Page 102 of My Heart Still Beats
Her eyelids slide closed, and—
“Dinner is served!” Braden’s voice booms over a microphone.
Tessa’s eyes shoot open, and I jerk backward.
Talk about killing the moment.
But it wasn’t the right moment, anyway. The right moment will be when Tessa and I are alone somewhere. Maybe tonight under the moonlight on the beach as the waves crash to the shore.
I ache to grab her hand, but before I can, she walks past me and heads to the table under the cabana.
She and I are seated next to each other.
“Excited about the goat?” I ask.
“Not even slightly.”
Our appetizers are already in front of us—Jamaican patties. They look kind of like small turnovers, and they’re filled with ground beef and spices. They’re savory and delicious. The servers fill up wine and water glasses as chatter ensues among the party.
When the servers arrive with domed dinner plates, I inhale. The curried goat has a sharp and spicy aroma, and I find myself looking forward to trying it.
Just as Tessa’s plate arrives and the server removes the dome, her phone vibrates between us on the table.
“It’s my sister,” she says with a huff. “Why would she be calling me here? She knows—” Then her eyes widen. “Excuse me, please. I should take this.”
“You want me to come with you?” I ask.
She shakes her head as she rises, already putting the phone to her ear. She disappears into the hotel.
Worry gnaws at me, but I take a bite of the curried goat anyway once everyone is served.
It’s…good, actually—the goat has been slow cooked and is incredibly tender. Garlic, onion, and coconut are all apparent in the flavor. It’s similar to beef, but with an added gaminess.
Minutes pass. My plate is half empty, and Tessa hasn’t returned.
Skye, who’s seated on my other side, touches my arm. “Where’s Tessa?”
“She got a phone call from her sister.”
“Eva? That’s strange.” She rises. “I’m going to check this out.”
I finish my curried goat and a glass of Malbec, and they still haven’t returned. I steal a glance at Braden.
He gives me a slight nod.
That’s my cue to go see what’s going on. He’s the host of tonight’s shindig, so he can’t very well leave. Though he’d leave in a minute if Skye were the problem.
Skye and Tessa are nowhere to be found, so I head up to Tessa’s room across the hall from mine.
I knock.
No response.
I knock again. “Tessa? Skye?”
The door opens, just a crack, and Skye stands there. “I need to go talk to Braden. Can you stay with Tessa, please?”
“Of course. What’s going on?”
