“Do I look okay?” Cathy Blake asked, turning around in front of the mirror. She’d spent hours shopping for the perfect dress and this was the fourth one she’d bought. It was too late to return it now. But she was pleased with how the pink silk fabric hugged her curves and showed off her legs.
“You look so good, even I’m admiring your butt,” Selena Jones said, swirling the wine in her glass as she sat on Cathy’s bed. “Seriously, people are going to have to sit down tonight because you’re going to sweep them off their feet.” She made a dramatic sweeping gesture with her arm, causing some of the wine to slosh out of the glass. “Your eyes glow in that. Like they aren’t blue enough to begin with. You look amazing. Entirely different from high school.” Selena pointed at her. “Be sure to wear a name tag ’cause people will be saying, ‘Who’s that girl?’”
Cathy put a hand on her hip. “So, I didn’t look amazing in high school?”
“You know what I mean.” Selena looked up at the ceiling. “This is how it must be for a husband whose wife says do I look fat in this?”
Cathy gasped. “I look fat?”
“No! You’re gorgeous. I just mean that you really blossomed after high school. Some girls in our class blossomed in middle school. I swear, Brandi Parkman’s parents got her a boob job the summer before eighth grade. She had her time in the sun. Now it’s your turn. Tonight is going to be your night. We purposely didn’t go yesterday just so you could be the center of attention tonight. Make the most of it.”
Cathy touched up her lipstick while the Pink CD she still had from high school played in the background. “Well, I don’t really care about everybody, I just hope Peter Schmidt notices.” She smacked her lips in the mirror.
Selena pretended to jerk back. “What? Who? Peter Schmidt? You liked him? I had no idea.”
Cathy sent a tube of lipstick sailing past Selena. It bounced off the bed onto the floor.
Selena laughed. “Sorry, for a moment there, I totally forgot we followed him home after the football game that day. And hid behind the bushes in his backyard and watched him eat dinner with his family.”
“He had lasagna with salad and garlic bread. He took three pieces.” Cathy smiled dreamily. “What an appetite he has.”
“Oh, and I just remembered the party you threw senior year just so he could come and that you ended up grounded for a month,” Selena continued.
Cathy sighed. “And he didn’t come.”
“But he’ll come tonight,” Selena said with a smirk. “Maybe a few times if you’re lucky.” This time, a hairbrush flew past her head. “Careful! You might hit me. You didn’t make the softball team, remember?”
“Well, I don’t think that will happen.”
“No, no softball team for you. You run fast but you throw like a girl,” Selena said.
Cathy ignored her. “I can’t just say hi and then sleep with him.”
“We’re talking about Peter Schmidt. And you—his number one stalker. I think sleeping with him is a very good probability.”
“I can’t even think about that right now.” Cathy sat on the bed next to Selena. “I’m still not sure what I’m going to say. Do I just tell him I lusted after him forever, or do I ask if he wrote the poem?”
Selena scrunched her nose. “Sorry, I still don’t think it was him. Peter Schmidt didn’t have to write poems to get girls. He didn’t have to do anything to get girls. They followed him everywhere. They presented themselves to him. Seriously, I heard Brandi had herself delivered in a box to him.”
Cathy stood up and started pacing the room. “I know it doesn’t sound like him. But he was walking down the hall right before I found it in my locker. And he looked back at me while I was reading the poem. Like he knew. And remember that time we kissed at the party after homecoming?” She stopped and pointed at Cathy. “That happened right before I got the poem.”
“But there wasn’t even any tongue, right? And he threw up in the bushes right after,” Selena reminded her. “So either it was a really bad kiss or he probably didn’t remember it.”
“But he wouldn’t have kissed me if he didn’t like me, right? And if it wasn’t him who wrote the poem, who was it?” Cathy spritzed her perfume in the air, then stepped into the floral-scented mist. “It’s not like I had any stalkers in high school.”
“Don’t you think Peter would’ve said something about it?” Selena asked.
Cathy shrugged. “Maybe because it was so out of character for him he was flustered and didn’t say anything. Maybe he was embarrassed about puking.”
Selena set down her empty wine glass on Cathy’s bedside table, which was cluttered with hairclips and Post-it notes. “Doubtful. I don’t think Peter Schmidt has ever been embarrassed about anything. He farted in math once and three girls still chased him out of class telling him how funny he was.”
Cathy ignored her and looked up at the ceiling. “It was the nicest poem. Roses are red, your eyes are sparkling blue—”
Selena interrupted. “True love would be sweet, especially with you.” She shrugged. “It just seems like Peter Schmidt would’ve written something like, “Roses are red, my balls are blue, doggie style would be sweet, especially with two of you.”
Cathy gave Selena a playful push. “Shut up! He probably has a hidden romantic side. I’m sure it’s tortured him all these years to keep it locked away.”
“So, then ask him tonight. What do you have to lose?”
Cathy sucked in a breath and let it out slowly. “You’re right. I have the poem in my purse. Maybe I’ll show it to him and see how he reacts.”
“Or maybe you could just say, ‘Peter, you can have sex with me right now if you want to.’ That’s what I would do,” Selena said.
“You would, wouldn’t you? I think I might try a slightly more subtle approach first.” Cathy grabbed her purse. “Ready? Let’s go before some other tramp gets him first.”
***
Danny Patel climbed aboard the yacht anchored at the pier. He was there a few minutes before the reunion started so there would be no chance he’d miss Cathy Blake. He’d had to get two people to cover for him at the hospital so he could get the time off from work. He’d flown all the way from Seattle on an eight-hundred-dollar ticket to be here for thirty-six hours. All because of her.
His friend Chance Carrington had promised to meet him here early, but so far, it was just Danny and some of the girls from student government who’d planned the event. They were all buzzing around Tripp McCall, the guy who’d bought the yacht to host the reunion. Danny thought he had done well for himself becoming a doctor, but Tripp had founded a multimillion-dollar company. Tough to compete with that, but he noticed Tripp holding hands with his old girlfriend, Chelsea, so he figured they were back together. Nice to have the class tycoon out of the way.
Cathy should be happy to see Danny. They’d had a blast together in band, spending four years seated next to each other in the trumpet section. But Cathy never knew he’d had the biggest crush on her in school. And Danny had never been brave enough to tell her. Oh, he’d written her the lamest poem once and tucked it in her locker, but he’d never gotten the guts to tell her it was from him. He could still remember the verse: “Roses are red, your eyes are sparkling blue, true love would be sweet, especially with you.” Hard to believe he’d worked for a few hours on that.
He ran his hand through his hair and checked his phone to see the time. The reunion was starting in a few minutes, so he went over and signed in, got a nametag, and soaked in all the compliments from the girls crowding the table.
“Danny, we missed you last night. You look great. You’re a doctor?” asked Alyssa.
“Yep. I’m finishing my residency right now.”
“Wow. And you really filled out,” Brandi said, looking him over.
He shrugged. “I was a late bloomer, I guess.”
“I guess,” Brandi said, arching an eyebrow.
