Page 75 of Tides of Discovery
Before Cooper could respond, the song ended, and Isabelle’s voice came over the microphone. “Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention, please? It’s time to crown the royalty of theOcean of Lovedance!”
We turned toward the small stage where Isabelle stood, resplendent in a ruby sequined dress. With theatrical flair, she raised a sealed envelope high above her head, letting the spotlight catch its pristine white surface as the crowd held its breath. She tore it open with a dramatic flourish and withdrew the card inside. She paused just long enough to let anticipation ripple through the room.
“And the winning couple of ourOcean of Lovedance,” she announced, her voice carrying around the room, “is Cooper McKay and Jack Anderson! Our king and king of the dance!”
Heat flooded my face as applause erupted around us, and I wanted to disappear into the crowd. But before I could even begin to process the embarrassment, Cooper’s hands framed myface and his lips were on mine, kissing me with a tenderness that made the rest of the world fade away.
My gut swooped with pure happiness, a rush of joy so intense it nearly knocked the breath from my lungs. This wasn’t temporary—not the gentle way his thumb brushed across my cheek, not the soft smile playing at his lips when we broke apart, not the way his eyes held mine like I was the only person in the entire room. The crowd cheered around us, but all I could focus on was Cooper, and the way he looked at me like I’d just handed him the moon.
For a moment, I let myself believe this could be our future. That tonight wouldn’t change anything, that we really were the perfect couple everyone thought we were.
“Valentine’s Day in Seacliff Cove is a special tradition, and this year has been more romantic than ever, thanks in large part to our honorees,” Isabelle said. “TheirA Latte Loveevent brought the entire town together in celebration of love and community. As is tradition, our Valentine’s Day royalty will now have the floor for a special dance.”
The crowd parted and created a circle in the center of the floor. Cooper took my hand and confidently led me into the spotlight. The band began playing “At Last.” Cooper’s hand landed steady and sure at the small of my back, and his fingers intertwined with mine against his chest. He drew me close as we began to sway to the music.
“Everyone’s watching,” I whispered, suddenly self-conscious.
“Let them,” Cooper replied, his eyes never leaving mine. “I only see you.”
The simple statement, delivered with such sincerity, made my heart stutter. There was something in his voice, in the way his gaze held mine with such emotional depth, that felt like more than temporary.
Hope bloomed in my chest, dangerous and bright. Maybe our conversation would lead exactly where I’d been dreaming it would.
Dancing in Cooper’s arms under the warm glow of the festival lights, crowned as kings of the dance alongside the man I’d loved for years, felt like stepping into a vision I’d never dared to fully imagine. The spotlight made everything feel more intimate somehow, as if we were the only two people in the world, swaying together to music that seemed written just for us. Every step felt effortless, natural, like we’d been dancing together our whole lives. For the first time in weeks, I allowed myself to feel the full weight of my hope. This was what our future could look like. Tonight’s conversation suddenly didn’t feel so terrifying. It felt like the beginning of everything I’d ever wanted.
The song ended too soon. As we pulled apart, the crowd applauded, and other couples rejoined us on the dance floor. Cooper kept hold of my hand.
“That wasn’t so bad, was it?” A small smile played on his lips.
“It was perfect,” I said, and I meant every word.
The rest of the evening passed in a blur of dances, conversations, and stolen moments. Cooper remained unusually attentive. He brought me punch, kept me close, and his eyes found mine across the room whenever we briefly separated. Each tender gesture was a gift.
As the night wore on, I caught Caleb watching us. He’d always seen too much and had guessed at my feelings for Cooper long before our bargain began. He gave me two surreptitious thumbs-up, and I chuckled.
“You two are disgustingly cute,” Landon said as Cooper rejoined us and handed me another cup of punch for my parched mouth.
By the time the band announced the last dance, anticipation thrummed through my veins like electricity. Cooper drew me back onto the dance floor, into his arms, and I went willingly, hope blooming in my chest with every step.
“Thank you,” he said softly as we gently rocked to the music. “For today, for tonight. For all of it.”
“It was my pleasure.” The warmth in my stomach expanded with each word.
Cooper pulled back slightly and looked at me with an intensity that made my breath catch. For one wild moment, I thought he might kiss me again, right there in front of everyone. Instead, he drew me closer. His smooth cheek rested against mine as we moved slowly to the music.
“I don’t want tonight to end,” he whispered, so quietly I almost missed it.
My heart soared at those words. Maybe he didn’t want to go back to being just friends any more than I did. Maybe he’d tell me he wanted this to continue, that he was ready to throw away our bargain and build something lasting together.
The drive back to his apartment was silent, charged with something I couldn’t name. Cooper stared out the window, his profile illuminated by passing streetlights. I glanced at him, just occasionally. I was afraid that if I looked at him, I’d blurt out that I loved him, but I didn’t want to confess while driving down the street.
When I pulled up outside his building, Cooper turned to me. “Come in and we’ll talk.”
I couldn’t tell by his tone what he was going to say. His voice was carefully neutral, giving nothing away about whether this conversation would end with celebration or heartbreak. My heart raced as the reality hit me: This was it. The make-or-break moment of The Boyfriend Bargain, the conversation that would either mark the beginning of something lasting between us, orthe end of the most incredible four weeks of my life. I shut off the engine with hands that weren’t quite steady, the sudden silence amplifying the thundering of my pulse in my ears.
Inside his apartment, Cooper hung up his jacket, loosened his tie, and grabbed two beers from the fridge. I stood in the middle of the living room, relief washing over me that our public performance was finally over and it was just the two of us.
“What a day.” Cooper handed me a bottle and clinked his against it gently. “From the event’s success to Shaw’s capture to dance royalty in one day. We’re moving up in the world.”
