Page 59 of Falling For Us Again

“Anyway, where’s Lola? I've been looking around for her. I heard she's getting married soon.” Paul looks disappointed. “Ten years later, and I still manage to lose my crush. What is this life?”

I laugh. “She’s on the dance floor. Also, who knows if you've really lost her? The universe works in mysterious ways.”

He raises his eyebrows, but I only smile.

“Wanna dance?” Paul asks, surprising me. He holds out his hand, his grin back in place. “Come on. It’ll be fun. Just like old times.”

I hesitate for a moment, glancing at the couples swaying on the dance floor. But then I catch Lola’s eye from across the room, and she gives me a thumbs-up, her smile encouraging.

What the hell? Why not?

“Sure,” I say, placing my hand in his.

He leads me to the dance floor, and we settle into an easy rhythm. The music is slow, a nostalgic tune from some long-forgotten pop ballad, and for a moment, it feels like I’m back in high school, like nothing’s changed, and the years that stretched between then and now haven’t happened.

Paul is easy to talk to. He always has been. We exchange stories about our lives since high school, about the things we’ve seen and done. He teases me about the books I’ve written, claiming he’s read every single one.

“Not even going to lie, I tried to meet you at one of your book signing events.”

“No way, what? Where?”

“LA. It was so silly and a little embarrassing.”

I laugh. “Please tell me about it.”

“I was there for business, and my colleagues and I were going to have lunch at a nearby restaurant. But the cafe across fromours was really crowded, and we saw that it was because Jenna Goldberg was there.”

There's laughter in his voice as he talks. “The problem was that my colleagues didn't believe that I really knew the real Jenna Goldberg, or that my signed books were legit. And they definitely didn’t believe that we went to school together and were friends.”

“So, they insisted I prove to them that I actually know you.”

I burst into laughter. “I can already imagine how this ends.”

He continues while spinning me gently in time with the music. “So, we all went to the cafe, and I kept trying to get past the security, telling them I’m Paul Baird, Jenna’s friend from high school.

I kept repeating, ‘Just tell Jenna it’s Paul’ like a freaking lunatic. They tossed me out like yesterday’s garbage.”

I am laughing now. “Oh my God.”

“Jenna, I was so freaking embarrassed, and my colleagues have never let me live it down.” He laughs. “One of the three most embarrassing moments of my life for sure.”

Knowing Paul, I’m afraid to ask about the other two.

“I’m so sorry about that. I can only imagine.” My cheeks are aching from laughing so much.

“Not gonna lie, it was a mess.” He grins ruefully.

“Maybe we should take a picture now so you can show them that we’re actual pals.”

“That would be great. The greatest uno reverse they ever saw.” He whips out his phone, and we take some selfies.

I can’t help but smile at his playfulness and the way he can lighten the mood so effortlessly. It’s been so long since I’ve had a conversation like this—easy.

My cheeks are burning from how much I’m laughing, and I finally start to feel comfortable in this place.

Maybe tonight won’t be so bad after all.

Chapter 20

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