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“That didn’t end so well last time.”
He flashes me a smile that makes my muscles quiver and repeats the question. “Dance with me?”
I take his hand. “Fine. One dance.”
A twirl, and then I’m tugged to his chest. Close enough that I can smell his cologne. Close enough that it’s a challenge to breathe.
I’m spun again.
“You’re a good dancer.”
“I’ve picked up a few moves since senior prom.”
I clear my throat. “Good.”
We sway in circles. I watch the other couples, the passersby. The water spraying and splashing.
Another song starts, but I don’t pull away. I absorb the rhythmic melody.
“I still feel it,” I say without looking at him. Not knowing if he’ll know what I mean, but needing to say it.
His hand tightens on my waist. He does. “I know. Me too.”
“I thought it would fade. I mean, we’ve never even…”
“Never even what?”
“Never…played Monopoly together.” If my hands were free, I’d be tempted to face-palm. For an award-winning songwriter, my eloquence is really lacking tonight. Barely better than mentioning sex on a non-date.
I look straight ahead, resisting the urge to glance at him.
Rather than laugh at the ridiculous turn the conversation has taken, Teddy asks, “Have you played Monopoly with a lot of guys?”
I dodge the question. “Monopoly requires a lot of patience.”
“Like eight years’ worth?”
“You played other board games,” I remind him.
“You never gave me a reason not to.”
I bite my bottom lip and then voice the other question I promised myself I’d never say to him. I already asked him about “Heartbreak for Two”, so I should probably stop making promises to myself that concern him. “Do you think we would still be together? If—if things had ended differently, back then?”
His response is swift and absolute. “Yes.”
Most concerning is, it’s the same one I would have given, if I was being honest.
I stop dancing. Step away, needing some distance. “We should head back.”
He doesn’t fight me. “Okay.”
There’s an exit just past the fountain. Neither of us saying anything as we head for it, passing shrieking children and happy couples. For the moment, it feels like we’re totally separate from the rest of the world.
“I did some research on Amsterdam,” Teddy says. Amsterdam is the next stop on the tour. “The Rijksmuseum is supposed to be pretty cool,” he continues.
“Yeah. The airport there was nice.”
He chuckles. “If you have time, I’d go.”
