Like Gold

32.

32.

"JASMINE!"

I looked up from my clipboard to find Jace walking towards me from the pool, his towel gripped in his hands as he ran it through his damp hair. He grinned, letting the towel drape over his neck.

"Hey," I said, smiling. "How was class?"

"Great," he replied, smirking. "My teacher was hot."

I rolled my eyes but couldn't help the warmth that blossomed over my face. "Really? Can't say the same about my students."

I paused, pretending to think, and tapping on my board. "Although, Ryan has been getting pretty spritely lately."

"Really?" Jace whined, tugging on his towel. He pouted up at me, his hair flat and dripping with chlorinated water. "I was working so hard on my high knees for you."

"I wasn't impressed," I teased, glancing back down at my clipboard.

"Except by Ryan," he huffed.

"Except by Ryan," I confirmed.

He lifted a brow at me, and I laughed, finally scribbling my signature on today's form, and discarding the clipboard on the metal bench behind me. I stepped forward, grabbing his towel, and messing up his hair with it.

"You're a mess," I teased.

He lifted a hand to rest over mine, glancing around us quickly before leaning forward and pressing a kiss to my lips. He grinned.

"A mess you're stuck with," he said. He paused, his hands trailing down my arms to tangle our fingers together. He swung our arms, smiling coyly. "I have something to tell you."

I narrowed my eyes. "Yes?"

"Remember a while back when I tried out for the track team at school?"

My brows raised. It was so long ago, I'd almost forgotten. I glanced at his ankle. His limp had really improved lately. Even in class, he was way ahead of his senior citizen classmates. A part of me wondered if he'd stop attending soon.

"Yeah," I said finally, blinking and meeting his eyes. His expression was secretive, giving away nothing.

"How did it go?" I asked when he said nothing.

He shrugged. "Coach Sanders was pretty thorough with the trials. Lots of yelling. Maybe I'll refer him to my therapist too."

I rolled my eyes, shoving his bare shoulder, and he laughed. "Come on, Jace. What happened? Did you get in?"

"Maybe."

I cut him a glare.

"Alright, fine," he said through a laugh. He held his hands up in surrender, his wet hair flopping onto his forehead as he smirked up at me beneath his lashes. "I got through to the second round of trials."

"Jace!" I breathed, my smile growing. "That's incredible! That's... that's... what does that mean?"

He chuckled, tilting his head, and rubbing the back of his neck. "It means that if I get through this round, I'm officially on the team."

"Oh, my God! Well, I mean, you'll totally get in."

"You think?"

"Oh, obviously!" I said. "I mean, come on. You got through the first round with a bad leg. You've definitely got this. Plus, your good looks don't hurt your chances."

He quirked a brow. "Oh, so now I'm attractive? What happened to eighty-year-old Ryan?"

"Hey, don't you bring Ryan into this." I poked at his chest and he stepped closer, until my hand was almost flat against his chest. He smirked at me and I felt my face grow hot.