Page 59 of Until Nalia
“Yep.”
“That’s an odd choice. I wonder who decided on that?”
“Probably Coop, he’s been fascinated with old movies since his mom let him watch Jaws.”
“Classic.”
“Yeah.” He wraps his hand around my hip and pulls me deeper into his space. I realize why, when a girl moves past me to get to the stage and drops a fifty-dollar bill in the jar on the edge. Seeing the money, Hector dips his chin and finishes the song he’s singing before he leans down to talk to her. I can’t hear what she says or what his reply is, but when he goes back to the mic and starts singing “A Bar Song” by Shaboozey, she throws her arms in the air and moves past me to a group of women who all start to dance.
Obviously not someone to miss out on the fun, Missy leaves Hanson and joins them, singing at the top of her lungs.
“Come on.” She looks at me, holding out her hand.
“I’m good.” I laugh, shaking my head, and she shrugs before going back to dancing.
As the evening carries on, Missy dances and drinks with her new friends. Hanson and Benett hang out, and I stand tucked up against Logan. Despite there being a hundred or more people around us, it feels like it’s just the two of us. We talk about the kids and life, and I laugh at the stupid jokes he makes.
I’m honestly captivated by all that is him. He’s not just another good-looking man; he’s intelligent and funny and nothing that I expected. And I don’t know how to deal with the fact that I like him so much more than I already did, and that was a lot.
Seventeen
LOGAN
“Dad,” Coop shouts as I hear his feet pound down the stairs. A moment later, he comes around the corner into the kitchen, and I look up from the pancakes I’ve got bubbling on the griddle. “I have to do my project.”
“What?
“My project! Heather just reminded Zuri and me that it’s due tomorrow, and I totally forgot.” He starts shaking his head. “I’m like so screwed.”
“Take a breath, bud, and tell me what the project is?”
“I have to make a volcano.”
“A volcano?”
“Yes, and I have to write a paragraph about what volcanoes do and make a diagram.”
“That’s easy enough, they explode.”
“Dad,” he cries, throwing his hands in the air. “This is serious, it’s not funny.”
“I see that.” I look over at my cell when it starts to ring, seeing it’s Nalia I answer and put the phone to my ear.
“Hey, babe.”
“Did you know that the kids have a project due tomorrow?” she asks, sounding tired.
“I found out about five seconds ago.”
“Me too.” She sighs. “I guess I need to go to the hobby store after I figure out breakfast.”
“I’m making pancakes, bring Zuri over, and we’ll all go together after we eat.”
“Are you sure?” she asks without even pausing to think about it. I’m taking that as progress. Maybe last night was a breakthrough; it felt like it was, and spending time with her just reinforced what I already knew. I like her, I want to get to know her better, I want to spend more time with her, and I really want to fuck her.
“Yeah, I’m sure, I’ll see you soon.”
“Okay, give us thirty minutes and we’ll be there.”
