“Holy shit, is that really you, Jade?” I hone in on her name for a moment, connecting the dots as my eyes career down her petite frame. I quickly avert them back to safe territory, on her face, where I can really discover her features and take them in. Yep, I’m definitely making the connection now.
My delayed reaction at being faced with little Jade Jones finally causes me to make a quick step back to give us some space. Like a knee-jerk reaction back to reality, my head finally catches up to the severity of this situation, because I shouldn’t be this close to her. Fuck. Double fuck.
Her hands fly up to her face where she leaves them, pressing into her pink cheeks as she gapes at me.
“I’m sorry—I—I.” I don’t know what to say to her, so it comes out in a babble. And I know how fucking lame that sounds. How could I not know?
“Jay,” she finally settles on my name again, her voice calmer this time. I’m not sure how that can be safe territory, but she doesn’t seem to be able to form any other words right now, and I can hardly blame her. I’m struggling as well.
“I had no idea,” I start, badly needing to adjust myself, but I can hardly do it now. “I didn’t see your face properly under the lights, it was so dark. You seemed familiar, but I didn’t know?—”
She’s still standing there with wide eyes, momentarily stunned.
“I didn’t know you were in town,” I continue, like that’s the answer we both need and will iron out this whole mess.
“It was kind of spontaneous,” she finally speaks. “Originally it was only for a few days, but it turned out to be a little longer than I thought. I was going to ask Tanner to flick me your number.”
My hands work their way up to my hair and I grip my dishevelled strands, holding on for dear life. I resist the urge to tug my hair out as I adjust to the idea that Jade Jones is standing in front of me, and I just groped her on the dance floor and have already fucked her in my mind.
“I had no idea. Again, I’m so sorry.”
Her hands finally fall from her face as my eyes coast down at her bunched up tank, her nipples still hard under the fabric. I clear my throat and quickly avert my eyes. I don’t know if she’s going to laugh, cry, or maybe even hit me. I wouldn’t even blame her if she took a swing. Okay, it took both of us to tango, but still, I feel as her brother's best friend I need to take the load.
“I didn’t know it was you either,” she whispers as we stare at each other. Even though she isn’t smiling, her eyes are warm and wide open. I have the urgency to reach up and touch hercheek, but my hands have done enough damage for one night so I let them unfurl my hair, and keep them safely at my sides. “You seemed familiar too, and I’ve seen you on TV over the years, but not in person for so long.”
“I guess I’ve changed a little since we’ve seen each other.”
“Yes, a little. But your eyes are the same,” she says. “Now that I’m looking at you properly.”
My eyes flick down to the floor and I’m suddenly hit with an unexpected sound as she suddenly bursts into a fit of laughter. I glance back up and watch her face, feeling my eyebrows knit together, puzzled. For the first time in a long time, I don’t know what to do.
What’s the protocol for this kind of situation?
As a few moments pass by, I can’t help but find the humor and I laugh, too, at the irony of it all as my hand rests next to her head on the wall. Maybe it’s hysteria on my part, I’m not sure what it is on hers.
“What a coincidence,” I finally say when we’ve recovered from our laughing fits.
“I know. What are the chances we’d run into each other like this?”
“Pretty crazy,” I sigh. “It’s so good to see you.”
She smiles, her eyes still managing to shine in the dappled light of the hallway as she straightens herself out. “It’s good to see you, too.”
We stand in awkward silence.
“I think I should go and find my friend before I get into any more trouble,” she says.
I nod, running a hand over my face. My body still feels rigid and the warmth I felt pressed up to her just before still lingers.
“Come on.” I reach down to her hand and wrap mine around it, our fingers curling as we walk back the way we came. I quickly scan my brain for something coherent I can say for whatjust happened. How the fuck did I not know it was her? Am I completely insane? Okay, I had a few drinks with dinner and I haven’t seen her in a long time, but I’m far from drunk.
I mean, for fuck’s sake. What if we hadn’t bumped into Ulrich?
We would have realized sooner or later, I guess. But still.
“What are you even doing in Seattle?” I ask as we walk back to the bar. I don’t let her go because the place is so full and I don’t want to lose her in the crowd. I’m also not sure if small talk is going to get me out of this, but I’ll give it a try.
“I’m here for work, and to see Beth.”