He shoved his hands in his pockets and looked away from her, hoping she’d pick up on the “not interested” signals. But women were often good at overlooking those signs once they found out he was a doctor. That’s when he’d tell him he was just a resident, years away from making the big bucks. That usually discouraged most of them. “Is it okay if I go out on the deck?” he asked. That way he’d be able to watch people as they boarded. Hopefully, he’d get to watch Cathy.
“Sure,” Brandi said.
“We’re not actually heading out to sea, are we?” Chance was usually late for things. He’d hate for him to miss the whole thing.
“No, we’re going to stay moored so people can come and go. You know, if they want to go back to their hotel rooms or whatever. Where are you staying?” Brandi asked, her voice breathy and her fingers grazing her long neck.
“Right in the city.” He didn’t want to tell her where, just in case she was thinking about dropping by. Or delivering herself to his doorstep like she’d done with Peter Schmidt. He was another one to worry about. All the girls had loved him in school. Hopefully he won’t show up tonight, Danny thought.
Danny was headed outside when he spotted Chance walking in. “Hey, let me go say hi to my friend.”
Brandi pouted as he left. Danny walked over and clapped Chance on the back. “How are you, man?” Danny asked. “I can’t believe you actually made it on time.”
Chance spread his arms wide. “What choice did I have? You harassed me like an old woman worried about missing her afternoon soaps.”
“I just need you here when I see Cathy.”
“You get women left and right. You don’t need me.” Chance started walking toward the bar.
Danny followed. “But this is Cathy Blake we’re talking about. You know how I feel about her.”
Chance ordered two beers and laughed. “Right. The poem I told you not to give her.”
“She didn’t know it was from me.”
“And I hope she never does. And I hope she never finds out you technically should’ve been charged with stalking her. How many times did we drive by her house at night?” Chance took the bottles from the bartender and handed one to Danny.
Danny took a long drink. “Sometimes she left her curtains open. She looked really hot in that pink nightgown with the little straps.” Danny knew he sounded defensive. And incredibly immature. Guess first love dies hard, he thought. Especially when it’s not reciprocated.
“Man, I hope you get her out of your system.” Chance set his beer down and rubbed his hands together. “Okay. What do you want me to do, talk you up in front of her? Tell her how much you make? How much you can bench-press?”
Danny looked back toward the table at the entrance where Brandi had been sneaking glances at him. “The best thing you can do is occupy Brandi. Leave me free to spend some time with Cathy.”
“Occupy Brandi. Kind of like occupy Wall Street, but better. That’s not a bad assignment,” Chance said, straightening his tie. Then his smile fell. “Shit. Peter Schmidt just got here.”
Danny turned around and spotted the guy voted Best Looking in their class. Yep, Peter Schmidt was still a good-looking dude. Every girl in school had had a crush on him. Even upperclassmen. He’d gone out with a senior when they were freshmen. Peter Schmidt had been six-two in ninth grade. With muscles and a perpetual five o’clock shadow that girls thought was sexy. Danny always thought he looked like a criminal in the making.
But it was more than Peter’s looks. His parents were divorced, and when Peter stayed with his father, his dad often went out of town, and that meant Peter was able to throw legendary parties. He looked old enough to buy alcohol without getting carded. He drove a vintage Corvette. If life were fair he would’ve lost his hair or grown a beer gut. But Peter was looking better than ever.
“Peter Schmidt!” Brandi squealed and ran up to Peter, looping her arms around his neck. Peter picked her up and twirled her around.
“He was at the party last night. I don’t know why she’s acting like she hasn’t seen him in forever. But I guess the Brandi problem is solved,” Chance said.
“How many women do you think he’ll hook up with tonight?” Danny asked.
Chance crossed his arms, giving the question some thought. “Are we talking how many women at once, or separately?”
“Sadly, that’s a legitimate question.” Danny shook his head. But he didn’t care how many women Peter left with. He was here for one girl and one girl only. He looked over at the entrance and froze.. “Oh my God, there she is,” he whispered to Chance. His heart jumped into his throat. She looked even more beautiful than he could’ve imagined, with her long, dark hair swirling past her shoulders and a short, tight dress showing off curves he hadn’t expected. And her smile, it still left him loopy.
Chance looked over at Cathy and whistled softly. “If she blows you off, mind if I go for it?”
“Sure, and then I’ll kick your ass, throw you into the sea, and ignore my Hippocratic oath to provide medical treatment when they haul you back on board.”
Chance held up his hands. “Kidding. Just kidding.”
Danny’s heart was racing and he took a step forward, then a step back, and quickly finished his beer. “So, do I go right up to her or do I wait?”
“Don’t race over like a puppy. When a guy runs to a girl, she usually runs the other way. Trust me, I know. Happens to me all the time. You’ve got to be cool, bro.”
“Hey, believe me, I’m holding back. I left the dozen roses I bought for her with the valet.”
That caught Chance’s attention. “If things don’t work out, can I have them? It’s my sister’s birthday tomorrow. She likes flowers.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence. I can’t believe I thought you’d be any help tonight. I need another drink.” Danny turned around to signal the bartender, but Chance tugged on his sleeve.
“Here she comes,” Chance said.
Danny turned back and his heart swelled as she walked toward him. He smiled and tried to look confident, hoping the right words found their way to his mouth.
And then she breezed right past him and hurried over to Peter Schmidt.
Danny’s heart plopped into his stomach as he watched her walk by.
Chance stood there for a moment, shaking his head. “What color are those roses?” Chance asked. “My sister likes pink. Please tell me they’re pink?”
Danny pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. “They’re red, like the poem, dummy. And I’m not ready to hand them over to you quite yet.”
***
Cathy tried to keep from walking too quickly over to Peter. But she couldn’t help it. She probably looked like a Black Friday shopper busting down the door, elbows out, headed for the electronics section. But she’d been waiting a long time for this particular merchandise.
“Don’t you think you should be a little less eager? Maybe approach him in the first thirty minutes of the reunion, not the first thirty seconds?” Selena suggested, doing her best to keep up with Cathy.
Cathy slowed down and blew out a minty breath. She’d gargled with mouthwash for a good five minutes. “You’re right. Maybe he’ll even come over to me.”
And that’s when three former cheerleaders descended on Peter, breasts aimed directly at him like he was a magnet drawing them over. Cathy made a sharp right and walked out onto the front deck. She grabbed the railing and looked down at the water. She hoped she wouldn’t hurl.
Selena glanced back at Peter. “I do hope he gets to come up for air from all that boobage. I wonder how many men die each year from breast smothering?” She patted Cathy’s hand. “I’m sure he’ll be fine. Let’s get a few drinks in you.”
“No! You know I get weepy when I drink sometimes. Maybe a Red Bull?”
“You’re charged up enough. I’ll get some wine, I’ll drink yours, and maybe I’ll calm down,” Selena said.
Cathy nodded, trying to steady herself in her high heels as she got used to the sway of the boat. “I’ll be here, just waiting for the moment I’ve dreamed about for years.”
