The Spotlight

Chapter 36

I'm still tangled in the sheets, deliciously sore and completely content, when Gary emerges from the bathroom. A towel hangs precariously low on his hips, another draped around his neck as he vigorously dries his hair. Water droplets cascade down his chest, tracing paths along the contours of his muscles before disappearing into the terry cloth at his waist. The sight of him—so casual, so unguarded—sends a flutter through my stomach that has nothing to do with hunger.

"Hey," he says, his voice light and easy. "Just a heads-up, Rob and Ayda want us to stay for dinner tonight after the pool."

My face lights up immediately.

"Oh, fun!" I reply, sitting up and letting the sheet pool around my waist. I don't miss the way his eyes flicker briefly to my exposed skin before returning to my face.

He grins, running the towel over his hair one last time before draping it back around his shoulders. "So, pack something nice. It's a proper sit-down thing."

My mind immediately begins to turn. I hadn't packed anything particularly formal, having expected our getaway to be casual. I mentally inventory the contents of my suitcase—a sundress, maybe? The black jeans and silk blouse I'd thrown in as an afterthought?

"Okay. What are you wearing?" I ask, trying to keep my voice even despite the sudden rush of opportunity that floods my brain.

Gary shrugs, the movement causing a few more water droplets to roll down his chest. "Suit," he says simply.

A jolt of perfect opportunity runs through me. The green tie I'd impulsively purchased weeks ago—the one that matches his eyes so perfectly—had been tucked away in my drawer since the shopping trip with David and the others. But I brought it with me as I'd been waiting for the right moment, and suddenly, here it is.

"Okay, suit it is," I say, feigning calmness while my heart does a little dance of excitement.

Gary nods, seemingly oblivious to my internal celebration. He turns back toward the bathroom, pausing at the door. "We should leave here in about an hour to get there in time."

The moment he disappears back into the bathroom, I move quickly to my suitcase. Tucked away in a side pocket is the silk tie, still in its small paper bag from the vintage shop. I retrieve it and carefully bury it deep inside my tote bag, a secret promise hidden beneath my change of clothes for the pool.

I sit on the edge of the bed, hugging my knees to my chest, unable to stop the smile spreading across my face. It's such a small thing—a tie—but it feels monumental. It's the first real gift I'll give him as his girlfriend. The word still feels new and slightly dangerous in my mind, but also undeniably right.

I wonder what his reaction will be. Will he understand the significance? That I'd bought it weeks ago, long before last night's conversation made things official between us? That every time I looked at it, tucked away in my drawer, I'd thought of him?

The bathroom door opens again, and I quickly grab my own towel, wrapping it around myself as I head toward the bathroom for my turn in the shower. We pass in the doorway, his skin still damp and warm as his arm brushes against mine.

"All yours," he says pressing a quick kiss to my lips.

I step into the steam-filled bathroom, closing the door behind me. As I turn on the shower and wait for the temperature to adjust, I catch sight of my reflection in the mirror. My cheeks are flushed, my eyes bright with what looks suspiciously like happiness.

"Officially a couple," I whisper to my reflection, testing how the words feel on my tongue. "His girlfriend."

They feel right. Terrifying, complicated, potentially disastrous for a dozen different reasons—but undeniably right.