Tempting /A Jordan Knight fanfic ✔️

51

Chapter 51: Old Wounds. Fresh Pain

10 months later

"We can split the check if you want?"

Mel waved off Gabe's poor attempt to pay for dinner and reached for the bill.

"Oh please. The sizable bonus I just got at work would make your wallets cry. Let me treat everyone tonight."

"Even me?"

The flirtatious voice pulled my sister's attention, her face relaxing with a kittenish smile.

"Tonight's your night, babe. You can always repay me later."

Mel winked in Steven's direction, cueing a deep chuckle from him and a groan from me.

Mel had been going out with Steven for over half a year, and so far, things were going well for them. He was an art broker or dealer or something along those lines that I just nodded along with and pretended like I knew what he was talking about so he didn't think I was stupid.

He looked like a younger Tom Selleck—mustache included shockingly—and he made Mel smile, and that was all that mattered to me.

For the first time in a long time, Mel was glowing. She laughed at something Sal—Gabe's boyfriend—said and wrapped her hand around Steven's arm. I watched him smile down at her, his eyes softening at my sister's wide, beaming face.

A few minutes later, the bill was squared away, and we were all heading out the door with bellies full and ready to continue onto the main event.

Steven had an Art Gala tonight in the city, which prompted this evening's double date with me as the fifth wheel. I didn't mind, really.

I was surrounded by people who loved me. And Steven.

"How far away is the Gala from here? I did not wear my walking boots," Sal called out to the rest of us.

"Same," Mel and I both chimed at the same time.

"Just a few blocks. I'll buy you all a drink when we get there to make up for the walk."

The four of us cheered at Steven's offer, continuing our walk to the Gala with an added pep. With Steven leading the way, Gabe and Sal trailed behind him locked hand in hand, leaving Mel and I to drift towards the back of the group.

An awkward silence consumed our shared air, sneaking back in and reminding me we still were not back to normal. It had been almost a year since everything went down, and while we were leaps and bounds better than we were last year, we still had a ways to go before 'normal'.

"So, you excited for tonight?"

Mel kicked the bottom of her shoe across the sidewalk and shoved her hands in her coat pockets.

"I'm excited for Steven to make a shit ton of money tonight so we can finally book that trip to Hawaii I've been wanting to go on. I've already taken vacation time. I never take vacation time."

"Wow," I laughed, truly impressed. "Does he know how big a deal it is that you're taking time off of work for him?"

She tried to hide it behind her shoulder as she shrugged, but I saw the coy smile peek through anyway.

"He knows I kind of like him."

"Don't wanna throw him to the curb just yet?"

"Nah, I think I'll keep him a bit longer."

The cold air outside showed my breath of laughter in a puff of fog that I walked right through.

"You dating anybody?" she asked abruptly.