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It wasn't until they'd set her back down and Holly whirled around that she realized who had grabbed her. Jason Archer stood there, grinning at her like he'd just won the lottery. He was her eldest cousin, though he was still a few years younger than her. Standing next to him was his brother Paul who grinned just as broadly.
"Well, well, well," Jason said, that smirk seeming to be permanently etched across his face. "Look what the cat finally dragged back home."
"Jason Archer. Didn't your momma ever teach you not to sneak up on a lady like that? You're lucky I didn't kick you where the sun doesn't shine!" Holly tried her best to sound chastising, but it was nearly impossible to be mad at him. She was still reeling from being face to face with him again for the first time since her father's funeral.
"Eh, it ain't like he uses them any," Paul chimed in. He winked at Holly and then nudged his older brother. "His wife would probably thank you. Then he wouldn't be chasing her around like a rowdy teen all the time!"
Everyone laughed, even Jason, though he did punch his brother in the shoulder. He may have been able to take a joke, but that didn't mean he wasn't going to remind Paul who the older brother was. Finally, each of them gave Holly a bear hug and told her how good it was to see her back in the Keys.
By that point, Holly was on her third beer, and she was feeling pretty loose and relaxed. Even talking with her cousins didn't spark up her anxiety again, though they also didn't ask too much about her life in Miami. They did fill her in on their lives and the things she had missed over the years, though.
Jason was still happily married to his wife, but Paul and his wife had divorced about a year ago, splitting custody of their two girls. Jason's son, a teenager now, had apparently taken up baseball, and Holly was invited to come to watch him in his next game. Holly accepted, of course, mostly because she was a bit tipsy and it would've been rude to decline.
They were in the middle of talking about his stats for the season when Holly caught sight of a cop heading their way. She froze, her mouth having gone dry. It had only been a couple of days since she had left Miami, but Holly couldn't help think he was coming after her in relation to Will's godforsaken schemes.
But when Jason and Paul caught where her gaze was turned, they grinned and greeted the man with enthusiasm. "Was startin' to wonder if you'd make it out here!" Jason called.
"I came as fast as I could. Didn't even stop to change clothes."
Holly's heart stopped beating at the sound of the man's voice. She would have known that voice anywhere. And when he walked closer, she could finally make out his face. Jake Holton. Of all the danged people to run into at the party, she had never expected to see him.
They had dated in high school, and for a while, Holly thought he was her one true love. But when she had told him about her plans to leave the Keys and work in Miami, that had been the end of their relationship. Holly had suggested he come with her, but he had declined, wanting to stay in their home town.
The idea of long-distance wasn't even considered. Back then, Holly had no intention of ever returning to the Keys for more than a quick visit, and Jake had no intention of ever leaving. So they had cut it off, and though it had broken Holly's heart, she had never really looked back, especially after she had met Will.
But now Will was out of the picture, and Holly was back in the Keys. And there was Jake Holton, looking as good as he had in high school, standing only a few feet away from her. A man who was no doubt married, Holly reminded herself, but that didn't stop her from ogling just how well that uniform fit him.
He was staring at her, too. She could feel his eyes roaming up and down her body. In her thin sundress, she suddenly felt exposed as if his gaze could see right through everything she wore. His lips curved up into a smile, though, and Holly figured he must have liked what he saw. That had to be a good thing, right?
"Well, well, look whose back in town," Jake said with a teasing lilt to his voice. "And here I thought you would never come back to this little town. What was it that dragged you back this time?"
Just as Holly began to explain, Melissa interrupted. Her speech was slurred slightly, the drinks hitting her harder than they'd hit Holly, which was why the next words had even come out of her mouth.
"Let's go swimming!" Melissa announced. She waved an arm in the direction of the wide-open water. "It's a gorgeous night for it!"
Holly stared at her in surprise. She waited for everyone to dismiss the idea, but to her shock, they all agreed, leaving Holly wondering how much everyone had had to drink.
