Running To Him - Forbidden Hearts Series Book 6

43| Nostalgia

My parents absolutely adored Jamie. And the funny part was, I was even more surprised that my mom really liked her. And it wasn't that there was anything wrong with Jamie, it was just that my mom used to always say that no woman was ever good enough for her son.

Apparently that wasn't the case with a particular beautiful redhead. Even though I pressed both of them for details, neither one would tell me what they talked about when they spent the day together yesterday. But by the way Jamie has been acting, I know that it went well.

Christ. She really was doing better. Of course the grief was still there. I'm sure it would be there as long as Jamie breathed air. But the woman I saw that first day in the loft almost seemed like a completely different person compared to the one sitting next to me at the dinner table in the quaint French restaurant.

When my parents made the offer to take us to dinner, I was a little nervous about asking Jamie to come along. But she seemed genuinely excited about it, and now that we were here, I could tell she was really enjoying herself.

"You wanna dance?"

Jamie's question had my whole body freezing in place. The wine glass I was about to take a sip from stilled when it touched my lips. Setting it back down on the table, I turned towards her. "What did you just ask me?"

That teasing smile of hers was going to be the death of me. "You heard me."

"Yeah, I heard you. Just having trouble believing it."

There were only two instances where Jamie and I danced together. The most recent one was the night I cooked that dinner for her. The other time was the day of Harper's wedding. Both of those times took a little coaxing—more so for the latter.

"Wanna dance?"

Without looking up at me, Jamie shook her head and continued to stare into her glass of wine. 

"Come on, Jamie. Don't you want to keep up appearances? Your mom is watching." 

I saw Jamie glance over to where her mom was dancing with Nate. She was watching the two of us intently. Even though Cherise said she knew this whole date thing was fake, I didn't tell Jamie that. I just couldn't. There was a part of me deep down that was terrified she would insist on us going back to being strangers if she knew he mom didn't fall for it. And I was leaving in a few days for Paris. I wanted to enjoy this time with her. Especially if it was just for tonight.

"Well," I pressed and her eyes flicked up to mine. "What do you say, Lovette? Come on. I promise I won't step on your toes." That last part had her lips curving up a little. "Do my eyes deceive me? Is that a smile? Did I get a smile out of you?"

This time she laughed and it was the best fucking sound in the world. I offered her my hand and waited while she made up her mind. Finally, she placed her hand in mine and rose from the table so I could lead her to the dance floor.

She stood up from the table and held out her hand. "Come on, Ollie. I promise I won't step on your toes."

There was a tightness in my chest when I heard her repeat the words I said to her all those nights ago. Rising to my feet, I took her hand. "I thought you'd never ask, Lovette."

Jamie led me to the dance floor and stopped right next to where my parents were currently dancing. Smiling up at me, she wrapped her arms around my next just as I placed my hands on her waist and pulled her close.

As we moved to the soft music, we both couldn't seem to look away from the other. Both of us trapped in that undeniable connection that was forged ever since that day in the coffee shop.