“I’m so glad you’re not building this up too much.” Selena disappeared, and Cathy turned around to check out the crowd milling around outside.
Girls she knew from the soccer team came over, gushing about her new appearance. She nodded and smiled and tried to make all the appropriate responses, but she was too busy rehearsing exactly what she was going to say to Peter. Should she be blunt? I loved you in high school. I still do. Or should she come right out and ask about the poem? Maybe she should shock the hell out of him and proposition him like Selena had suggested.
Her cheeks felt hot just thinking about it. The girls she was talking with moved on to someone new and Cathy wondered where Selena was.
“Hey, Cathy.”
She was in such a daze she hadn’t noticed the guy standing in front of her. She squinted at him.
He held out his hand. “Danny Patel.”
Her eyes widened. “Danny! Wow, look at you.” There had only been a handful of Indian kids in her school. But Danny didn’t look anything like he had back then. His hair, once close-trimmed, was down past his chin with a slight curl to it. His face had filled out. She looked him over. His body had, too. The guy who had been a smart, funny kid in band so many years ago had sure turned out to be a hunk.
“And look at you.” He kept smiling, never taking his eyes off her. They smiled at each other for a good thirty seconds until Danny finally asked, “What are you up to these days?”
“I’m a newspaper reporter right here in Boston. And you?”
“That’s cool. I’m a doctor in Seattle.” His voice had gotten deeper, too.
“Really?” She checked out his left hand. No ring.
“I am. A resident in pediatrics.” He shrugged. “I really like kids. Do you?”
She curled a piece of her hair around her finger. “Sure, I guess. But a doctor—that’s great! Really impressive. Do you like Seattle?”
“Yeah, it’s a cool town. Not that I get to go out often. I work really long hours. I’m doing a rotation there, and I’ll be back home in October.”
Cathy snuck a peek over his shoulder, looking for Selena. She’d want to see Danny for sure. “I didn’t know you wanted to be a doctor.”
“Seriously? Both my parents came from India to go to medical school. When I was born, they had “M.D.” added to my birth certificate. I didn’t have a choice.” He shrugged. “Thankfully, I like it.”
“I’m surprised you were able to make it tonight. Aren’t doctors worked to death during their residencies?”
“Pretty much. But I really wanted to catch up with everyone. I was especially hoping you’d be here,” he said.
She felt her eyebrows rise. “Oh?”
Just then, Selena came back, clutching the stems of two wine glasses with one hand and holding a Coke in the other. “Your drink, darling.” Selena looked at Danny and ran her tongue over her bottom lip. It was an obnoxious habit she had, and whenever Cathy tried to point it out to her, she denied doing it. Selena flipped her hair over her shoulder and did the lip thing again. “Oh, hello there.”
Cathy bit back a smile and took her drink. She knew Selena would be interested in Danny—and she didn’t even know he was a doctor yet. She’d go nuts when she found out. Her career goal was to be a lady of leisure—a trophy wife, to be exact. So far, she was still working as a dental hygienist.
“Who’s this?” Selena asked, setting down her wine.
“You don’t recognize Danny Patel?” Cathy asked.
“Get out of town,” Selena said, nudging Cathy hard enough to make her stumble.
“He did get out of town. He lives in Seattle. He’s a doctor,” Cathy said with a Cheshire-cat grin.
Danny interrupted. “But I’ll be back in October, don’t forget that.”
“Little Danny Patel. Look at you, you Hindu hottie.” Selena walked around him like a hungry wolf.
“Actually, my family’s Catholic,” Danny corrected.
Selena raised an eyebrow. “I’m flexible. I’ll convert to whatever. Hey, didn’t we have a math class together?”
He scrunched his eyebrows together, watching Selena. “I think so. But Cathy and I were in band together for years.”
Cathy squeezed Danny’s arm. That boy had some muscles. “He played the trumpet, too. He was way better than me.”
“You looked better in the uniform, though,” he said, smiling at her oddly.
Cathy shook her head. “I don’t think so. No one looked good in that uniform,” she said, laughing. Then she spotted Peter walking through the door alone. Her heart bobbed into her throat, and she swallowed, hoping to get it back in place. “Will you guys excuse me for a minute?”
Selena widened her eyes in question and Cathy gave her a quick nod.
Selena pumped her fist, then snaked her arm around Danny’s. “Don’t worry, Danny and I have a lot of catching up to do.”
He laughed. “I really didn’t know you that well in high school.”
“Exactly. That’s why we’ve got a lot to catch up on, silly,” Selena said, tweaking his nose.
Cathy set down her drink on a table, prayed for a surge of confidence, and walked toward Peter. Her legs felt wobbly, and romantic music swirled through her head. She looked up. The music was actually being pumped out of an overhead speaker. In any case, it was one of her favorite songs from high school, Pink’s “Get the Party Started,” and it seemed like a good sign. Because this personal party should’ve been started a long time ago.
An even better sign was the grin on Peter’s face as she approached him. She smoothed her hair and sucked in her stomach, trying to add a little wiggle to her walk. Then she tripped and caught the railing that ringed the outer deck before she fell.
It was too late to turn around now so she kept walking up to him, and then stopped when she was about two feet away. She smiled at him, forgetting all the different opening speeches she had planned, so she settled for “Hi.”
“Hey,” he said, sounding uncertain.
Well, of course he didn’t recognize her. She looked totally different. That was the entire point of coming here tonight. To lay it all out on the table and show him what he’d missed. To show him what he could have. Oh, who was she kidding? Of course she’d hook up with him if she got the chance tonight. This wasn’t Pretty in Pink. He wasn’t going to get her a cake and sit on the dining room table fully clothed with her like she’d imagined many, many times. They’d be dancing the horizontal mambo if she were lucky.
Peter was still staring at her, and she felt her dress for her nametag. It wasn’t there. “Oh, it fell off.” She clutched her hands behind her, which pronounced her chest. Realizing her body language was betraying her, she quickly crossed her arms. “It’s Cathy Blake.”
Peter peeled the sticky nametag from her hair. “Cathy Blake.” He pressed the sticker back on her chest, letting his fingers linger there longer than necessary. Oh, my God. We got to second base already!
Her throat tightened and nothing came out for a few seconds. Then she said, “We had science and gym together freshman year? Then sophomore year we didn’t have any classes, but your locker was four down from mine and you had English across the hall from me when I was in health class. You sat in the last seat in the row by the window? I could see you when I leaned forward in my desk.” She nodded, knowing she should shut up, but unable to stop her mouth. “Then junior year we had a ton of classes together. We did a social studies project together on World War II and you told me I did a good job writing the whole thing up for us, remember? And of course, senior year we had the same lunch period and a study hall together.” She stopped herself before she mentioned their kiss after homecoming. She gulped and smiled at him, wondering if she was going to be the one to throw up this time. This wasn’t going exactly as planned.
He chuckled. “Yeah, I remember you. You look great.” His eyes traveled over her and he looked like he really meant what he said.
