But Alex couldn’t handle not knowing even a little bit more about this woman.
“I can’t believe I’ve only been here a week,” Emily said as she swept her hair over one shoulder as they walked. “Anytime I’ve ever gone on a vacation, it’s never been for more than a week. I should be on a plane home tomorrow.”
“How long are you staying?”
“A year,” Emily said with a happy sigh.
Alex could feel her mouth fall open, and she tried not to sound too shocked or like she cared as much about that new bit of information as she did. “Oh wow.”
“Yeah.” Emily inhaled a shaky breath. “I needed to get away from Seattle for a while.”
Alex waited to see if Emily would elaborate, but she didn’t. “Did your friend go back?”
“Gabby? Yeah. She was just here for the first week to help me get settled in and to get some sun.”
“So, you’re staying here for the year? Not traveling around?” Alex asked, just trying to make sure she wasn’t jumping to the wrong conclusion.
“Yeah. I got a teaching job and signed a yearlong lease for my apartment. I’ve spent my whole life in Seattle, so this is really new. Starting over in a new city and everything.”
“That’s really brave. I don’t know if I could.”
“Are you from here?” Emily asked, the light breeze ruffling through her dark hair as they walked.
“Yeah. I’ve always lived in Miami.”
Emily’s lips curved into a smile. “Why would you leave? Anything I should make sure I do or see while I’m here?”
Alex thought about it for a second, an idea popping into her head. “Are you free tomorrow night?”
“Yeah. Why?”
“I want to take you somewhere.”
Emily’s soft laugh floated through the muggy night air. “On a date?”
Alex’s steps slowed when she spotted a large piece of driftwood that looked like it could support both of them, and she motioned for them to sit.
“Maybe,” Alex said as she sat down beside Emily. “It doesn’t have to be.”
“What should I wear?”
“Something you can dance in.”
Emily nodded. “Okay. I like the sound of that.” She set her shoes down on the sand beside her feet, and Alex did the same. “You might have got me hooked.”
“To salsa?” Alex asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Yeah.” Emily lightly bumped her shoulder. “I can’t figure out if it has more to do with you though. And the way you make it so easy. So effortless.”
Alex inhaled a sharp breath. She thought she might be trying too hard with Emily, that maybe she wasn’t the slightest bit interested, but this was new. “You’re good. You would have gotten there eventually. But thank you for saying that.”
Alex listened to the waves crashing into the shore, the beach empty at this time of night.
“I feel like I should say this now,” Emily said after a moment. “I’m not really in a place to date someone.”
Alex nodded as she waited for Emily to continue, trying to play it cool, like that didn’t disappoint her.
“I’m recently divorced.” Emily tousled her hair. “I don’t want to get in the details of it. I’m over it. And her. But at the same time, I’m still trying to get a grip on what my life’s going to look like going forward. I don’t want you to get the wrong idea.”
