“Is it?” Lacey challenged.
I stood up, needing to move. “Look, I can acknowledge that Eli has… qualities I didn’t see before. But that doesn’t change anything. We’re utter opposites. Coworkers, nothing more.”
“Just coworkers. Got it. So when you see him next, you’ll be perfectly calm and collected?”
“Of course. There’s no reason things should be awkward.”
Lacey’s skeptical face spoke volumes, but I ignored it. I had to believe my own words. The alternative was far too dangerous to contemplate.
The next morning,I stood before the bathroom mirror, methodically twirling my hair into a bun as I practiced the conversation about the underwater wedding being off. Each precise movement was a silent mantra.
Professional. Composed. In control.
“It’s just another day at the office,” I told my reflection. “I’m simply informing a colleague about a change of plans.” But as I fastened the last button on my neat white shirt, my fingers trembled slightly.
The drive to the resort was a blur of rehearsed phrases and steely determination. I was able to distract myself for a few hours by finishing my financial wizardry to allocate the money for the new scuba set. Nothing out of bounds or illegal, but my new desktop was looking like a distant pipe dream now.
As I approached the gear room, a sweltering, glorifiedshed next to the dive shop, my carefully constructed façade began to crack. I hesitated at the door and the muffled sounds coming from within. Andrea had already informed me where Eli was, so with one last steadying breath, I pushed the door open. The dim room was stiflingly hot, the whir of fans doing little to dispel the oppressive warmth. A sheen of sweat broke out on my skin immediately. And there was Eli, bent over a row of tanks, his damp T-shirt clinging to his back. The giant air compressor, quiet now, stood on one side of the room, and neat rows of BCDs and regulators were lined up like soldiers across the back wall.
“Morning,” I called out, wincing at the slight waver in my voice.
Eli straightened, turning to face me. His easy smile faltered for a moment as he stared at me, and I felt a ridiculous surge of satisfaction that I wasn’t the only one affected.
“Jules.” His tone was carefully neutral. “What brings you to my humble domain?”
Professionals, colleagues, coworkers…
I clasped my hands tightly, willing them not to fidget. “I needed to inform you of a change in plans.” My words were clipped and formal. “Lacey and Daniel have decided against the underwater wedding, and they no longer want dive certifications. And Randy is dropping out too.”
Eli’s eyebrows shot up. “Seriously? After all that work?”
“Indeed. It’s rather, uh, frustrating.”
He shrugged, some of the tension dissipating as he swiped a forearm over his brow. “Classic Lacey, huh? Chase is always complaining about how she can’t make up her mind.”
I allowed myself a small smile as I took a step forward, like I was being pulled toward him. “You have no idea.”
There was a beat of silence, and I couldn’t tear my eyes from him. How his sweaty shirt clung to his chest. I cleared my throat. “Anyway, I wanted to let you know that I intend to continue with the certification. Solo.”
Eli’s gaze sharpened, and heat crept up my neck that wasn’t exactly due to the room’s temperature.
“Oh?” His tone remained maddeningly steady.
I forged ahead, the words tumbling out like rocks. “It would be a waste to stop now, after all the classroom work and pool sessions. I believe in finishing what I start, and… well, I’d like to experience the ocean dives. You’ve told me so much about them.”
Eli nodded slowly, his eyes never leaving mine. “Makes sense.” There was a hint of something in his voice I couldn’t quite place. Amusement? Skepticism?
I raised my chin but held his eye. “Maybe I remembered what it’s like to have an adventure. Maybe I remembered that I like it. Maybe I want more of that.”
Eli’s expression changed, softening and becoming assessing and… approving. “I like the adventurous side of you. The one I’ve seen in class and outside. I agree you should let it out more often. Good things might happen.”
I shifted on my feet, acutely aware of how close we were standing in the cramped room. The male scent of clean sweat wafted off him. The air crackled with tension, a stark reminder of our last encounter. “Then we should continue.”
“You’re right.” His tone was low and smooth. “Stopping now really would be a mistake.”
My pulse quickened. Was he talking about the certification, or…?
“I mean,” he continued, a hint of a smile playing at the corners of his mouth, “you’ve come this far. It’d be a shame not to see it through.”