“So what are you up to these days?” she asked—as if she didn’t know. He worked at his father’s construction company that he’d undoubtedly own one day. She’d checked out his Facebook profile more than a few times, but not so many that she felt like a real stalker. She couldn’t help it if his vacation pictures from Florida featured dozens of shots of him at the beach. Those pictures were an addictive pick-me-up on dreary winter days. Come to think of it, they were good pick-me-ups on sunny summer days, too.
“I work with my dad’s construction company. He’s had me sweating it out in the field, but he’ll be moving me into management soon,” Peter said.
That would explain the fabulous tan and the muscles. “That’s great. So you still live here in the area? Me, too.”
“I actually live in Needham, but I got a room nearby at the Marriott tonight.”
“Oh?” She wondered if anyone had ever suffered a heart attack while flirting. “That’s good to know.”
She laughed nervously, ready to make a joke about the poem, when he waved to someone and held up a finger in a just-a-second gesture. “Hey, it’s been great talking to you, Cathy. You look fantastic. We should catch up later.” He squeezed her arm and walked over to some guy.
She spun around to watch him go. “We should?” she whispered to herself. “What does that mean?”
***
Danny realized he had backed up all the way to the bow of the boat. Now Selena was on top of him and the only place to go was overboard. Where the hell was Chance? He scanned the crowd but couldn’t see him. It’s not like you could miss a six-foot-tall guy with bright red hair.
Selena took a step closer. “So what kind of car does a young doctor drive?”
Not ready to abandon ship just yet, he took a step to the right. “A piece of shit, actually. Like I said, I’m still a resident. I have six-figure student loans. I won’t be making real money for years.”
“Nonsense, you’ll be able to pay that off that loan the first year you’re working. You could pay for a nice wedding and a big house the next year. I know that banks give doctors excellent lines of credit.” She straightened his tie and he tried to swallow, but a lump was caught in his throat.
“I didn’t know that.”
She nodded. “I’ve looked into it. Doctors are typically able to pay off their student loans quicker than lawyers.”
“Really?” Danny had to admit she was hot, but she wasn’t Cathy. He hadn’t flown across the country to hook up with the first woman who showed an interest. He’d had plenty of opportunities for that in Seattle. No, he came here to tell Cathy the truth—he’d been crazy about her since the first day he saw her freshman year. And if she wasn’t interested, well, at least he tried. And then maybe next time he met someone, he wouldn’t have to wonder if he was settling for second best.
He thought about excusing himself to use the restroom when he saw Cathy walk back onto the deck. And the good news was she was headed straight for them. She looked at them, tilted her head, then bit back a smile. She crinkled her nose. “I’m so sorry to interrupt, but can I talk to Selena for a minute?”
Danny took a big step away from Selena. “You’re not interrupting. Not at all. We were waiting for you to come back. Please, join us.”
Selena widened her eyes and gave Cathy a tight smile. “Actually, you are interrupting.”
“I just need to talk to you real quick.” Cathy pulled Selena away and said, “Stay right there, Danny. I promise to have her right back.”
“No, no! I meant, you come back, too, Cathy,” Danny said.
“This might take a while,” Cathy told him. “I need Selena’s help.”
Danny sighed and looked up at the sky.
While Cathy pulled Selena to the other side of the deck, Danny stalked inside to the bar. This was so not going as planned. He ordered a beer and Chance wandered over. “Any luck?”
“Where have you been?” Danny asked.
Chance looked at him like he was stupid. “Playing interference with Brandi.”
“Is that what the kids are calling it these days?”
“Dude, you asked me to. Once Brandi finished flirting with Peter, she was looking for you, so I intercepted her. I was trying to give you some time alone with Cathy.”
“Yeah, well she left me with her friend Selena so she could track down Peter Schmidt.”
Chance banged his fist on the bar. “I hate that guy.”
Danny shook his head. “What does she see in him?”
Chance gave him a funny look. “Probably the same thing Tiffany and Gina see in him. Look at them over in the corner. I hope to God Tripp McCall put down plastic mattress covers in the staterooms. Otherwise, I’m not using the bed.”
“Dude, gross.” Danny leaned against the bar, watching Cathy watch Peter. “What should I do? Do I even bother telling Cathy how I feel?”
Chance grabbed Danny by the shoulders and lowered his voice. “You have to. You flew in from Seattle just to see her. Freaking Seattle. If she knew that, she might throw you a few extra points. Once she sees Peter making out with the entire cheerleading squad, she could lose interest.”
Danny clapped Chance on the back. “Fine. Then you take on Selena duty.”
Chance straightened his lapels. “I’m on it.”
Danny felt a tap on his shoulder. “There you are.” It was Selena. He jumped.
Danny gestured to Chance. “Do you remember Chance Carrington?”
“That red hair… Yeah, I remember you.” She looked him over.
“He’s a lawyer. Personal injury,” Danny announced.
One of her thin, blond eyebrows rose ever so slightly. Chance’s rose, too.
“Really?” Selena purred. “They make a lot of money, don’t they? Like more than a prosecutor or defense attorney, right?”
“Oh, yeah.” Chance nodded. “‘Take a chance on me. I’ll get you a big cash reward.’ That’s my slogan.”
“Chance? Oh, I get it.” Selena fluttered her eyelashes. “That’s so clever.”
Danny tried not to laugh. Chance was an auto mechanic. He didn’t chase ambulances, but he sometimes fixed them.
***
Cathy was pressed up against a wall in the bar, nursing a drink, waiting for her chance to talk with Peter again. When Brandi announced that it was time for the limbo contest on the front deck, the two women hanging on Peter like tinsel on a Christmas tree squealed and scurried outside. She swore they left a trail of body glitter in their wake. But Peter was finally standing alone in the corner. “Yes!” Cathy said to herself, hurrying over and trying to shake away the image of herself as a gigantic hawk swooping through the air.
Peter spotted her and held up his beer to her. “Hey there, Cathy Blake.”
“It’s hard to get a moment alone with you,” she said.
“After ten years, there are a lot of people to catch up with.” He smiled and she was wowed again by just how handsome he really was.
Not knowing if she’d get the chance to be alone with him again, she inhaled, tipped up her chin, and bit her lip. “Wanna hear something crazy?” Her voice sounded impressively sexy. All that rehearsing was paying off.
One corner of Peter’s mouth quirked up. “Crazy sounds like fun.”
Blinking, she looked down, the subtle rocking of the boat making her woozy. The drinks were probably contributing to that, too. Nelly’s “Hot in Herre” was playing in the background and she could remember that song blasting in the gym during the winter formal senior year. She’d spent most of the time watching Peter dance with his date. But here he was now, right in front of her. She had to do it. She looked up at him. “I loved you in high school.” It came out as a whisper.
He tilted his head. “What? I didn’t quite catch that.”
She set her hand on her chest and raised her voice. “I said, ‘I loved you in high school.’ I had such a crush on you.” Her lip wobbled and she hoped the wine wouldn’t start her blubbering. Confessing a crush was an emotional moment.
“You did?” Out came the one-corner grin again.
“We kind of kissed at a party after homecoming. Right before you threw up.”
