Fluster Button

Danny touched my waist during rehearsal.

That was not unusual. His character was supposed to touch my waist. What was unusual was the way his thumb moved once against my side before he let me go.

Tiny. Completely unnecessary. Definitely not in the blocking.

I looked at him. Danny was already facing the director like nothing had happened.

Asshole.

I smiled and turned back to my mark. Apparently, secretly kissing your costar made rehearsal significantly more entertaining. It also made it harder to remember that secretly kissing your costar could get you fired. But that sounded like a problem for Tomorrow Tessa, and she already had a growing list.

"Again," the director called.

We ran the scene again. This time Danny behaved. Mostly.

By the time rehearsal ended, I was sweaty, starving, and ready to do something that did not involve standing under fluorescent lights while someone yelled notes at me.

Jay was stuffing dance shoes into his bag when I found him. "What are we doing?"

He looked up. "Hello, Tessa."

"Hi. What are we doing?"

"I was thinking about going home."

"No."

His eyebrows went up.

"You can’t just go home."

"I live there."

"Exactly. It'll still be there later."

Jay laughed. "Do you ever stop?"

"Yes."

"When?"

"Usually when I’m asleep."

He zipped his bag. "There’s a swimming hole outside town."

I immediately brightened. "I knew I liked you."

"It’s about a twenty-minute drive, then a hike."

"Perfect."

"You have a swimsuit?"

I looked down at my shorts and tank top. "No."

"Then maybe tomorrow."

"Why?"

"Because you don’t have a swimsuit."

"I have underwear."

Jay stared at me. I stared back.

He sighed. "Of course you do."

"Most people do, Jay."

"That wasn’t what I meant."

We were halfway across the parking lot when Claire called my name. I considered pretending I hadn't heard her, but unfortunately, Jay stopped. Traitor.

Claire caught up with us, looking between me and Jay. "You guys going somewhere?"

"Yes," I said.

Jay said, "Swimming."

I looked at him. So much for making Claire work for it.

Her eyebrows lifted. "Together?"

"No, Claire. We’re driving separately to different swimming holes."

Jay made a suspicious choking noise beside me. Claire ignored it.

"I thought yesterday’s meeting was pretty clear."

"It was."

"Then maybe you should be more careful."

I frowned. "About swimming?"

"About appearances."

Oh, for fuck's sake. "We’re friends."

"That’s what you said yesterday."

"Because it was true yesterday too."

Claire looked at Jay. "I just hope you understand Tessa’s definition of friendship."

That wiped the smile off my face. She didn't know about the kiss. She couldn't. But she'd managed to land close enough that I felt Jay go still beside me.

I opened my mouth, but Jay beat me to it. "I do."

Claire looked at him. He shrugged one shoulder. "We’re good."

No embarrassment. No explanation. Just that.

Something warm flickered through me. Not romantic warm—friend warm. The kind that made me want to punch Claire slightly harder for trying to make him uncomfortable.

"Anything else?" I asked.

Claire smiled. "No. Have fun."

"We will."

She took two steps, then turned. "Just remember some people actually live here, Tessa. You get to leave when the summer's over."

I blinked. What the hell did that have to do with anything? "Jay can read a calendar."

"I can," he confirmed.

"See?"

Claire rolled her eyes and walked away. I watched her go. "Do you think she likes me?"

Jay snorted. "I think she’s shy."

That got an actual laugh.

Jay had lied about the hike. Not maliciously, but when a dancer said something was a short hike, apparently normal people needed to multiply by three.

"How much farther?"

"Five minutes."

"You said that five minutes ago."

"No, I said ten minutes ten minutes ago."

I slapped a mosquito off my arm. "I’m being eaten alive."

"You’re dramatic."

"I’m an actress."

"Fair."

He ducked under a branch, and I followed him.

"Danny kissed me."

Jay stopped dead. I walked directly into his back. "Ow!"

He turned around. "What?"

"You stopped!"

"You just told me Danny kissed you."

"Yeah."

"When?"

"Yesterday."

"After the no-dating speech?"

"Not immediately after. We waited several hours out of respect."

"Tessa."

"What?"

He stared at me, and I just smiled. Finally, he shook his head. "Did you want him to?"

