“Jorge, you made it!”
The two of us hugged as Yuslan let go of my hips.
Ever the gentleman, Jorge, acknowledged what he had done. “I’m so sorry, but would you mind if I cut in? I’m Jorge, by the way.”
“Yuslan,” he replied while shaking his hand and smiling. “And no, not at all.”
I gave Yuslan an apologetic look, but he had no problem passing me off to Jorge. He winked at me and then made his way over to Guadalupe, who looked ravishing in her cobalt-blue sequin dress, and the two of them started dancing.
“I’m so happy you made it,” I said as Jorge took my hands.
We started dancing across the ballroom, and for a few minutes, all we could do was stare into each other’s eyes. It was as though time stood still and our year-long friendship had culminated into something a bit more in that moment. I snapped myself out of it when I saw Margo comforting Eva in a corner, though.
Eva was sobbing into her hands as Margo rubbed her shoulders. The poor girl had been through enough. After catching explicit text messages on Anthony’s phone, she had confronted him, and he told her everything. The worst part was that Eva had repeatedly told us that she knew he was “the one” from the moment their eyes had locked.
“Of course I made it, Ginger. Why would you doubt me?”
“Well, you did have to come all the way over from Belgium. That’s a far cry from Miami.”
His grip on my hips became a little bit tighter, and it started to feel as though the room were closing in on me. There was an undeniable heat between us that I kept trying to push away, but it felt like a magnet. All of our late-night conversations had led to that moment, and I started to rethink my feelings toward him.
“It was worth it, though. You’re just as beautiful as the last time I saw you, by the way.”
I could feel my cheeks turning a deep, rosy hue as I took in his compliment. “Thank you. You don’t look so bad yourself.”Oh, God. That was awful!
Thankfully, Jorge chuckled at my bad joke. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“I mean—”
Jorge put his finger to my lips and shook his head. “Don’t even worry about it, Ginger. I know it’s always a bit awkward after you’ve been chatting with someone remotely, and then you finally get to see them in person. I’m just delighted to be here.”
We started dancing again, and this time he pulled me closer to his chest. His cologne was intoxicating, and if it weren’t for his strong hands holding me in place, my knees would have given out. I looked over at Eva, who was no longer crying. In fact, when our eyes met, she gave me a cheesy thumbs-up.
I rolled my eyes while smiling at her, knowing she had nothing but good intentions. My only concern was someone seeing her and telling Jorge because, as much as I was drawn to him, I intended to stay single for the next several years. I had spent the last few years chained to a desk whenever I wasn’t at work, doing my best to earn nothing but straightAs. Now it was my time to sit back and enjoy life, before settling into another romantic relationship.
As the band announced they’d be taking a short break, Jorge walked me over to a nearby table and sat down. “I meant it when I said that you’re beautiful, Ginger. That emerald dress really brings out your thick, auburn hair.”
Yes! I knew I made the right choice.
I pretended to wipe something off my dress, and when I looked up, Guadalupe was smiling at me.
“Thank you, that’s what I was hoping for when I picked it out. Although, you’ll have to thank Guadalupe. I told her it was too much money, but she insisted on buying it for me.”
“Well,” he said while leaning forward and taking both of my hands, “I’ll be sure to do that. In the meantime, however, that wrist looks awfully lonely.”
I glanced down at both of my wrists to see what he was talking about, and then it hit me.
Dammit! I knew I should have worn a bracelet!
“I was so worried about looking good for tonight that I completely forgot about jewelry! Well, except my pearl earrings. But I didn’t go with a necklace because—”
Jorge put his finger to my lips again while his other hand reached into his pocket, only to reemerge holding a diamond tennis bracelet. He took my left hand and wrapped it around my wrist, clasping it shut. My mouth fell open as I held it up to the massive crystal chandelier dangling above us, mesmerized by how much the bracelet glittered.
“It sparkles with your eyes, Ginger.”
“Jorge, you really shouldn’t have gotten me a diamond tennis bracelet! This must have cost you a fortune!”
He shrugged while reaching for my hand, then led me back onto the dance floor. “It’s the least I can do for my friend on such a special occasion. Besides, what else are diamond-broker friends good for?”
