Page 53 of Play With Me

CHAPTER13

Nora

Inside the tiny but well-appointed bathroom, I let out a long breath. “Friends,” I reassure my reflection. “We can still be just friends.” I glance quickly to the door as if someone might be standing there hearing me talking to myself. But I guess that would be weirder than me talking to myself.

I take another breath and count to five. I feel marginally better. Still not back to the headspace I want to be in, though. My braids are all frizzed up from sliding around on the seat laughing, so I pull them out, finger combing my hair.

“Or maybe more,” I whisper to myself.

But that’s ridiculous. I’m not coming onto Jude, not in a million years.

Friends it is.

I scrub my face down with a packaged wipe from the little basket. Then I go back to our seat with the intention of just enjoying myself.

But Jude hasn’t ordered beer for us like we used to drink from time to time at home, mostly by his pool in the summer. No, he’s got two flutes on his tray filled with bubbly champagne.

“I decided not to keep the whole bottle, seeing as we’re meeting Cap after,” Jude says.

“Good,” I say, genuinely relieved. I don’t need a repeat of last night.

“But look at this.” Jude pulls the silver dome off his dinner plate. “Lobster and scallops.”

I swallow hard. It looks delicious. But I can’t find the right words to tell him this is too much. Too extravagant, too loud, too…romantic for this situation.

“I got one for you too. Unless you’d rather the filet mignon? But I know how you love seafood.”

I hear Sasha’s voice in my head.Just go with it. Be brave, Nora.

“What, you don’t think it looks good?” He looks stricken.

I sit down. “No.” I pull the lid off mine, too. “It looks amazing.”

“So, enjoy yourself, Green Gables!”

Despite myself, I smile. I cut myself a bite of food and close my eyes at the delicious flavors swirling in my mouth.

“Oh my God.”

“Exactly,” Jude stabs a pile of green beans with his fork. “Besides, if you think this is good, wait’ll you taste the food at Diamant.”

Jude smiles, his mouth full of beans, and suddenly we’re back in our easy, comfortable friendship place.

Jude’s right. If this is what train food tastes like, the meals at a high-end ski resort are going to blow my mind. And maybe Sasha’s right, too. If this is all I have left with Jude, maybe it can be a taste of what I’ve wanted for so long. Maybe I can just taste what life can be like with a person I love? The thought still feels rocky, but I know I’m just getting used to it. I just need to let go of trying to control myself and how I think things should go. That was the whole point of spreading my wings and coming over here. I’ll get my practice here with Jude doing brave things, then maybe that’ll make me better about doing it on my own when he’s gone.

My stomach clenches as I think of him going back home, but I brush that aside with a bite of delicious creamed potatoes.

Jude inspects me, his eyes roving over my hair. “What happened to Anne of Green Gables, Nora?”

I reach up and pat my hair. I’d forgotten to do my braids up again.

Screw it.I look Jude in the eye, pick up the flute, and toss half of it back, all at once. I wipe the back of my mouth with my hand in an extremely unladylike manner. “She’s on vacation.”

I have to press my fingers to my mouth to suppress a burp.

Jude throws his head back and laughs. It’s the most heart-filling sound.

Through the final leg of our trip, I don’t think anything could be better than the relaxed state we’ve found ourselves in. We drink and eat and just enjoy each other’s company. Jude shows me photos of the place we’re staying and laughs when my jaw hits the floor. It’s all glass and Nordic-style structures and furniture, and the spa looks like it easily rivals the world-class one Jude’s family built in their resort.

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