Something else became clear to me: I had absolutely no common sense concerning Jared Ryel. I had become an irrational, ridiculous, sobbing fool and incredibly, he was still in my life. I didn’t care if he was a stalker or a miracle. The thought that he was always near me—that he could have been watching me at that very moment—sent euphoric shivers down my spine.

The next night, a knock at the door prompted Beth to grab her purse. When I swung open the door, Kim, Josh, Ryan, Tucker, Chad, Lisa, and Carrie were all standing in the hall.

“We held hands so they wouldn’t get lost,” Kim quipped.

“That’s nice,” I said, turning to grab my keys and wallet. “We’re not all going to fit in the Beemer.”

“I’m taking my jeep,” Chad said.

“Sweet!” Beth chirped.

When I followed Beth through the door of the pub, I felt my body tense. I didn’t relax until I finished scanning the room and saw that Jared was nowhere to be found. With my relaxation was also discontent, but Ryan’s arm around my shoulders provided an immediate diversion. We took a table and Ryan fed quarters into the jukebox. Within an hour we were all on the wooden floor dancing to disco.

“Next time, I’m bringing a CD!” Kim yelled over the Bee Gees.

When we returned to our table, a slow song crooned from the juke box and Chad asked Beth to dance. She was beaming, and I watched him pull her gently by her hand to the dance floor. I felt the corners of my mouth turn up as I watched them, not being able to keep myself from the bittersweet memory of Jared’s arms around me in the same space just a few weeks before.

“C’mon. Dance with me,” Ryan asked, pulling at my hand.

I might have said no if he hadn’t already had me half way to my feet. It had become a full time job to keep him from getting the wrong idea about our friendship. I followed him to the dance floor and he secured his hands behind my back.

“Oh, cheer up. It’s not that bad,” Ryan smiled.

“You’ve been drinking; I’m concentrating on not tripping over your two left feet.”

“I’ll catch you,” he said, too close to my face.

“Great, then we’d both fall,” I grinned.

Ryan hugged me to him. “I don’t mind falling to catch you.”

I relaxed my chin on Ryan’s shoulder until the song ended. He seemed to want to keep dancing but the next song was upbeat. He hesitated and then let me go, leading me back to the table by my hand.