Page 38 of When Our Stars Aligned

“Soooo…it was a good thing that I brought you into the water?” I grin.

“Maybe. But my threat still stands. If I die from some sort of crazy disease that was floating around in there, I’m coming back to haunt your ass.”

“Fair enough! Come on, let’s get you home so you can wash the fish poop away, and, Aly?”

“Hmm?”

I place my hand under her chin to make sure those large sapphire eyes of hers meet mine. “That was amazing.”

24

Aly

It’s just about 4:00 p.m. when I finish up my last class of the day with my heart full and a smile on my face. While I didn’t plan on falling in love with my job, that is just what is happening. Maybe Jess was right; this was exactly what I needed.

I give Jess a call since she likes to keep me company on my rides home. We’re still talking by the time I get back to the condos and into the main lobby. I hit the button for the elevator, but nothing happens.

“Hey,” I say to Jess. “The elevator isn’t moving. I have to take the stairwell, so I may lose you.” For some reason, my phone works great in the elevator, but it’s hit or miss in the stairwell.

“Put me on video right now!” Jess yells. She has a fear of being attacked in a stairwell. It stems from watching too many horror movies when she was younger.

“I highly doubt anyone is waiting for me in the stairwell, Jess.”

“You can never be too careful and if someone attacks you, I will be able to call for help. I’m literally saving your life here!”

“Pretty sure nothing will happen to me up the two flights of stairs.”

“Don’t care. Switch to video now.” I roll my eyes but oblige. Jess’s fiery red locks and green eyes pop up on the screen. It never ceases to amaze me how different she looks from her twin. Besides sharing the same eye color, Jess and Jacob look nothing alike. Jess is a younger version of her mom while Jacob takes more after their dad.

“Did you do something different with your makeup?”

“Yup! Trying a different mascara. You like?” She moves her phone to zoom in on her eyes.

“I do!” I begin my ascent up the measly two flights of stairs.

“Aly!” Jess stiffens. “I think someone’s behind you! I knew you should’ve waited for the elevator.”

I stop on the landing, look behind me, and smile. “Like the elevator is any safer? What if it got stuck and I got trapped with some psychopath?”

“Are you calling me a psychopath?” Jax’s deep voice teases.

“Well, I wouldn’t mind getting stuck in an elevator with that guy.” Jess shrugs.

I bust out laughing and pull Jax closer into view of my phone. “Jax, meet Jess. Jess, meet Jax.” They both give each other a small wave.

“I guess the elevator wasn’t working for you either?” Jax asks as we continue up the stairs.

“Nope, and my bestie who is three thousand miles away thinks she can protect me from some creeper in a stairwell.”

Jess ignores my comment as she studies Jax further. “Hey, Jax, are you single?”

“Umm, yes?”

“Jess, don’t even think about it,” I warn.

“Oh, please, what are you going to do to me? I’m three thousand miles away.”

“And I’m hanging up now.”

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