Page 127 of Resurrection
"Not even he can stop me this time," Ty replies, and the seriousness in his voice does something to me.
"What do you meanthis time?"
Immediately, he starts fidgeting with his hands, reaching out for me and pulling me closer to him, the roses between us and all. "Nothing. Just… You make me stupid."
The fear of being photographed with him and the pictures surfacing in some tabloid is real. I gaze around the back lot, not wanting to give a show to whoever might be here, but the only two casino workers on a smoke break aren’t paying any attention to us. "What are you doing, Ty?"
"Can’t help it." He smiles that crooked smile of his, then kisses my temple, and it’s so distracting that I forget what I was going to ask him. Something about Adri. Or high school. Or maybe nothing.
I twist the flowers in my hand, pretending to study them. The colors blur together like my feelings.
The silence grows, but it isn't heavy. It sits between us like a sleeping cat—warm and lazy. I steal a glance at him, realizing that my walls are crumbling faster than I'd like.
He gives me another smile. A small one. Just a lift at the corner of his mouth. That tiny dimple winks at me, and it’s enough to break something inside me.
"What are you wearing to the reunion?" he asks.
"I don't know. Why?"
"So I can match it. I’m your plus-one."
"Since when?" I meet his blue gaze and stare like he just spouted the most absurd thing.
"Since freshman year of high school," he says, his voice low, only for me.
I hesitate, not sure the pace we’re moving at is okay with me. His eyes are on mine, steady and bright. There’s a promise in them, the kind that he made once before, the kind I thought was lost.
"You're actually following through on that bet?"
Ty’s expression changes, turns serious again. Serious and true. It makes my heart do a stupid dance. "This time," he says, "I intend to keep my word."
The moment stretches, serene and loaded. It would be so easy to let myself fall, to let go of everything and trust that he'll be there to catch me.
"I should go," I say, not meaning it. "I have to get back to work."
"How about that date?"
"Okay," I say, knowing he won’t stop. "But it’s not like we’ve never been on dates before."
He smirks. "We’ve never been on dates as adults with money."
"How is that any different?"
"You’ll see." He winks and takes a step back, finally giving me a little space. "How about next Friday?"
I’m tempted to refuse, to find a better evening when Oasis isn’t that busy, when the kitchen doesn’t need my help, but I’ve been putting my work first for the past seventeen years. Truth is, the restaurant can survive a dinner rush without me. Sonia’s amazing. For once—even if it could be a lie—I want to do something for me.
That’s why I say yes.
"Great. I’ll call you."
He’s about to turn to leave when I stop him. "Ty?"
"Yes?" He freezes.
"You’ll come to Dad’s memorial, right?"
"Of course." He nods. "Just tell me when and where."