He frowned. “I don’t remember anything from homecoming.” His gaze dipped from her face to take in the rest of her. “But you had a crush on me? You should have said something.”
“I wh…wait…what?” Her jaw dropped and her mind spun. She couldn’t even get her words out right. Did he mean he would’ve been interested? Her lip trembled again and she pressed her fingers against her mouth.
Then a huge arm reached between them, grabbing Peter’s shoulder. “Dude, you are missing it. Katrina’s doing body shots on the deck. Come on!” One of Peter’s friends pulled him out of the corner, and Peter shrugged and made an apologetic face as he was led away.
Cathy stood there. What the hell had just happened? And where was Selena to help her figure this out?
***
Danny watched Peter leave Cathy standing all alone near the bar. What an ass, just ditching her like that. He took some comfort in the fact that it didn’t appear like Peter was interested in her. Which Danny couldn’t even comprehend. Cathy was by far the most beautiful woman here tonight. But it didn’t matter. This meant Danny could finally have time alone with her and tell her how he felt. Reunions were made for moments like that, weren’t they? Just then that damn Kelly Clarkson song, “A Moment Like This” started playing. It was fate.
Cathy picked up a yearbook on a big table covered with memorabilia from school. She took a shuddering breath. Was she crying?
He looked around nervously but went over to her. “Time flies, doesn’t it?”
She glanced up from a page with glassy eyes. “It sure does.”
Shit. She was upset about something. “Are you all right? Can I get you a drink?”
She shook her head hard. “No. I don’t need any more drinks for a while.” The she glanced down at the book.
“There’s a great picture of you on page fifty-two at prom,” he said.
“Really?” She thumbed ahead to the page and groaned. “That’s a horrible picture. My eyes are half-closed.”
He cocked his head to look at it again. “It looks like you’re having fun, the way you’re throwing you head back and your neck is curved in that beautiful way and your hair looks so shiny.” He coughed. “But there is a picture of you on page sixteen where you’re definitely smiling, and a candid from soccer on page seventy-four.”
She looked at him oddly and he scratched his head. “I was paging through it earlier.”
Her lips parted and a faint blush crept up her neck. “You were looking at pictures of me?”
This was it. He had to tell her. It was the perfect moment. “Cathy, I…”
Then a conga line burst through the door, sweeping Danny along with it. Cathy took a quick step back to avoid the chaos, wide-eyed at first, then laughing at the spectacle. She continued stepping back and disappeared out the door leading toward the rear of the boat. He tried to follow her, but strong hands had a grip around his waist. He turned to look and felt his eyes bulge. The former all-state wrestling champ was hanging on to him. No wonder Cathy had laughed. Soon they were below deck, dancing past a caricature artist doing sketches, and Danny finally broke free and walked all around the boat looking for Cathy, then gave up and sat down in front of a highlight reel from the AV club. A video was playing featuring the girls’ soccer team at a playoff game. Eighteen-year-old Cathy ran across the screen, smiling like she knew he was there. Damn, he hoped she hadn’t left with Peter. He would do one more sweep of the boat before giving up.
***
Cathy returned to the bar and ordered a Coke. She was hoping to finish her conversation with Danny. It seemed like he’d been about to tell her something, but he’d been gone for at least half an hour, so it couldn’t have been that important. But Cathy knew she needed to finish her conversation with Peter Schmidt so she could look back at the night with no regrets. Shockingly, he was surrounded by women again. Did she have to stand in line to talk to him? Take a number like she was at the deli or the DMV?
“I was hoping to catch up with you again.” Danny Patel was standing next to her. “This is quite a party, isn’t it?”
“Oh, hi! I thought you disappeared. I know, it’s incredible. Did you try out the photo booth? There’s also a professional photographer taking portraits if that’s more your speed.” She shook her head, laughing. “Once we found out Tripp was going to pay for the whole thing, Brandi went a little overboard. Tripp was our Class Clown. I can’t believe he founded a multimillion-dollar company. I feel like a slacker.”
“But you like your job, right?” Danny rubbed his chin. “I remember what a good writer you were in high school.”
Cathy was surprised. “You do?”
“I read all your stuff in the school paper.”
“Wow. I didn’t realize anyone actually read the school paper.”
“I did. Just your articles, though. And any band news, of course.”
She laughed. “Remember when we went out of town for the football playoffs? That was one of the craziest weekends of my life.”
“Yeah, we lost the entire woodwind section when they all got drunk the night before the game,” he said.
“And someone shaved off that tuba player’s hair?”
“Don’t forget the whipped cream in the trombones,” he reminded her.
She slapped a hand over her eyes. “I thought Mr. Dunn was going to have a heart attack. Remember how red his face was when he was yelling at us?”
“That was his last season as band director.”
“Those damn drunkard flutists.” Someone bumped into her and pushed her right up against him. “Sorry,” she said, feeling the firmness of his chest against her.
His hands wound around her waist to steady her. “No, that’s fine.” He stared at her for a minute and she got caught up in his eyes. They were a beautiful chestnut color, framed by dark, long lashes. “I’ve been hoping to bump into you one of these days.” He pulled his hands away.
She hadn’t minded them there, she realized. It had been kind of nice. She reached out and touched his arm. “Bump into me. Ha, still funny, I see. Better not try out that humor on your patients, or you’ll keep them in stitches.”
He winced. “Oh, that was bad.”
She shrugged. “I know. I pride myself on bad jokes. The paper lets me write a fake April Fools’ Day article each year. Highlight of my year. Last April, I wrote about a new proposal to reissue a tax on tea to help support the T. You should have seen the comments until someone finally caught on to the joke.”
“I’ll have to start subscribing.” On top of a gorgeous grin, he had one dimple peeking out from his left cheek. Had she ever noticed that before?
“How long are you in town for?” she asked.
“I leave tomorrow afternoon. I’m staying at the Marriott. It’s a quick trip.”
“Wow. That is quick.”
“It’s hard to get time off during the summer.”
“I’m glad you came,” she said.
“Me, too.” They were quiet for a moment.
“I feel bad. I interrupted things with you and Selena.”
His smile fell. “What? Oh, no. No, we were just talking. No, I’m not interested in her. I’m not. At all.”
“Oh, really?” She grimaced. “It looked like she was really into you.”
A wrinkle creased his forehead. “You’re wrong. I think she’s really into Chance now.” He pointed across the room, where Selena was running her fingers over Chance’s palm.
Cathy scrunched her nose. “Not necessarily. Selena pretends she can read palms. That’s kind of her pickup technique. I’m surprised she didn’t try it on you.”
“I kept my hands in my pockets the whole time. On my wallet, actually.”
Cathy laughed. “She makes no qualms about her ambitions to be a trophy wife. She says it’s the skanks who keep it a secret and pretend not to care about the money. She thinks it’s admirable to just lay it all out there like that.”
He scratched his head. “She definitely lays lots of things out there.”
