“Shelton,” I said quietly, then I pursed my lips together, quickly glancing back in the young man’s direction to see if he’d read his name on my lips from across the room.
When he stood and wished his friend good luck with a friendly handshake, then headed my way, I was floored. There was no way he could’ve heard me, but there was no doubt he’d seen me mouth his name. Did he recognize me? Even if he did, would he remember me from so long ago?
Shelton slid into the chair across from me, taking a sip of the drink he’d brought with him, then setting it on the table and leaning forward. His lips spread in a generous smile. “It’s hard to tell with half your face covered, but I feel like I know you, and I know you know me.”
“Hi, Shelton,” I said warmly. “It’s been a long time. How’s Preston?”
“Traveling for work as usual.” Shelton leaned back, sighing. “This is some party, isn’t it?”
“I’m enjoying myself.”
“I noticed. Did you come alone?”
I nodded. “What about you?”
“I am now,” he said, then his cheeks colored and he chuckled. “Sorry, that came out wrong. I’m just so excited to see someone I know here, and I’m kind of a fan.”
“A fan?” I repeated. “I’m not sure I understand.”
“This is embarrassing. I watch your videos all the time. They pick me up when I’m feeling down. You’re always so upbeat.”
“Really? All the time?”
He grimaced, the gesture part smile, revealing his perfect teeth as he sucked in a quick breath. “I, um, subscribe to your YouTube channel. Your motivational speeches are kind of the reason I decided to do what I do, and I watch them a few times a week to keep myself on track and pumped up for the future.”
“Wow.”
Before I could explain he held his hands up, wrists still on the table. “I’m not stalking you, I promise.” He leaned forward, lower lip between his teeth. “Is that weird? I’m not trying to be weird.”
He sat back again and ran his fingers through his hair. I shook my head, laughing. “Not weird at all. I’m flattered and a little surprised.”
“Surprised?”
“You’re not my usual demographic, but I’m glad to hear my message appeals to the younger, self-starting entrepreneurial crowd.”
He puffed his chest out as if I’d told him he owned the world, the gesture clearly unconscious and adorable as all get out. He was a sweet mix of effervescence and awkward shyness, and I was delighted by him.
“I hope that look means I didn’t just make this whole thing awkward.” He was smiling, but I could see the worry behind his eyes.
“You are something,” I smiled. “I remember you being really eager to please when you were a teen, but you were so quiet and shy I didn’t get a chance to see this side of you.”
“I wasn’t like this when I was a teen. I had to work at coming out of my shell a little bit, and if I’m being honest, it’s still really hard for me. It’s just-” he stopped, hands folding in front of him as he leaned forward. “I don’t know how to say this without sounding too bold, but I’ve looked up to you since I first found your videos and I wanted to be more like you. You know, confident and sure of myself.”
I almost sighed at the description that was far from fitting, but I caught myself. My public persona was my choice, and the fact that he seemed to have a crush on that Caine Cole wasn’t his fault. I was who I was, and I had made the choice to make a living being someone else. Whether he liked the real me remained to be seen, but he was so charming I didn’t care what had drawn him to me. I was enjoying his company. I gave him a wry grin and winked. “Those are the same thing, you know. Confidence and being sure of oneself.”
“I know,” he said, then he looked away as he ran his fingers through his hair again. “I’m sure you can tell that I’m kind of nervous.”
His hands were on the table again. I reached out, covering his hands with mine and looking into his brown eyes. His breath caught and his lips parted, then he pursed his lips and his throat bobbed as he swallowed.
“You’re doing just fine,” I assured him. “And I’m happy to see you here. Some of the consorts come off as arrogant pricks, and that’s not really my thing. You’re different. I like that.”
His eyes met mine and I held my breath, but he made no move to pull his hands out from under mine.
4
Shelton
When Caine’s hands covered mine, I felt a lump in my throat and I struggled to find the right words. He was warm, his hands much larger than mine, his presence larger than life. I had spent so long watching his YouTube videos and daydreaming about meeting him in person someday, but somehow, I was still completely unprepared for how I felt actually seeing him face to face after all these years. Not that I wasn’t completely intimidated by the absolute legend sitting across from me, but with each passing moment, I felt my stomach unknotting itself and I was more at ease than I’d been with other men.
“It doesn’t matter how young you are, if you have a unique or exciting idea, you should run with it. If your dreams don’t scare you, you’re not dreaming big enough. You can do anything you put your mind to and age has absolutely nothing to do with that.” I watched his face as he talked, the gray-blue eyes shining bright as we flirted. He was even more engaging in real life than he was on video, but this was different. There was a raw and witty edge to his tone, and a bit of sarcasm I hadn’t been prepared for. I thought back to that night, just after my eighteenth birthday. Preston had me working so hard that I hardly had time to catch my breath, but somehow, I’d still managed to watch my big brother’s friend working the room. I’d committed his face to memory then and recalled it on more than one sleepless night. As time passed, I wondered if he’d changed and even toyed with the idea of looking him up. He was my brother’s longtime friend, after all. But I’d dismissed the idea and settled for my memories.
It was almost five years later when I’d found his YouTube channel, and I no longer had to guess how he’d changed since I’d seen him last. He looked the same, though a little stockier, and there was a hint of crow’s feet beginning to form beside his eyes. But there was something about him that only age could do to a man, and that quality enticed me, drawing me back to him again and again. Distinguished, I thought, satisfied when the word I was looking for finally popped up.
“So, you never did say what it is you do,” Caine said, snapping me out of my musings.
“What I do?” I stumbled. How much of the conversation had I missed while I was daydreaming? I felt my face heat up as the color rushed to it, but the dim lighting hid my embarrassment. I hoped.
“You know, for your business. You said I inspired you. I’m interested to know what it is you’re doing with your life.”
“I’m an experiences coordinator.” He blinked and I laughed. “It’s all right, most people have no idea what that is until I tell them. I help people streamline their bucket lists and yearly goals, then I show them how to make those dreams a reality.”