“Dirty Dancing,” she says immediately, her eyes gleaming with excitement as she looks at me. “It’s one of my favorites. You’ve never seen it, right?”
I groan, shaking my head. “I’ve seen it, but I don’t remember much. Besides, I’m not in the mood for a sappy romance movie. I was thinking more along the lines ofBig. You know, something funny and light.”
She raises an eyebrow at me, clearly unimpressed. “Big? Seriously? I don’t even know how that’s a thing. It’s just a grown man who turns into a kid. I don’t know if I can handle that right now.”
I cross my arms over my chest, not backing down. “Come on, it’s a classic! It’s funny, and it has heart, Tom Hanks. You can’t deny its a good movie.”
Kenna lets out a dramatic sigh, rolling her eyes. “Classic ‘80s guy. Why do you have to make everything a comedy?Dirty Dancinghas way more depth.”
“Depth?” I scoff. “It’s just dancing, and some guy falling in love with a girl. What’s deep about that?”
Kenna shoots me a look that makes me laugh, but she doesn’t back down. “The dancing is incredible, Cole. And the music! Plus, I mean, who doesn’t love Patrick Swayze?”
I grumble in protest, but I know it’s a lost cause. “Okay, fine. But I’m picking the next movie after this. No more chick flicks.”
“Deal.” She grins, obviously pleased with her win. “But I’m serious about this. I love this movie. You have to appreciate it.”
I shake my head, amused by how fiercely she defends it. “Alright, alright. But I’m telling you, the minute this movie starts, you’re gonna regret it.”
She hops off the bed, heading toward the living room with me trailing behind her. “We’ll see about that,” she says over her shoulder. “Maybe I’ll change your mind.”
Once we reach the living room, Kenna flops onto the couch and pulls a blanket over her. I settle next to her, but my mind’s still a little preoccupied with the conversations we’ve had and the one we haven’t had yet. She’s still holding something back, and I can tell.
Before I can say anything, she pulls out her phone with a smug look on her face. “Oh, and by the way I wasn’t really going to make you watch Dirty Dancing. I have this app that picks a random movie for you. It’s calledMovie Roulette. I use it when I can’t decide what to watch. I’ve gotten Dirty Dancing a bunch, but let’s see what it picks.”
I blink, slightly taken aback. “Wait, seriously? That’s a thing? You’re gonna leave this decision up to an app?”
Kenna grins, scrolling through the app. “Yep. It’s kind of like a game. You hit the button, and the app picks a movie based on whatever genre you choose. It’s like fate telling us what we should watch.”
“You’re really into this, huh?” I chuckle, clearly amused by how invested she is in this idea. “I don’t know, sounds like a cop-out. I’m telling you,Bigwould be way better.”
Kenna taps the button on the app with a flourish. “Well, you’re in for a surprise,Mr. Skeptical.”
The app whirs for a moment before it makes a selection. Kenna holds up her phone, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “And the winner is...Dirty Dancing.”
I roll my eyes. “Well, looks like the app is on your side. But I’m still not going down without a fight.”
Kenna gives me a mock glare. “You already lost, Cole. Deal with it.”
I settle back into the couch, resigned to my fate, and the familiar opening music ofDirty Dancingstarts playing. As the movie unfolds, I can’t help but feel the shift in the atmosphere around us. It’s not just the playful banter that we’ve had, but something deeper. There’s a comfort here, a sense of togetherness that feels almost too good to be true after everything we’ve been through.
Kenna snuggled against me immediately, legs tucked under the blanket. Her head rested on my shoulder, hair brushing my neck. Without thinking, I wrapped an arm around her, pulling her close. She fit naturally against me, and a warmth spread through me that had nothing to do with the room.
The opening notes played, and I realized I didn’t mind. Not really. Not with her like this. Her soft sighs mingled with the music, and I felt the steady beat of her heart beneath my hand. She shifted occasionally, curling in tighter as if unconsciously staking her claim, and I let her. It felt like home.
Halfway through the movie, Kenna murmured, “Hey…can we talk later? Not now. Just…later.”
I nodded, brushing her hair from her face. “Whenever you’re ready.”
She smiled faintly and pressed closer. “Thanks.”
By the time the credits rolled, Kenna had dozed completely against me. Her breathing was soft, even, and I didn’t want to move her. I let the quiet stretch between us, my mind drifting through the evening, through everything unsaid.
I stared at the ceiling, replaying her small gestures—the curl of her hand on my chest, the way she fit against me likeshe belonged. A smile tugged at my lips despite the weight of the unknowns. Whatever was coming, we’d face it. For now, this was enough. Holding her. Feeling her. Knowing she trusted me enough to fall asleep in my arms.
And in that moment, even with everything left unsaid, everything felt…right.
Chapter Nineteen
