one goes to weddings for the food.”
“The free booze?” he asks, raising one eyebrow. “Ooh, try to look attractive—there’s the photographer.”
“I always look attractive.”
“Debatable.”
“I should step on your foot.”
“You say that like you haven’t stepped on my foot five times already,” he says, and then we bicker about that until the song ends and we drift off the dance floor. I drink some water and also some more champagne, and I don’t hear Javi come up behind me until there’s a hand on my back.
“There you are,” I say.
Javi looks good, unsurprisingly, in a navy blue suit, with his hair pulled back from his face. His pocket square is bright blue and matches my hair. Ben’s matches my purple dress.
“My cousin Sandy wants to know why you’re dancing with some other guy and what I’m going to do about it.”
I take another sip of champagne. “Oh, easy. That’s because he’s my date to this wedding and you’re not.”
“That’s what I told her. I believe she was scandalized.”
I can’t help but laugh, and Javi grins at me.
“That’swhat scandalized her?”
“These people are unpredictable.” He curls his hand around my hip as I shift closer. “Wanna make it right and come dance with me?”
By the time we get there, another slow song is playing, something I half remember my dad playing a lot when I was a kid. Javi pulls me in close and holds me tight, and we dance in front of all these people.
“You look good in that dress,” he says when we’ve been dancing for a minute or two.
“Thanks.”
“I bet you also look good out of that dress.”
“You’resocreative.”
“Oh, so you’re critiquing my pickup lines?” he teases, and I shrug. Javi pulls me a little tighter and puts his lips closer to my ear. “Okay, I think that dress would look good hiked up around your waist while you got railed in a broom closet,” he says. I bury my face in his chest because I’m pretty sure I’m bright red. “It would also make a great curtain while you sat on my face. Is that creative enough for you?”
“I regret everything,” I mutter into his shoulder, and he laughs.
“That’s for later,” he says. “Right now, I’d rather dance with you.”
I move my hand so our fingers are laced together, which is awkward for dancing, but oh well.
“Me, too,” I say, and we stay on the dance floor for a long time.
After dinnerand cake and dancing and more dancing, I need some air. I head out to the deck and sit on a lounge chair so I can stare at the ocean. It’s cold, but I’m overheated and it’s a relief to be outdoors for a moment, away from the light, the noise, the people, and the wedding-ness of it all.
I’m about to go back in when the door behind me opens and Javi steps onto the deck.
“Aren’t you cold?” he asks and sits behind me on the lounge chair.
“I came out here to cool off.”
He nods at the unlit cigar in my hand. I forgot I had it.
