Page 81 of Somewhere Only We Know
I love you.
CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO
JACK
Yes. The dancing was a good idea.
I knew that Lucky didn’t know what she looked like. That she was acting on pure feeling. Her eyes closed sometimes. Her hands raised above her head. Her voice singing along when she recognized the songs.
Even in this state of uninhibited freedom, she was a star. Her dancing was different from what I’d see online of her performances. Looser, more offbeat. Yet still unique and graceful and interesting. You could feel her communicating through her body.
People watched her and I felt possessive, hating myself for it. Lucky was for the world. But this Lucky? Today’s Lucky was for me.
When her fingers grazed my cheek, when her lips met mine in the dark—I was lost. Unsure of where to go next.
CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE
LUCKY
Jack got us some water. I took a long swig as we stood around a circular high-top table, away from the dance floor. The cold water was the best thing I’d ever tasted in my life. After I finished drinking, I rolled the frosty glass on my forehead, then touched it to my hot neck.
When I cooled off, my senses returned to me and I looked at Jack, who was drinking his water in measured, tidy sips.
I had this sudden flash of him untucking his shirt. Smiling and giddy. In an elevator. “I recognize you.”
His eyes met mine as he took another slow sip of his water. “Well, we did make out on the dance floor.”
I flushed but shook my head. “No. You were in my hotel. In the elevator.”
His expression didn’t change, his reaction measured. “Yeah, I was. I think I witnessed you sneaking out of your hotel room.”
The buzz from the dancing was still there, but now I also felt unsettled. “Why were you at the hotel?”
He didn’t answer right away, his Adam’s apple moving as he gulped heavily. “I was working.”
I shook my head, trying to make sense of that. “Was there a wedding in the hotel?”
“Yeah. I have to use the bathroom. You okay out here for a sec?” He handed me his glass, fingers brushing against mine. Every part of me was attuned to every part of him.
I was a smidge annoyed but nodded. “Sure.”
When he walked away, I stared after him. It was good and fine to forget about things as we danced, but now something didn’t feel right. It occurred to me then that he neverreallylet his guard down all day, he was always so careful with me. Mysterious in the places he wanted to be. Why Lina agreed to give me the shoes. How he was so good at getting us into this club. Even his interest in photography.
That’s when I noticed he had left his phone behind on the table.
I knew it wasn’t cool to look through his phone. What did it matter that he wasn’t telling me everything about himself? Today was our day and that was it. If he had another girlfriend or was a felon—whatever it was, it wouldn’t matter. I should leave well enough alone and keep today frozen perfect in my mind forever.
My hand reached for his phone anyway.
When I looked at the screen, there were a few missed texts from someone named Trevor Nakamura.
Where are you now?
Can you send me some preliminary photos so I can assess the quality of the story?
Story. Hm. Was he also a writer?
I couldn’t believe Jack didn’t have a lock on his phone. I almost wished that he did. When the phone unlocked easily with one swipe, I went straight to his photos. If there was a secret girlfriend, she would be in here.
