She played the first couple of notes, looking only at the keys as she played every note of the beginning of the song. She couldn’t risk looking away and messing up a note or two.
Then, as she continued to play all the right notes from memory, she opened her mouth and allowed the words to come out harmonically.
“I drive an Army jeep, my bumper sticker reads, drink ‘til he’s cute…”
She tried her best to not stagger with the words, and breathed where she needed to breathe.
Jordan watched Cassie from his spot at their table, in awe of her extraordinarily amazing talent. Her voice was pitched perfectly; she really could sing so well. A couple of people around him rose to their feet, moving closer to the stage as Cassie flowed through the remaining words and music of the song. She began to let her guard down, realizing there was no need to shy away from the spotlight anymore and briefly looked up, her eyes scanning the room in general. She wouldn’t linger on just anybody specifically. In her moment of exposure, she couldn’t allow herself to consume thoughts about Jordan and what he might be thinking and feeling about her if she suddenly glanced his way.
Cassie looked away one last time as she masterfully moved her fingers from key to key, playing each note with precision and delicacy.
“Everybody get up on your feet, everybody gotta shake your body, everybody got a right to be free, and I’m just a summer girl.”
She sang the last few words of the song, holding on to the last note until it faded into nothing. Cassie rose to her feet, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear as she accepted the applause she was receiving from the handful of people still at the diner. A smile formed on her face as she stepped off the stage, striding back to her table to strike a pose in front of Jordan.
With one hand on her hip and her leg bent outwards, she sent an impish grin in Jordan’s direction.
“That was amazing. You were so good.”
Cassie shrugged her shoulders. “Let’s not make a big deal out of it or anything. You knew I could play the piano. You just didn’t know I could sing too.”
She finished the rest of her drink while people passing their table on the way toward the exit congratulated her on a delightful piece. And even though she loved hearing how good she was, she couldn’t help but feel her cheeks grow redder than usual. She wasn’t used to being told she was good at something besides her love for the culinary arts.
Jordan pushed his body further toward Cassie, inching closer to her, and she wasn’t so sure she was comfortable being in such close proximity with her former boyfriend as she was sure she would have been when they dated.
Jordan bowed his head down to Cassie’s level, his dark brown eyes piercing into her like she was the only one in the world that mattered to him.
He cleared his throat and then said in that same deep tone of voice Cassie used to love hearing. “Do you want to get out of here?”
Cassie gulped, not knowing what to say or how to respond to his question. She knew she should have seen it coming. All the signs from tonight were pointing and leading up to this very moment, but now that it was here, Cassie couldn’t find the courage to admit to herself—let alone Jordan—how she was truly feeling right now.
“Um…okay.”
She wanted to get home to Jake anyway. She didn’t like to be away from him any more than a couple of hours during the night. She liked to be able to go home and tuck him into bed, or at least give him his goodnight kiss.
She really was ready to get out of there, and it wasn’t like she could go home without Jordan. Besides, part of her was looking forward to seeing how the night ended. The other part was scary as hell.
Jordan walked Cassie to her door like any gentleman did when the evening came to an end.
Cassie hated to admit it, but tonight really had been a perfect night. She couldn’t wish for better company than her son’s father.
Standing on the front porch, Jordan bowed his head down to Cassie’s level, and for a second, she thought he was going to kiss her.
His nose was touching hers. She could just make out the musky scent of his cologne, which no doubt was his favorite since he wore it all the time.
“So...I had fun tonight on—”
Cassie cut him off, placing one finger on his lips to shush him. “Don’t say it.” She knew very well they both knew tonight was more like a date than a non-date, even though she didn’t want to admit the truth.
Jordan showed his trademark smirk and laughed. “On our fake date—that was what I was going to say.”
Cassie hit him playfully on the shoulder. “Good save, but who am I kidding? It was a date, and I had fun too. It made me think of the old times we shared together.”