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Once we’re seated and have half of our shakes down with food on the way, Ember grins at me. “I’ve decided to help Hunter out and tell you more about all of your epic romance with that gorgeous man. You two have shared some of the most beautiful and silly dates known to man. You make all of the rest of us envious.”
Smoke grumbles, but he nods. “Yep, it’s true, Jazz. You and Hunter are disgustingly cute, like a damn modern-day fairy tale. I’ve had to witness it first-hand, making me happy for you and disgusting to me at the same time.”
“Bring it on,” I say, wanting to hear from those I trust the most what Hunter and I have together. I love what Ember and Mora have already shared with me. I want more.
Ember’s voice dances with happiness as she begins painting a picture I can practically see forming on a canvas. “There was this amazing day Hunter took you on a surprise hot air balloon ride. You two soared above the world, the whole date caught on camera that you and I watched over and over again. The views spread out below, and as the sun set, the dang man even pulled out a guitar and actually serenaded you with a song he wrote. I was green with envy.”
I close my eyes and try to remember this, but it’s not here. It’s so beautiful I can’t imagine why I can’t remember. “Do you have the video?” I ask, desperation laced in my voice.
“Oh yes, I do. We’ll watch it tonight if you want.”
“Yes, I very much want to watch,” I say, then hesitate. “He seems too good to be true.”
“Is that your fear?” she asks.
“A little,” I admit.
Smoke joins in, not letting me go down this road. “There was also a time he whisked you away to a secluded beach. I don’t know how he managed it, but he set up a candlelit dinner for you beneath the stars, and all you talked about for days after was the crashing of the waves as you shared a romantic meal. He then had music playing and you danced barefoot in the sand. He made all of us look bad with that one. I had to step up my game with Amira.”
I smile as I picture Smoke grumbling as the images they’re describing fill me with longing to remember. I can almost grasp the magic of the moments.
Ember continues. “Let’s not forget all about the adventure with the hidden caves. You two literally dove into the depths of the earth, looking for treasure and ancient secrets from our ancestors. It was totally something straight out of an Indiana Jones movie and totally you. There are no ordinary dates when it comes to you and Hunter.”
I’m hearing them speak of my life as if it’s someone else’s. I don’t like that. I want my life back, I want these memories back. If I can’t have them, we simply have to recreate them.
“Hunter’s very good at making every date you go on feel like an epic quest of some kind. Whether the two of you are hiking through the mountains or dancing beneath the stars, he brings laughter, adventure and... passion to every moment.” He gags a bit on this last part, making Ember and me laugh.
“Jazzy, you and Hunter are made for each other. I have no doubt you’ll find one another again. No injury can take away your love,” she assures me.
I’m even more hopeful and determined as I sit with my friends. My memories might be elusive, but these stories make me want this adventure with Hunter. I’m nowhere near ready to give up. I need to get past myself and maybe then I’ll get to live happily ever after.
ChapterEight
Hunter
I’m going to owe Ember a heck of a gift basket. She’s been my biggest advocate in winning Jasmine back. Because of her, I’m on the beach, the waves crashing against the shore as I survey the scene I’ve meticulously set up. She told Jazz about some of our dates, which made me realize I need to recreate them. If she can’t remember what we’ve had together, I’ll give it to her again.
Of course, here in Seattle, it’s a lot colder than in Miami, but we have to work with what we’re given. I look at the candlelit table adorned with her favorite pink roses and rocks holding everything in place. A waiter is on standby, ready to bring our food, and music is playing in the background. It’s our own little paradise, and it’s perfect, even better than the first time we did this exact date.
I’m nervous as I see a vehicle approach, then watch Jasmine step out and begin walking toward me. She grins as she draws closer, her warm smile just for me. “Hello, beautiful,” I say when she stops in front of me.
“Hello, handsome,” she replies. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you’re going above and beyond to win me over.”
“Oh, there’s nothing I won’t do to win you,” I tell her. I pull her close and gently kiss her lips. She sighs against me before I pull away. I can so easily get lost in this woman, and if we do nothing but have sex, we can’t fall in love all over again. We need romance... and sex... lots and lots of sex.
I lead her to the table and hold out her chair so she can sit, the scent of the ocean mingling with the delicious aroma of the meal placed before us. The waiter lays items down, then quickly leaves us alone... just as I requested. I fill our wine glasses, then lean back and look at Jazz, who will never stop taking my breath away.
We savor our meal as we easily chat, just as we’ve done a million times before. As the meal finishes, I surprise her by pulling out an album I’ve been putting together for the past month. It’s filled with snapshots of my favorite memories with her.
“What is this?” she asks as she scoots her chair on the wooden platform, moving closer to my side.
“I put together a little trip down memory lane,” I tell her. Her eyes brighten. I love the glow of the lanterns hanging above us. This wasn’t a cheap date to set up, but it’s worth every penny I have to win her back.
“Maybe it will jar my memories,” she says, a slight buzz running through her from the fantastic wine and magic of the evening.
I open the album and start flipping pages. I tell her about each moment and she laughs and sighs as she looks at these adventures she can’t remember. I made sure to include photos of events she can remember as well, and she laughs as we talk about some of our cases.
We’ve both been shot at, hit, and made it through many adventures. I have a picture of her thrown over Smoke’s shoulder from her first mission when he didn’t know she was working and decided to come rescue her. She hadn’t been happy with him at all.
