Page 105 of Last First Kiss

“Mm-hmm. If you don’t love that dress, try on another,” Lach tells her.

Esteban nods. “And another.”

“And another!” Jamie puts in, giggling.

Lach snaps their fingers. “Try ’em all on, honeybunches. What’s it gonna hurt?”

Amy starts to think again. Her fingers twist into the fabric of her dress, then stop, smoothing it out. She glances at Jamie, a question forming on her lips.

Jordan quickly intercepts.

“No,” he says with a smile. “For once, this isyourchoice.”

Amy looks like she’d rather shit herself à laBridesmaidsthan decide on her own. But she does. One exhale later, she says to Marisol, “Would it be okay if I saw a few other options?”

Marisol shrugs. “My next appointment’s not until two.”

“Ohmygosh, let’s do it!”

Lach and Esteban squeal at Amy’s sudden burst of excitement. They help her down from the riser. Arms hooked in hers, they “we’re off to see the wizard” skip away toward the racks of dresses and changing rooms.

Marisol exits too.

That leaves Jordan and Jamie and the not-so-quiet buzz building in their systems.

Jordan angles his head in Jamie’s direction. Late-morning sun washes over him. He’s soft and dreamy; things he kind of always is. The only time Jordan’s seen him otherwise was at Lucky Mickey’s Tavern. Behind a busy bar, outlined in the harsh glow ofneon signs and multiple flat screens and overhead lighting that’s never flattering on anyone unless you’re drunk.

“How’s work going?”

Jamie lets out a humorless laugh. “You don’t really want to hear about that.”

“Yes, I do.”

“You do?”

“Don’t get me wrong—your drinks arelethal,” Jordan clarifies. “The CIA should hire you to help create new torture methods.” He laughs when Jamie gives him a weak shove. “But you’re great at the other stuff.”

“What other stuff?”

Jordan stares at him, like he can’t believe he needs to say it.

Clearly, he does.

“Jamie, you make people’s worst days bearable.”

He’s witnessed it firsthand. One night, in a low-lit dive bar with average food and way too much ’90s music playing. Like always, Jamie invited Jordan to drop by. It’s not as if Jordan had anything better to do on a Sunday. Other than getting ready for work the next morning, that is.

A woman in all black sat down next to him. A widower. She spent her morning at her husband’s funeral. All afternoon, she had entertained mourners who only knew surface-level things about the man she had loved for years. Her first andonlylove.

Within two hours of arriving, she went from sobbing into her old-fashioned to belting Tina Turner’s “The Best” on top of the bar. All because of Jamie. Of course, he got reprimanded by his boss for breaking at least twenty health code violations. That didn’t matter to Jamie. He did it to make her happy.

To give her a reason to smile while her entire world was reshaping.

For the rest of his shift, Jamie let that widower talk his ear off. Then, he stuck around to make sure she got safely into a rideshare.

It’s who Jamie is. Kind, loyal, and affectionate, even with strangers. Hecaresmore than anyone Jordan’s ever met.

Jordan tells him as much.