Page 58 of For One Night Only

As if he didn’t just ruin me with two words, Caleb puts his hands in his pockets, casually leaning around the tall people in front of us to peruse the menu. I laugh nervously and follow his lead, trying to school my features into nonchalance.

It doesn’t take long to order, and after we get our food, we make our way to the stretch of beach where they’ve set up a drive-in style screen and rows of chairs. Caleb guides me to a little section toward the back. We’ll definitely be seen, but hopefully back here we won’t be too disruptive. At least we’re not the biggest names here: I wave at an actor I recognize fromYoung Sherlockwith his model boyfriend,and Caleb pauses so we can greet one of the members of Jude, an all-sister indie folk trio that just started gaining some traction during our last couple of years on the scene.

Finally, we make our way to our seats and set out our meals as the movie begins, the first few bars of “One Week” filling me with the usual joy. But I can hardly savor the food or the film, because Caleb Sloane is distracting as hell.

I knew this night would mean more nostalgia, wading through memories and trying to make sense of this new dynamic between us—what it is, what it isn’t, what it could be if we just let go.

I do my best to watch the movie and enjoy my food. But I can’t stop watching Caleb. He’s trying to play it cool, staring pointedly at the screen, but every so often, I catch him looking over at me. Every time our eyes lock, a new rush of heat pools deep in my belly.

Logically, I know this was all supposed to be just for the cameras, but my body didn’t get the memo. Being near Caleb already makes me think about beingwithhim, especially after sharing a bed. But now I’m thinking about how he could demonstrate thatbreath control.

Caleb was my first, well, everything, and he was always enthusiastic and eager to please when it came to sex. But we were also young and fumbling and inexperienced. We got better, but now I wonder what else he’s learned in the time since we were together.

I’ve learned a few things too.

Goddamn it.

I hate myself for even going down this mental road, but I can’t help it: I’m desperate to know what twenty-eight-year-old Caleb is like in bed. It’d be one thing if we could just go back to the hotel, hook up, and get it out of our systems, but I don’t just want a one-night thing with him. It could never just be that.

Our sexual relationship was always a part of our deeper connection, and even all these years apart can’t change that.

But god. I still want him. I don’t know if it’s fair, but I’m not going to survive this summer if I don’t at least tell him what I’m thinking. He has to know where my head is at. That doesn’t mean I’m just going to say it out of the blue.

The movie finishes, and even though it’s the best, I barely catch any of my favorite scenes. I managed to calm myself down enough to watch Heath Ledger serenading Julia Stiles with a full marching band, because that’s a classic rom-com moment that can’t be ignored, but I’m still distracted after the credits roll. After a few more hellos to the people sitting around us, we recycle our dinnerware and head back over to the food trucks.

“Dessert?” Caleb asks.

“Always.”

He buys us strawberry-champagne cake pops from the cupcake truck, and we wander down to the ocean, taking our shoes off to pad through the deep sand. We wander past a casual volleyball game and a family chasing a kite, but no one pays us any mind. As if in silent agreement, his hand finds mine, and our fingers lace together like they’re coming back home.

The sun is setting, and it casts everything in a warm glow—the glittering waves, the sand,Caleb. He looks like a summer dream like this, ever the rock star in black jeans and a cutoff tee, his waves tousled with just the right amount of product. He might have walked away from this life, but it still looks good on him.

My phone buzzes, and I use my free hand to pull up a text from Wade. It’s a link to Mary Kate’s article, which went up impressively fast.

Wade:Good job, kid. My contact at The Network sent this to me with high praise. It’s working.

Tonight has banished a lot of the anxiety from the forefront of my brain, but still, relief floods my chest at the news. I tilt my phone to Caleb, and the corners of his lips tug up in a soft smile.

“Hey, that’s great.” He squeezes my hand, and my shoulders relax at the reassurance.

“Do you think this is crazy, bringing the band back together?” I ask, turning to face him.

Caleb goes silent. For a moment, the only sound between us is the rumble of crashing waves. “I think that’s more of a question for you than me.”

“This affects you too, though,” I say, releasing a long breath.

A breeze kicks up, tossing a lock of hair around my face, and Caleb reaches over with his free hand to tuck the strands behind my ear. I lean into his touch. “I thought I was perfectly content staying away, but I didn’t realize what I was missing…” he trails off, staring at something in the distance.

“Really?” Hope tingles deep in my chest. I know we just got promising news on theEpic Theme Songfront, but the show feels so far away when I’m doing what I really love again. I’m just scared everything I love has an expiration date. The show could get canceled tomorrow. The Glitter Bats could finish the concert and never see one another again.

“But, even more importantly”—he clears his throat—“I didn’t realize how much I neededyou.”

Heat floods my cheeks. “Oh,” I say, because I don’t know what else there is to say. I force myself to look at him, the sunset casting a warm glow on his shoulders that makes his beauty almost impossible to face head-on. And the way he’s looking at me…it sears right to my core.

But it’s terrifying to be on the edge ofsomethingagain. What if we jump, only to crash to the ground?

“So…doyouthink it’s crazy to bring the band back together?” Caleb asks, shaking me out of my thoughts.

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