Page 88 of Playing with the Heartbreaker

It doesn’t. It just says 60. And it’s silver, not gold like the rest.

I sink against his chest, breathing in the citrus of his shampoo and smiling ear to ear. It’s the silver 60 from Dodd Everett’s birthday party. The one he plucked from my hair that night. And now it’s hidden in this school memorabilia, a secret just for us two.

“I think you’re stalling.” Gently, he removes the snow globe from my grip and places it back on the table. “You promised me dancing. I’m expecting rond de jambes and pirouettes and maybe even a relevé or two. Since you know all about those.”

I tap my pointer finger to my chin. “Hmm. I don’t know if this is the right kind of music…” I squeak out a laugh as Rhoads raises my hand above my head and spins me in a circle.

We find Janae and Dillon somewhere near the middle of the dance floor. Janae is rocking a white dress with a full skirt, and Dillon has on a powder blue suit.

“Fresh threads,” Rhoads says, gesturing to Dillon’s outfit and giving his friend a high five.

Dillon pops his collar. “Found it in the discount bin at Cardinal Ridge Thrift. Can you believe someone let this baby go? I mean, hellooooo stud.”

Janae just rolls her eyes. I laugh, and Dillon turns his attention to me. “What? You’re not laughing at my clothes, right?”

“No way. You’re definitely the best dressed here.”

“Nah, I’m second best. Ain’t nobody outdoing my girl, here.” He twirls Janae by the hand, and they both break out in beaming smiles. “Now. I believe this is a dance. So, get to it.”

Rhoads and I, gifted with neither Dillon’s confidence nor moves, bounce along to the beat without fanfare for a while. I lose myself in the music and even move closer to Rhoads, his hands on my hips.

Anita and Charlotte weave their way through the crowd toward us. Anita’s dark curls are pinned atop her head. She and Charlotte came together.

“So, coming stag isn’t so bad, after all,” Charlotte says without preamble.

“What does that make me?” Anita grumbles.

“You know what I mean,” Charlotte says. “You don’t care if I dance with anyone else, right?”

“Of course not.”

“That’s my point!”

“I mean, that’s great for you,” I say. “But I’m pretty pleased to have a date.” Rhoads pulls me so my back is to his chest, and his arms wrap around me.

Anita laughs. “Remember a few months ago when these roles were reversed?” She points between me and Charlotte.

“Funny how things can change, huh?” I say, just as I spot Graham across the room. “Speaking of. Be right back, okay?”

Rhoads gives me a squeeze then lets go. “I’ll be here when you’re done.”

I find Graham clustered in a group, laughing at a joke. His face freezes when he sees me, his eyebrows raised in question, his body tensing in fight or flight.

“Relax. I come in peace.”

“Give us a minute, guys.” Graham’s friends melt into the crowd.

“Thank you.”

His blond hair tinges blue in the flashing lights. “For?”

“For covering for me with my mom that night with the Littrels. I’m done obsessing over everything that happened between us. We both made mistakes, and I forgive you for yours.”

Graham’s expression grows serious. “Do you mean that?”

I nod. “I thought freezing you out would make me feel better, but all it did was make me bitter and cynical. I think I’d like to try not being enemies.”

He sighs, long and heavy. “You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to hear you say that. I did a lot of soul-searching—as gross as that sounds—after we broke up. Needed to figure out what was wrong with me. I was an idiot.”