Chapter 10
Gavin
The dimly litbar buzzes with energy as we settle onto stools at the worn wooden bar. The familiar scent of whiskey and laughter envelop us like an old blanket.
“So, G-man, what’s the plan for tonight?” Jack asked, his eyes scanning the crowded room in search of potential companionship. “Are we hitting the town or what?”
I chuckled, shaking my head at my friend’s eagerness. “I don’t know, man,” I replied, taking a sip of my drink. “I’m not really in the mood to hook up with some random chick tonight.”
Jack raised an eyebrow in surprise, his curiosity piqued. “Really? Since when are you not up for a little fun?” he teased, nudging my shoulder playfully. “Come on, you never know who you might meet. Maybe meeting someone new will perk you up and make you stop pining off of the chick you met during your vacation.”
It’s true, my mind is elsewhere, my thoughts consumed by a certain someone who occupied my thoughts as of lately. I couldn’t shake the image of Emily, her smile etched into my memory like a permanent fixture.
“I don’t know, man,” I admitted, my voice tinged with longing. “It’s not about getting over the woman from my vacation, it’s more about how to work alongside her when all I want to do is to do a little more than analyze spreadsheets.”
Jack’s eyes widened in surprise, his interest piqued by his friend’s confession. “Oh, really?” he asked, leaning in closer. “Wait, what? How did you get from the sand beneath your toes to going over fucking spreadsheets? You got some kind of kink that I’m not aware of?”
I hesitated for a moment, his gaze distant as I wrestled with my emotions. “She’s... she’s something special, man. And the fucked up thing is that we couldn’t let what happened in Tulum stay there. She and I are now working together and better than that, on some fucking project together. So I have the scent of her permanently lodged, and I’m not allowed to touch her.”
Jack nodded in understanding, his expression sympathetic. “I get it, buddy. Maybe now is the best time to move on,” he said, clapping me on the back in a show of support. “Sometimes, you’ve got to put yourself out there, you know? Take a chance, and see what happens. Especially since she has already told you how it’sgonnabe.”
As the night wore on and the drinks flowed freely, I found myself torn between my desire and longing for something to happen with Emily, even with the knowledge of being work colleagues, and my friend’s well-meaning advice. I know Jack means well, but the thought of pursuing someone else felt wrong somehow, like a betrayal of my true feelings.
But just as I was about to resign myself to another night of unrequited longing, fate intervened most unexpectedly. Across the crowded room, I catch a glimpse of Emily, her presence like a beacon of light in the darkness. She’s standing with another woman that I recognize from work. They were hanging out in Emily’s office this morning, both of them throwing glances at me.
Without a second thought, I make my way through the throng of people, my heart pounding in my chest as I approach her. As I reached out to touch her arm, a rush of adrenaline coursed through my veins, propelling me forward into the unknown.
“Em,” I said, my voice trembling with emotion.
Emily turns to face me, her eyes sparkling with surprise and delight, with a drink in her hand. “Gavin, um hi,” she exclaims, a smile spreading across her face. “What are you doing here?”
“I’m here with my buddy. I haven’t seen you here before.” I say awkwardly.
“Or maybe you wouldn’t have noticed me before if we hadn’t met in Tulum.”
“I don’t think that would be true. Out of a room of hundreds of women, I would still pick you.” I tell her.
“Have you been drinking?” she tilts her head and grins.
“I may have been, but that doesn’t change the fact that when it comes to you, I’m completely sober.”
“Don’t say things like that.” She shakes her head and steps back, putting space between us.
“Say things like what?”
“Oh, who do we have here? Hey, wait, you look familiar. You’re the new guy. What’s your name? Gary?”
“Gavin. Gavin Jacobs.” I hold my hand out to her and she clumsily takes it. With a glance up and down, she bites her lip and then holds back a giggle before looking at Emily. She whispers something and Emily shakes her head.
“Are you married?” she blurts out.
“Married? No, not at all.”
“Then why would a single, thirty-something male go to a romantic place like Tulum alone?”
“It was on a list for me to visit.”
She gives me a cursory look up and down again before she takes a step back.
“Ignore her.” Emily steps closer. “it was good to see you. Have a good rest of your night.”
“Oh, come on. Let’s not. Let’s hang out. Come and meet my buddy. We were actually just talking about you earlier.”
“I don’t think that would be a good idea.” Emily shakes her head.
“Oh, stop being a party pooper. If his friend is as good looking as he is, I say we join forces tonight. We can have a little fun, drink a few drinks. You know.” Her friend says to her. Emily looks between me and her friend before taking a deep breath and apprehensively nodding.
I make the introductions and watch as Emily slowly lets down her guard through the night. The dancefloor opens up and Valerie pulls Jack to the center. I look over at Emily and hitch my head in the same direction with a wiggle of my eyebrows jokingly.
She opens her mouth and then closes it quickly. She grabs my hand, surprising me, and pulls me to the center of the floor with our friends.
Our dance movements are intimate. It’s as if we’ve returned to the beach.
And slowly, the night moves in slow motion. Her back is against my front as she dances with me. My hands are on her hips as she turns around to face me.
Her hand is on my chest before it moves up. Her hand moves to my cheek as she leans up on her toes and slices the space between us.
Her lips cautiously graze mine. She looks up at me with big doe eyes. I see a fire burning deep within before she closes the distance again and we kiss. My arms wrap around her middle as I pull her tightly against my body.
The sounds in our vicinity slowly disappear. The same applies to the people.
The only two people that matter right now, is us.
And I want to keep it that way for as long as I can.