Cathy nudged Danny with her elbow. Had he been this appealing in high school? Who knew? She hadn’t paid much attention to other boys while she’d been pining over Peter. She’d gone out with other guys, but it had never been anything serious. She looked over at Peter flirting with five different girls now. She really had wasted a lot of time on him. And she wasn’t willing to waste any more. She had to find out what he thought about her big confession. If he wasn’t interested, then he wasn’t interested. How many more great guys would she miss out on like Danny because she was too wrapped up in fantasizing about her high school crush?
Danny shuffled his feet and cleared his throat. “Did you know I had the biggest crush on you in high school?”
She took a step back. “What? Are you serious—me? Come on. You’re joking.”
“Nope. Totally serious,” he said.
Cathy turned up her hands. “I had no idea.”
He nodded. “I wanted to tell you so many times, but I chickened out.”
Her mouth opened and closed before she finally said, “That’s so sweet.” She had an urge to brush a finger along his smooth, perfect brown skin and trace it over his lips. She couldn’t imagine all the women who must chase him around his hospital.
“Yeah. Sweet.” His smile disappeared.
“It’s too bad you live in Seattle now.”
His eyebrows knitted together. “Well… I do come home a lot. And I’ll be back for good in October. And there’s always McCall Me to stay in touch…”
Selena was waving to her across the room. Cathy held up a finger. “Hang on. I don’t know if Selena is giving me the SOS call or waving goodbye. Let me go check on her. I’ll be right back.” She squeezed his hand before she left and rushed toward Selena, looking over at the corner where Peter had been surrounded by fans. She shouldn’t be so critical. If she’d gotten in line first, she’d be doing the same thing, too. But the truth was, she probably wasn’t the only one confessing their undying love for him tonight.
But she didn’t see Peter. Maybe he’d already left with someone. She found Selena near the bar. “What’s up?”
Selena took a step away from Chance and grabbed Cathy’s arm really tight. She was drunk. That’s what Selena did when she was drunk—she was a grabber. Sometimes Cathy had bruises the next day. “I heard the Janson triplets say they were going to invite Peter to their hotel room. You’ve got to talk to him now. Now, I tell you!” Selena shook Cathy and tottered back a step. “No matter how hot you look, the power of three bimbos united as one is greater! Didn’t we learn that in math class?”
Cathy yanked her arm away from Selena before she did any damage. “Okay. I’ll find him.” Cathy’s eyes swept the room for Peter. Did she really want to chase down someone who was setting up a foursome? She glared at the three curvy brunettes whispering in the corner. “I’m sure your mother went through excruciating in-vitro treatments just so she could give birth to a Penthouse fantasy,” Cathy shouted in their direction.
“None of their boobs are real,” Selena said.
“Neither are yours,” Cathy reminded her.
“Well, there’s only one of me. Three sets of fake boobs is almost like a superpower. It’s not fair.”
Cathy took Selena’s hand in hers and patted it. “We’ll talk about the super sluts later. I’ve got to find Peter before they take him away.”
Selena squeezed Cathy’s hand hard. Cathy wouldn’t be doing any typing tomorrow. “You could be saving his life! There’s a very good chance he could suffocate in the middle of all that cleavage. Remember, it happens more often than you think. You should write an article on it.” Selena shooed her away. “Go! Run and find him.”
Cathy tried to leave, but Chelsea and Tripp McCall came over to them, and since Tripp was paying for the whole reunion, a bit of chitchat was only polite.
“This turned out really great, didn’t it?” Chelsea asked, hanging on Tripp’s arm. Cathy was happy they were back together, but she was desperate for her own happy ending. And the Janson triplets had no role in that scenario.
“It’s awesome. Thanks so much, Tripp,” Cathy said, glancing over her shoulder toward the exit.
“And you look like you’re getting on well with Chance,” Chelsea said, nudging Selena’s arm.
Chance put an arm around Selena. “She wants to be my trophy wife, and I’d be happy to have one. She’s got a great idea, just getting it out in the open like that.” Chance laughed. “She should launch FindATrophyWife.com and hook people up.”
Everyone in the group laughed while Selena bit her lip, not sure if the joke was on her.
“And Tripp, how about some ‘No Regrets’ software for poor Marti Klein? I’m surprised she showed up after that whole topless photo debacle. Something that makes you think twice each time you send a picture or e-mail a certain person,” Chance offered. “Or if your text or message has swear words in it, it freezes for thirty seconds, giving you a chance to delete it. You should do something like that.”
Tripp made a time-out sign. “You have just given me two incredibly viable business ideas.” He pulled out a business card and handed it to Chance. “Let’s talk later. What the hell are you up to these days?”
“I’m an auto mechanic,” Chance said, right as Selena was answering, “Personal injury lawyer.” Then she gasped and looked at him. “You don’t work as an attorney?”
“I’ve worked for attorneys,” he offered.
Selena tried dragging Cathy away. “We have to talk,” Selena said.
“I can’t—the triplets!” Cathy cried. “I’ve got to go!” Cathy hustled out to the bow of the boat but didn’t see Peter. Then she noticed someone on the second level. She climbed the stairs, wondering if she was too late. But there he was—Peter Schmidt, all alone in the corner, standing in the moonlight. Maybe he was hiding, trying to shake off the tramps. He smiled when he saw her. “I was hoping to catch up with you again.”
Her heart soared. “You were?”
“Yeah. There’s just so many people to talk to, I haven’t had a chance.”
She took a few steps forward. “I thought maybe you left. Are you? Leaving, that is, with anyone?”
He came over to her and shrugged. “Plans can be changed.”
She smiled and hugged her arms around herself. He brushed a piece of hair off her face. Peter Schmidt was touching her. Peter Schmidt was touching her and there was no indication he was going to vomit.
“I’m really sorry I didn’t get to know you better in high school,” he said.
She stuffed back a squeal. “Yeah, me too. Like I said, I always had this thing for you.”
“That’s really cool. I’m glad you’re telling me now.”
“You are?” She shivered.
“Absolutely. We both still live in town. We should go out sometime.” His voice was sexy, a bit gravelly, and it probably got women to do things they never imagined doing. She was contemplating a few of those things as she stood there.
“What are you thinking?” he asked.
Her heart was beating its way out of her chest. A smart girl would wait for him to call her later to make an official date. But Peter Schmidt’s number-one lust nut wanted him now. After more than a decade of dreaming and scheming, she couldn’t wait any longer.
“I was thinking we could go somewhere alone. Now,” she said in her most sultry voice. “Why wait?”
His eyelids lowered halfway. “Aren’t we alone right now?”
Oh, she knew she was blushing. Had she been misinterpreting everything he said? Or worse—had she been imagining it? Was this conversation just playing out in her head? Nope. She was really here with Peter Schmidt and she was really propositioning him. “Right. I guess it wouldn’t be that different if we were somewhere else.”
He laughed. “God, you’re cute. I’m messing with you.” He closed the distance between them and slid his hands over her hips. “Actually, it’s not a bad idea. Because if we were alone, it would be easier to do this.” He brushed his lips over hers and gently found her tongue with his.
