One More Time

Before I knew it, two hours had gone by, and it was time to get ready for the auction.

I grabbed a towel and wiped the dripping sweat off my face. I made my way to the elevator, stepping in so I wouldn’t have to take the stairs. My legs were still burning from my run, and the last thing I needed was to look like an idiot as I fell down the stairs.

“Well, if it isn’t Rhett Smith.”

I turned around at the sound of my name, not recognizing the voice, but the moment I laid eyes on the woman in the elevator with me, I stopped.

Holy fuck, it was the girl from the car that night.

She looked very different, but it was her, with those same beady brown eyes and massive buck teeth. They were straight because of her braces, and her cheeks had slimmed out, but it was fucking her.

“Still don’t know my name, do you?”

“Who are you?” I asked.

“Evelyn,” she said. “I’m a friend of Connie’s.”

She held her hand out as the elevator came to a stop, but all I did was stare at it.

“Connie’s,” I said.

“Yep. She invited me to come along with her on the cruise,” she said.

I eyed her carefully as her hand fell to her side.

“Fuck, you look good. You were a hunk in high school, but you really got it going on now,” she said.

“Rhett?”

I whipped my head around and saw Chanel and Ana standing at the elevator doors. I looked out onto the spa level of the ship as my heart plummeted to my toes. This situation couldn’t get any shittier than it already had, but it was the look in Chanel’s eyes that stopped me in my tracks.

Good God she looked gorgeous in a simple blue dress that made her eyes stand out. Her hair was piled atop her head and the tasteful application of makeup brought her already gorgeous features to life. I was suddenly very jealous of whoever would be bidding on her at the auction.

“I remember you. Chanel Mathews, right?”

Now I’d never hit a woman, but I seriously considered it in that moment. Chanel’s eyes fluttered behind me, and I could tell she recognized the woman. I turned around right as Evelyn extended her hand toward Chanel, but all she did was look at it.

“Seems like the two of you enjoy close quarters,” Ana said.

“Who are you?” Chanel asked. “You didn’t graduate with us.”

“I was a grade under you guys,” Evelyn said. “Connie wanted me to come on this cruise with her and her family.”

“How convenient,” Chanel said.

“Come on, girl. We can take the stairs,” Ana said.

“I’ll join you guys,” I said.

“Nope,” Ana said. “We’ve got it. You enjoy your fun little catch-up session here.”

My eyes grew hard on Ana’s face as she tugged Chanel away from the elevator. The doors closed, and I was once again alone with this woman who had jumped into the car with me that night during

prom. I slowly turned toward her, my hands shoved deep into my pockets to keep from slapping that coy little grin off her cheeks.

“Well, that got weird,” Evelyn said.

“Why are you here?” I asked.