"Oh, yes."

That answer came easily. Danny was gorgeous. Danny was my exact type. Danny kissed like he knew it too. Very much yes.

Jay nodded once. "Okay."

"Okay?"

"What?"

"That’s all I get?"

"What am I supposed to say?"

"I don't know. You're my friend. React."

"Congratulations on making out with Danny."

"Thank you."

He turned and started walking again. I hurried after him. "You’re not going to lecture me?"

"Would it work?"

"No."

"Then why waste the hike?"

I grinned. See? This was why I liked Jay.

"You could tell me it’s a terrible idea."

"It’s a terrible idea."

"Thank you."

"You could get fired."

"I know."

"Danny could get fired."

"I know."

"And you’re probably going to do it again."

I considered that. "Yes."

Jay laughed. "Then be careful."

The trees opened before us, and I completely forgot Danny, Claire, and the mosquito currently draining the last of my blood. "Oh my God."

The swimming hole sat between thick walls of green, dark water glittering beneath the afternoon sun. A small waterfall spilled over rocks at the far end, and on the opposite side a stone ledge rose above the water.

I turned to Jay. "You had this twenty minutes away?"

"Pretty much."

"And you don’t come here every day?"

"No."

"Why?"

He shrugged. "It’ll still be here next week."

I stared at him.

"What?"

"That may be the saddest thing you’ve ever said."

Jay laughed while I dropped my bag and started taking off my shoes.

"What are you doing?"

"Swimming."

"You were serious about the underwear?"

I pulled my tank top over my head. Jay suddenly became extremely interested in the forest.

I paused, then smiled. Oh. Fluster button. "Jay."

"What?"

"You can look at me."

"I know."

"You’re staring at a tree."

"It’s a nice tree."

I unbuttoned my shorts. "Do my boobs make you nervous?"

His head dropped. "Jesus Christ, Tess."

I laughed so hard I almost fell over taking off my shorts. "We’re friends. You’ve been informed."

"That doesn't make you less naked."

"I’m wearing underwear."

"Barely."

I looked down. "They cover all the important bits."

"I’m happy for them."

Still laughing, I headed toward the water. Behind me, I heard Jay muttering, and then his shirt hit the ground.

I glanced back. Oh. Okay. Professional dancer. Apparently that came with abs. Good for him.

"Race you!"

"Tess, wait. You don’t know how deep it is."

I stopped. Right—warning light.

Jay walked past me and pointed farther down the bank. "Over there. I know it's clear."

"Race you!"

He took off running.

"You CHEATING ASSHOLE!"

I sprinted after him, and we hit the water almost together. Cold swallowed me, and I surfaced screaming while Jay came up beside me laughing.

"I hate you!"

"You challenged me!"

"You started first!"

"You were talking!"

I splashed him directly in the face, he splashed me back, and it was full war. By the time we stopped, I had swallowed half the pond and my hair was plastered to my face.

Jay pointed toward the rock ledge. "You want to jump?"

It looked considerably taller from down here. "Obviously."

We climbed up. At the top, I realized I’d made a mistake and looked down. "Oh."

Jay grinned. "Still obvious?"

"Shut up."

"We can climb back down."

I looked at him, and he laughed. "Right. Stupid suggestion."

"Extremely."

He stepped closer to the edge. "Jump toward the middle. It's deep there."

"You’re sure?"

"I’ve done it a hundred times."

"Recently?"

"Last summer."

I stared at him. "A YEAR?"

"It’s not going anywhere."

"Again with the sad shit."

Jay laughed and held out his hand. "Together?"

I looked at the water, then at him, then at his hand. "If I die, I’m haunting you."

"Fair."

I grabbed it, and his fingers closed around mine.

"Three?" he asked.

"Three."

"One."

I tightened my grip.

"Two."

My stomach flipped. "Wait."

Jay burst out laughing.

"Fuck you! I wasn't ready."

"You just gave me a speech about not waiting."

"I can have layers. Start again."

He was still laughing. "One."

I bent my knees.

"Two."

"THREE!"

We jumped. I screamed—and Jay did too, no matter what he claimed later—and we hit the cold water still holding hands.