She’d barely been able to breathe when she’d seen him, let alone form a coherent sentence. Kal Donovan had turned into one incredible specimen of the male species.
“Are you even listening to anything I’m saying?”
She blinked and turned her attention back to Veronica. “What? I’m sorry. It was a long day at the salon today, and I’m a little tired.”
Veronica rubbed her arm. “I’m sorry, honey. It must be rough having to work on a Saturday.”
“It’s okay. It’s our busiest day at the salon. And I have the next two days off.”
“Good. In the meantime, let’s perk you up and get you on the dance floor.”
Hannah shook her head. “Oh, I don’t think—”
Before she could finish her sentence, Veronica had dragged her out of the chair and onto the dance floor. Suddenly, their entire group was there, swaying and rocking their hips to a hot Rihanna song. Hannah felt her body get into the music and finally let herself relax. The dance floor was crowded with people, all laughing and having a good time.
She spotted Kal standing over by himself at the bar.
“I’ll be back,” she hollered at Veronica, who nodded and turned away to dance with the other women. Hannah wriggled free of the crowd and made her way toward the bar—toward Kal.
“Hey,” he said, offering up an easy smile.
“Hey, yourself.”
“Want a beer or some wine?” he asked.
“I’ll take a pinot grigio.”
He ordered one from the bartender, then handed it to her.
“Thanks,” she said, taking a sip to let the liquid cool her body down. “Why aren’t you out there dancing?”
“I was enjoying watching all of you.”
“So, you’re a voyeur now, huh?”
He laughed, and the sound of it sent her straight back to high school, to the two of them sitting on the bleachers after Kal finished basketball practice. They’d talk, make out and laugh. It had been so easy back then. The look he gave her now was just as easy, so maybe it was her that needed to relax.
“Or maybe it’s that you’re a bad dancer.”
He gave her a look. “Please. You know that’s not the case. I took you to two proms, and we danced our asses off.”
“This is true. So why hasn’t one of the single women here dragged you out there?”
He shrugged. “Not interested.”
Interesting. “I see. So if I ask you to dance you’ll turn me down, too?”
“I’d never turn you down, Hannah.”
Ten years hadn’t eradicated that flutter in her stomach whenever he said something sweet to her. But he was just being polite, and she shouldn’t read anything into that.
“Okay, then,” she said, laying her glass of wine on the bar top. “Let’s dance.”
He put his beer next to her glass. “Sure.”
The music was still hopping, and Kal was right about having moves. How could she have forgotten that? Eddie jumped onto the dance floor and twirled Veronica around, and then the whole group danced together, and she forgot all about being awkward around Kal. It was just like the old days, their crowd dancing and singing together and having an absolute blast.
When a slow song came on, her friends coupled up with their husbands.
Kal held his hand out to her. It was as if time had washed away and it was prom again. Only it wasn’t. It was now, and they were two different people. Still, what harm would one dance with him be?
She grasped his hand and stepped in. When his arm wound around her and he pulled her close, she felt a zap of electricity. Her eyes met his, and he gave her a slow, easy smile.
“Just like old times, right?” he asked.
She gave a quick nod. Right. Just like old times. Except it wasn’t.
She took in a deep breath and let him lead her around the floor.
His body felt different against hers. Broader, more solid. He’d always been an athlete, but there was a lot more muscle now. And as she tilted her head back to look at him, she realized her initial assessment of him had been right—he was definitely taller.
“What is it?”
“You’re taller than you were in high school.”
“Am I? Good to know.”
She squeezed his biceps. “And . . . more muscley.”
He laughed. “Thanks. And you’re more beautiful now. Which is hard to believe, because you were always the most beautiful girl I ever knew.”
Those flutters again. “Does that come naturally to you, or is it something you have to practice at?”
He frowned. “What?”
“Those lines.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Hannah.”
“Compliments. The right words to make a woman feel good.”
“I don’t use lines. I don’t practice anything. I just say what I feel in the moment. I’m kind of insulted you’d think that I would.”
She shrugged. “Sorry. It just feels, I don’t know, kind of disingenuous.”
“Really? I’ll try not to compliment you again or say anything nice.”
She was screwing this up because he made her feel good, because she thought she could waltz in here tonight and maybe run into him and feel nothing at all, when just the opposite had happened. And now she had insulted him. But he hadn’t walked away, hadn’t tensed up. Instead, he still glided her around the dance floor as if what she’d said hadn’t affected him at all.
But she knew better, because Kal had a tell—a small tic on the side of his mouth that let her know when he was irritated. That hadn’t changed in ten years.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “I guess I hadn’t expected to see you. Or maybe I had expected to see you and I hadn’t expected my reaction to seeing you.”
“What reaction is that?”
She inhaled, then let it out. “I’m really happy to see you, Kal.”
The song ended, but he still held on to her. “Yeah? I felt the same way. Seeing you again blew me away, Hannah. I couldn’t form coherent words.”
It made her feel so much better to hear him say that. She smiled at him. “I’d really like to catch up with you sometime soon.”
“Same. How about breakfast tomorrow morning?”
“That would be great. But could we make it lunch instead? I have some things I need to take care of in the morning.”
“Sure.”
They walked over to the buffet table to grab some food, since all that dancing had worked up an appetite. Or it had worked up her appetite, since she hadn’t had time to eat dinner.
She piled her plate with salad, pasta and veggies, and it all looked so good.
“Meatballs?” Kal asked.
She shook her head. “I don’t eat a lot of meat.”
“Are you a vegetarian now?”
“No, I’m not that strict. I can’t quite give up a good steak.”
He laughed. “Oh, got it. I’ll take your portion of the meatballs, then.”
“You do that.”
They carried their food to the table and sat.
Hannah looked over at Veronica. “I haven’t seen Mary tonight.”
“She’s due with her second baby any day now, and she’s huge and uncomfortable and said she had nothing pretty that fit her. She was sad she couldn’t make it.”