Page 64 of Mountain Bean Dream
As we left the motel, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I’d just stepped into something both exhilarating and terrifying. Jeremy’s confession echoed in my mind, making my heart race all over again. Could this really be real? Could he actually feel the same way I did?
The Beauvert Ballroom glowed with warm light, the golden chandeliers casting soft shadows against the polished wooden floors. Laughter and conversation rippled through the air as the fundraiser was all abuzz around us, but for once, I feltstrangely calm.
Jeremy stood beside me, his tie slightly crooked with his hands tucked into his pockets, his signature casualness managing to shine through even in a tuxedo. The man could make a black-tie event feel as easy as a Saturday morning coffee run, and somehow, that made everything—this night, this moment—feel lighter.
We’d just placed silent bids on a handful of auction items. A weekend at a nearby spa (my idea), a gourmet basket of cheeses (his, and he promised to share with the motel guests should he win), and, inexplicably, a vintage truck carved out of a tree that neither of us had room for but both of us had laughed about.
“What should we name it?” he’d asked, his grin infectious.
I tapped my finger against my chin, trying my hardest to think of the perfect name. “Elmer Pinewood.” I pronounced itelm-er.
“Elm-er, eh?” He arched a brow at me, curiosity flickering in his eyes, but before he could ask what I meant, the band started up again.
The band struck up a classic, the melody soft and lilting, and the hum of conversation around us softened. Couples drifted toward the dance floor, their movements slow and easy, and for the first time that night, I felt the pull of something quieter, deeper.
Jeremy stepped closer, holding out his hand, his gaze steady on mine. It wasn’t just a playful gesture anymore; it was something else, something that made my pulse quicken.
I hesitated for just a second, glancing down at his hand before taking it. His grip was warm and steady, the faint calluses on his fingers brushing against my skin. As he led me to the edge of the dance floor, I felt the strange, electric pull that onlyJeremy seemed capable of creating.
He slid an arm around my waist, his other hand holding mine, and I rested my free hand on his shoulder. The scent of his cologne—something woodsy and clean, with a hint of sawdust—wrapped around me as we moved.
“You’re full of surprises tonight,” I said softly, glancing up at him.
“Yeah?” His gaze met mine, the corners of his mouth curving into a small smile. “What’s so surprising?”
“You can dance,” I said, the words barely above a whisper.
He chuckled, the sound low and rich, his breath warm against my hair. “Don’t let this fool you. I’ve stepped on a lot of toes to get here.”
“Yet somehow, mine are unscathed.”
“Beginner’s luck,” he said lightly, but his eyes gave him away. There was something warm and unguarded in his gaze that made my chest tighten.
We swayed in silence for a moment, the music and the glow of the room wrapping around us like a cocoon. My head tilted slightly toward his shoulder, and I felt his hand at my waist tighten just enough to steady me, to hold me closer.
“I’m glad you’re here,” I said softly, the words slipping out before I could stop them.
His hand paused for the briefest moment before he spoke. “Where else would I be?”
I glanced up at him, the sincerity in his voice knocking down every wall I’d built to keep him at a distance. I wanted to tell him everything—that this wasn’t fake for me anymore, that somewhere between the trivia night and the morning coffee runs, something shifted into something real. I was terrified of what would happen when he found out who I used to be and how I hadn’t been exactly truthful.
Instead, I smiled.
“You know, I have to be honest with you.” He glanced down into my soul, bypassing my eyes. “I was talking to Grandma.”
I swallowed as a surge of adrenaline coursed through me, which I tried to keep at bay by swaying in time to the music.
“And she’s wise, right? She’s seen things I can’t even imagine in all her years. She sees right through a situation and drops the truth like a hot potato.”
“Uh-huh.”
“She told me something I didn’t believe. I thought she was wrong, but the truth is, she’s right, and I’m not even mad about it.”
“About what?” The words were breathless.
“Us.”
There was an uptick in my heart rate as my breath caught in the back of my throat. “And what is that?”