Page 10 of Valley

The club seemed to fade around me, the noise and lights dimming as I focused on her. Talking to her couldn’t hurt. We worked together; it’d be strange if I never spoke to her.

Talking nothing more.

But deep down, I knew it wasn’t that simple. The pull I felt wasn’t just curiosity or nostalgia—it was something more, something dangerous. And as I approached her, I realized I wasn’t sure if I was ready to face it or if I should turn back while I still could.

HE WAS FINALLYcoming over. The air seemed to humwith anticipation as our eyes locked again, one of countless times tonight. His intense gaze never wavered, leaving me both thrilled and unnerved. It was just like high school all over again—except this time; the stakes felt higher, the tension more electric. We weren’t teenagers anymore, and I knew the incredible sex this kind of attraction could give me...ifit went that far.

I pretended not to notice him heading toward the bar, forcing myself to focus on wiping down the counter, though my heart pounded so loudly I was sure he could hear it.

Finally, he was there, leaning against the bar with the kind of presence that commanded attention, even in a place as loud and chaotic as this. The years had only sharpened the edges of his confidence, and it radiated from him in waves. “Hey, Madeline, can I get a beer?” he asked, his voice smooth as velvet, and that smile—God, that smile—sent shivers down my body, just like it used to.

“Madeline?” I echoed, feigning surprise as I turned to face him, though the flutter in my stomach betrayed me. “So, you remember me?” My voice trembled slightly, betraying the nervous excitement inside me.

His smirk widened, eyes twinkling with that familiar mischief that had always made my heart skip a beat. “Forget you? Never.” The way he said it, like it was the most obvious thing in the world, made warmth spread through my chest. “Never expected to see you here, though,” he added as I set the beer in front of him, his gaze lingering on me longer than necessary.

“Honestly, me either,” I admitted, trying to sound casual, even though my pulse was racing. “But sometimes life...” I shrugged, searching for the right words. “... has a way of spinning you around,” I finished, my voice trailing off as memories flooded back.

“At least it spun us both in the same direction,” he said, breaking the silence that had grown thick with unspoken words. His eyes locked with mine, and I couldn’t break free. The way he looked at me, with that confident ease, made it hard to breathe. His smile widened as he took a swig of his beer, and I couldn’t help but notice how the years had only added to his appeal—thebroad shoulders, the way he held himself, like he knew exactly who he was and what he wanted.

I was just about to respond, to say something—anything—that might keep him there a little longer, when a man shoved his way toward us, his presence instantly souring the atmosphere. It was Rick, a regular at the club, notorious for his crude remarks and lewd behavior after a few too many drinks. Tonight, his demeanor was darker, more menacing, and my heart sank as he leaned in too close, the smell of alcohol heavy on his breath.

“Hey there, pretty Mandy,” he slurred, his hand reaching over the counter to touch my face. The move was sudden, and I flinched, stepping back in disgust, the easy atmosphere evaporating in an instant.

Before I could react, Jarrod’s voice cut through the tension like a knife. “Hands off, asshole,” he growled, his tone low and dangerous. The change in him was immediate, like a switch had flipped, and the air crackled with the intensity of his anger. The burly man blinked at him, a sneer forming on his lips as he realized he was no longer in control of the situation.

“Oh, what? Got yourself a knight in shining armor now?” he jeered, his words dripping with malice as he eyed Jarrod up and down. “She’s a fucking stripper; they love this shit.”

A rush of hurt and anger bled through me, the words cutting deep, but before I could react, Jarrod was already on his feet. His jaw clenched, muscles tensed, and he stepped closer to the man with a fierce protectiveness that made my heart race for an entirely different reason.

“You need to leave. Now,” Jarrod said, his voice icy and filled with a threat that was impossible to ignore. The man hesitated, glancing between us as if weighing his options. For a moment, I could see the gears turning in his head, but ultimately, he backed down, muttering something under his breath.

“Just having a bit of fun,” Rick mumbled, raising his hands in mock surrender before stumbling away, the sourness of his presence lingering in the air.

As the tension slowly ebbed, Jarrod turned back to me, his eyes softening, the fierceness melting away as quickly as it had appeared. “You okay?” he asked, his voice gentle now, a big difference to the dangerous edge it had just held.

I nodded, trying to steady the stir of emotions inside me. There was a mix of gratitude, relief, and something deeper, something that had been simmering beneath the surface since he walked back into my life. “Thanks,” I whispered, my voice barely audible, but the sincerity behind the words was clear.

“For you, anytime,” he replied, his smile returning, warm and genuine, sending another wave of warmth through me. “I better make my rounds,” he said, and for a brief second, I wanted to reach out, to keep him there with me a little longer. But I just nodded, watching him walk away, my heart still pounding from the adrenaline and the thrill of finally speaking to him.

As I turned back to the bar, trying to calm my racing heart, it had been getting one heck of a workout since seeing Jarrod again. There was something in his eyes, something that told me our paths were far from done crossing, and I was helpless to stop it—not that I wanted to.

“Mandy, can I have a whisky neat?” John, another regular, called from the other end of the bar, pulling me back to the present.

“Sure thing,” I replied, shaking myself out of the daze and getting back to work, but my thoughts kept drifting back to Jarrod. His smile, the way he stood up for me, the way he made me feel like I was the only person in the room. This night now felt charged with something new, something exciting, and I couldn’t wait to see where it would lead.

“I’LL WALK YOUout,” I said, leaning against the wall asI waited for Madeline to come out of the dressing room. My voice was casual, but inside, my nerves were on edge. There was something about her that made me feel like I was on the brink of something big, something special, and if I blinked, I would miss it.

“Thank you,” she replied softly as we stepped out into the cool night air. The breeze played with her hair, and I found myself staring, captivated by how the streetlights caught the soft waves.

“So, do you live close by?” I asked, desperate to keep the conversation going, to learn more about this woman who had once again become the center of my thoughts.

“We live a few blocks from the college.”

“We?” I repeated, a sudden unease wrapping itself around my chest like a vice. The idea that she might belong to someone else had my mind spinning, jealousy clawing at the edges of my sanity.

She smiled, a soft curve of her lips that did nothing to ease the tension in my gut. “Me, my dad, and my two-year-old, Ellie.”

The relief was instantaneous, washing over me like a wave, but I tried to keep my voice steady as I asked, “Divorced?” The word felt wrong on my tongue, but I needed to know. I needed to know she was free, that I wasn’t stepping into something I couldn’t handle.

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