She moaned as she kissed him. He was a good kisser. A damn good kisser. Of course he was. Much better than at that party. She pulled back and looked at him, laughing. “I’ve wanted to do that for a long time.”
“Let’s do it again.” And he kissed her harder this time, his hands moving over her rear, toying with the edge of her dress, lifting it, so that his fingers grazed the spot where the back of the thighs met her cheeks. The thong was invented for moments like this; luckily she was wearing one.
She gasped, and dropped her head back while he nuzzled her neck. “Wow. This is probably not the place for this,” she said, trying not to moan.
He planted a hard kiss on her lips and pulled back to look at her. “You’re right. I’ve got a hotel room not far from here. You ready to leave?”
“They’re just about to serve dinner,” Cathy said, suddenly nervous.
Peter’s hands wandered along her backside. “I’m not hungry for food.”
“Oh,” she said in a tiny voice. This was happening. Oh my God, this was happening. She was going to hook up with Peter Schmidt. In real life, not a dream or her overactive imagination. She thought about taking a moment to text Selena. But this was the kind of news to deliver in person. She licked her bottom lip, just like Selena always did. Cathy’d never felt compelled to do that before. God, she’d morphed into a tramp. Oh, well. “Yeah,” she said in a husky voice. “I think I’ve seen everyone I need to see.” She pointed behind her. “Just let me go tell my friend.”
“I’ll meet you downstairs on the pier?” he said.
“Sounds good.” She couldn’t wait to tell Selena. But she’d want to know what Peter said about the poem. She turned back before walking down the stairs. “Was it you who left the poem in my locker senior year? It was a really sweet poem.”
“Poem?” Peter smiled. “Yeah, that was me.”
“Seriously?”
“Yeah. I always had a little thing for you, too. I kissed you, didn’t I?”
She was almost too stunned to say anything. “So why didn’t you say anything?”
“I had this reputation. I didn’t feel like I could settle down, you know? But I should’ve. I should’ve said something.”
This time she did squeal. Luckily a seagull cried at the same time so it’s possible he didn’t hear her. “I’ll see you in just a bit.”
She hurried down the stairs as quickly as she could without breaking an ankle. That would be her luck; an invitation to Peter Schmidt’s hotel room, and she’d end up in the ER. Or maybe Danny could fix it for her. She frowned. She’d told Danny she’d be right back. And she had really wanted to talk with him again. Maybe they could friend each other online and stay in touch. Maybe he’d have reason to snake his arms around her waist again.
What was she talking about? She was hooking up with Peter Schmidt. And if he had liked her back in high school, too, maybe something would work out between them. So why was Danny popping into the middle of her fantasy come true?
She didn’t have time to worry. Cathy walked through the bar and found Selena right outside the main covered deck, making out with Chance. She cleared her throat and Selena pulled back. “Got a sec?” Cathy asked.
“Not really,” Selena said in a threatening voice.
“No, I think you do.” Cathy grabbed Selena’s arm and pulled her aside. “Put on some ChapStick, buddy, I’ll have her back in a flash,” Cathy told Chance.
“We really need to come up with some rules, here,” Selena said, adjusting the top of her dress.
“I thought you were upset that he’s just a mechanic?” Cathy asked.
“Yeah, but there’s a chance he could be working for Tripp McCall. It’s a gamble, I know.”
Cathy shook her head. “Never mind that. He wrote it.”
“What?” Selena’s head snapped up.
“Peter Schmidt wrote the poem.” Cathy started bouncing on her toes. “Peter Schmidt wrote the poem! And I’m going back to his hotel room with him right now.” Cathy stopped bouncing and looked at her friend for a reaction. Selena’s face was blank. “Peter Schmidt. Me. Hotel room. Right now. Do you understand?” Cathy asked.
Selena screamed and grabbed Cathy’s hands. “Oh my God! What about the Janson triplets?”
“I guess ten years of undying love trumps one night of silicone-smothering bliss.” Cathy and Selena jumped up and down like they did they time they’d won a huge stuffed bear at a carnival. They’d been twelve—and this was Cathy’s biggest prize since.
Selena grazed her fingers along Cathy’s cheek like a triumphant mother. “I’m so proud of you. Persistence pays off, doesn’t it? Now you have fun, be safe, and take notes. Or pictures. Oh my God, take pictures.”
“Goodnight, Selena. You have fun, too.”
“Oh, I will.” She sauntered back to Chance. “Now, where were we?”
“Right here.” He kissed her. “What was that all about?”
“Cathy’s going home with the guy she’s lusted after since she started puberty.”
His eyebrows shot up. “Danny Patel?”
“What? No. Peter Schmidt.”
“Shit,” Chance said. Then he shrugged. “At least I’ll get the flowers.”
“What?” Selena said.
“Nothing.”
Cathy hurried past them and went back into the bar, pushing her way through the crowd toward the boarding ramp. What the hell was Chance saying? She’d have to ask Selena about that the next day. She checked out her hair in the bathroom and headed for the exit, trying not to make eye contact with anyone so she wouldn’t have to stop and chat.
“Are you leaving?” Danny cut her off right before the doorway out.
Damn! She wanted to talk to him again, but not now. She pressed her lips together. “Yes. I am, actually. But look me up on Facebook. I’d really like to stay in touch.” She shrugged. “And who knows? Maybe I’ll get out to Seattle one of these days.”
“Or I could see you when I come home to visit. I do come home quite often.”
“That would be great.” As long as she wasn’t dating Peter exclusively. Or engaged. Mrs. Peter Schmidt. How many times had she written that on her notebooks? She pulled a card out of her purse. “Here are my numbers. Call me sometime.”
She went out the door and skittered down the ramp when Danny called, “Wait! I have to tell you something.”
She turned back to him and he ran to her. He was out of breath, but obviously not from his quick jog. “When we were seniors, I wrote this super cheesy poem and left it in your locker. But I meant what it said, and I still do. I think it would’ve been amazing to have been in love with you.”
She grabbed the railing. The metal was cold in her grip. “That was from you?”
“You didn’t know?”
Her eyes were wide and she shook her head. “How would I have known?”
“I just thought you knew. I was always staring at you during band practice.”
“I thought that was because I was always playing the wrong notes.”
“You had no idea?” He looked disappointed.
She shook her head, like it could somehow all make sense. Then she looked down at the pier where Peter was pacing, his hands in his pockets. “It’s too bad I didn’t know that back then.”
He reached for her but pulled his hand back before touching her. “It is? Doesn’t it matter now?”
She looked down at Peter again. “You have no idea what it means.” She clenched her fists. “But I’ve got something I’ve got to do tonight.”
He nodded and followed her gaze to Peter. “Well, I just wanted you to know. I showed up here tonight just to tell you how I felt. That’s the only reason I made the trip to Boston this weekend.”
Tears stung her eyes and she looked back at him. “You did?”
“I did. For a whole thirty-six hours.” He looked down at Peter. “But go. I understand.”
She looked at Peter and back at Danny. “I’m not sure you do. I’m sorry.” And she hurried down the ramp. Danny’s admission was stunning. Sweet. Intriguing even. But Peter was the one she’d always wanted. Right?
Peter looked up at her and grinned. “I was getting worried.”
“No worries. We’re going to the Marriott, right?”
“Yes. Room 576.”
“I’ll meet you there,” she said. “I’ve… I’ve got to get something out of my car.”
“All right. I’ll be waiting.”
“Oh, Peter?” she asked before walking to her car.
“Yeah?”
“I’m trying to remember exactly what that poem said. Was it something about my lips?”
He laughed. “Yeah, your lips, and some other sappy stuff. I’m surprised you still remember.”
She nodded slowly. “Me, too.”
She walked to the parking ramp even though she’d lied about needing something in her car. What she really needed was a few moments to herself. Peter was lying about the poem and probably lying about liking her in high school, too. Hell, he probably didn’t even remember who she was. She let the warm summer breeze swirl around her as she stood in front of the ramp, wondering what to do. She should be elated. Peter Schmidt was inside his hotel room waiting for her. For her. She’d been dreaming of this moment for years, wondering if it would ever really happen. And here she was, just a few steps away from making it all real.
If only she hadn’t asked about that damn poem. That news was sucking all the fun out of the moment. Then she stopped. Even if he didn’t really care about her, even if all he wanted was one night with her, couldn’t that mean something? Could she finally put an end to this ridiculous crush? She quickly walked to the hotel and sat on a bench right outside entrance.
Her heart was pounding. In a few minutes, she’d be in Peter’s arms. She’d be in his bed. She laughed, a little more hysterically than she would’ve liked. What was she doing here? She wasn’t a Janson triplet. She didn’t fling herself at men. She was better than that. And Peter Schmidt didn’t deserve her. Hell, she didn’t even really want him anymore. Someone like Danny, now that was a different story. He was funny and sweet and hot as hell, and he’d flown in to see her. He’d come to the reunion just for her. And he’d written the poem. The poem she had cherished in her heart for years. So why in the hell had she come to this hotel for Peter? If she’d been smart, she would’ve stayed on the yacht with Danny.
She looked up at the stars, wondering how this night had gotten so screwed up.
“Wishing on a star? I’ve found that doesn’t really work.” Danny was walking toward her. He had a bouquet of red roses in one hand. He stuffed them in a nearby trashcan.
She stood up. “Danny! Why’d you leave the party?”
“Because you left. You were my reason for being there, and I’m in a pretty lousy mood now, knowing you left to be with the guy who should’ve been voted Most Likely to Treat a Woman Like Crap. That’s who you’re coming to meet, right? Peter Schmidt?”
She folded her arms in front of her. “I was.”
“Was? You’re not?”
She nibbled her bottom lip, not entirely certain what to say. “No. I’m standing here wondering why I’m not waiting for you, instead.”
“For me.” He crossed his arms, not sounding convinced. “And why is that?”
“I finally realized Peter’s an ass. He took credit for writing the poem. He’s not interested in me. He’s just interested in a little action tonight. I wasted so much time all these years lusting after him.”
Danny tilted his head ever so slightly. “And you’re thinking you should be here for me, instead?”
“It’s a surprise to me too, but I am. I’m thinking how nice it would be to be with you.”
“I want to hear that part. In detail.” His gorgeous grin was back.
Cathy walked closer to him. “I’ve been waiting to find the author of that poem for a long time. “
He gestured back to the garbage can. “Roses are red, like the ones I just threw out.”
She looked over at the lovely flowers peeking out of the can. “I don’t blame you for being mad. You came all this way and I was too blind to see I was chasing the wrong guy. If only I’d known sooner.”
He laughed. “I should’ve said something in high school. But I was scared.”
Cathy lifted a shoulder. “I don’t know if it would’ve made a difference. I thought Peter was it. I don’t think anyone could’ve made me think differently. It took me more than ten damn years to figure it out. But maybe now the timing for us is perfect.” She reached up and toyed with a curl on his forehead.
He caught his breath. “Your eyes are still sparkling blue. And I still think love would be sweet….” He paused to graze his lips over hers. “Especially with you.” He pulled back and smiled.
She wrapped a hand behind his head and brought him back for a longer, more passionate kiss, one with tongue and teeth.
“Wow,” he said, when they stopped for air.
She smiled as their noses touched. “Wow is right. It must be all those years on the trumpet. They left you with some talented lips.”
He laughed. “My mother always said playing an instrument would pay off.”
“And my mother always said I was wasting my time on a guy like Peter Schmidt. Our mothers were both right.”
“So is this the part where I have to go punch Peter?” He grimaced.
“No, but I would like to tell him goodbye. He’s no longer part of my fantasies.”
“If there’s an opening, I’m available,” Danny offered.
“You’ve got the job.” She smiled at him. “I’ll be right back. I’m going to Peter’s room.”
“Can I come with you?” Danny asked.
“I don’t think I’ll need protecting.”
“No, I want to be there when he sees you picked me over him. That’s a huge boost for any guy’s ego.”
Cathy laughed. “Come on.” Cathy and Danny walked hand in hand through the lobby to the elevators and pressed the button for the fifth floor. She couldn’t believe she was doing this. Blowing off the lust of her life and exploring something new with a guy she’d always considered a friend.
When they got to his door, Cathy steeled herself and knocked. She wasn’t entirely sure what she was going to say. She laughed to herself. She’d spent so much time rehearsing how to tell him she wanted him, now here she was trying to figure out how to say “So long.”
“It’s open,” she heard Peter say from inside.
She turned the knob and took just one step inside.
Peter was lying on his bed in his boxers, watching Sports Center. “Hey, I’ve been waiting.” He looked over at her and did a double take. “Who’s with you? I don’t know what you’ve heard, but I’m not into that kind of action.”
She rolled her eyes. “This is Danny Patel. And I’m going home with him tonight.”
“You mean after me?” Peter shrugged. “That’s cool.”
She felt herself about to growl. “No, I mean instead of you.”
He sat up, his smug smile gone. “What happened to all that shit about you wanting me since high school?”
“Change of heart. ’Cause I’m not so sure you have one.”
Peter swore and slid off the bed. He pulled his pants back on. “Are the Janson triplets still at the party?”
“Goodbye, Peter.” Cathy slammed the door and blinked a few times. “Wow. I can’t believe I said all that. I’ve wanted him since freshman year.”
“I know the feeling.”. Danny beamed at her like he’d just unwrapped an amazing Christmas present.
Cathy felt a wicked little smile rip across her face. “Remind me which room you’re in?”
Danny stepped back from her. “I can’t tell you. I don’t want to screw things up by moving too fast. I’m not looking for just one night with you, Cathy.”
“You’re right. Neither am I.”
His eyes were wide and sincere. “Well, we missed dinner. And there’s this little restaurant in the North End I always wanted to take you to.” He held out his hand. “Shall we?”
Cathy took his hand. “Only if you promise me another poem.”
“Roses are red, violets are blue, I can’t believe I’m finally with you.” He laughed. “Clearly I didn’t take any creative writing classes in college.”
“No, that was perfect.”