Page 26 of Emerald Moon (Pitch Mountain Pack #2)

nineteen

“I liked your speech,” Cass said after Jo rejoined the table.

There was visible sweat on their brow. “I swear I blacked out as soon as my mouth opened and words started coming out. I’m glad I practiced. Are you sure I made sense? Didn’t seem too crazy?”

“I couldn’t tell you were nervous, if that’s what you’re asking. You looked great up there.”

Jo relaxed their tensed shoulders and eased back against their chair. “Oh thank goodness.”

Cass stood and held out her hand. “Ready?”

“For?”

“Selling this whole ‘girlfriend’ thing out on the dance floor.”

“Oh! Right, yeah, of course.” They took Cass’ hand as a new song that Jo didn’t know started to play.

Her palm had rough patches — maybe from work, maybe from all her time spent outdoors.

Cass radiated warmth, too. It wasn’t the sweaty kind of warmth that Jo exuded and made them wish they’d wiped their hands off on their pants first. Cass’ warmth was grounding, like a tether tying them to their life back in HIckorywood where they were far more comfortable being themselves.

“I should warn you that I don’t know how to dance,” Jo said.

“That’s perfect. Neither do I,” Cass replied, still gently pulling Jo towards the dance floor in the center of all the tables. “It doesn’t seem too hard, though. It looks like a lot of swaying from one side to the other.”

“I can sway.”

Cass turned and looked down at Jo with a grin. “Then you’re already more than halfway there.”

“There is one problem.”

“What’s that?”

Jo motioned from the top of their head and stretched their hand towards the top of Cass’ head. “We’ve got a major height difference issue.”

“It’s only a problem if we let it be one.

Here, you put —” Cass took hold of Jo’s hands and placed them on her waist. “Your hands here, and I’ll rest mine on your shoulders.

Now we move like everyone else is doing.

I find that mimicking others is a great way to look like you know what you’re doing. ”

“We look like we’re at a school dance.”

“We do look a little stiff, huh?” Cass agreed. “Then what if I tried something like this?” She curved her arm around Jo’s shoulders and let her fingers glide up the back of their neck.

Jo shivered at the touch. They didn’t know what to do with their hands and, in a moment of panic, they tilted forward and let their head come to rest on Cass’ chest. Their eyes sprang open wide once they realized where their head was, and they were glad there were layers of suit between Jo’s cheek and Cass’ skin.

The song changed and Jo knew it from the first few beats. They looked up at Cass, grinning. “It’s Dolly!” Jo spun their head, searching for June.

They finally made eye contact with their sister on the other end of the dance floor and the two of them grinned.

“Junie knows I love this song.”

“This is on our playlist.”

“Sure is! It’s ’Highlight of my Life’ and it’s one of the sweetest songs, I swear.”

They laid their head back down and could hear Cass’ heartbeat. It was hard to hear at first over the music and people talking, but they closed their eyes as they swayed and could hear the faint, but steady drumming of her heart.

Jo grasped one arm tighter around Cass’ middle and let their other hand drift to where one of Cass’ hands was still on their shoulder. They tugged on her wrist and, getting the message, Cass let go, her hand falling by her side until Jo clasped their hands together, entwining their fingers.

They knew this was an act. They also knew they would never be this comfortable doing this with Wil or Krista.

With either of them they’d have devolved into a fit of giggles, making some big joke out of what they were doing.

Jo could be close with their friends, loved the feeling of having the people they cared about close enough to touch, but this didn’t feel like being close to either of them.

This also didn’t feel like any time Jo had dated before.

Everything that’d come before had taken work for Jo to feel this comfortable.

This felt easy, like they both slipped right into it.

Of course, it was all fake. Cass was a good friend and a great actor.

But what if it wasn’t?

What if that almost kiss in the tent was real? What if Cass had feelings for them all this time? What if the reason Jo had never had an awkward friend crush or the reason this had all felt so easy was because Jo had feelings, too?

Jo waited for the anxious panicking to set in, but instead they listened to the steady rhythm of Cass’ heartbeat and felt the warmth of her hand against their palm, and they wondered, what if this was it?

The song abruptly changed to a rap song that’d been popular when Jo was in high school. It was the kind where the lyrics said what to do for the dance — sandwiched in between lyrics that would make their family members blush.

A circle of June’s friends gathered around her, and Jo’s sister was excitedly waving them over.

“Do you know this one?” Jo bounced on their toes and looked up at Cass.

She shook her head.

“Don’t listen to their words. They’re stupid and, like, more than a bit gross, but the nostalgia is real on the dance floor right now. I’ll be right back!”

Jo rushed over to the circle of laughing friends and joined the dance next to June just in time for the chorus. It was hard to do any of it with a straight face, so they laughed through it all, like everyone else was doing.

When it was done, high fives were shared and, sweaty and smiling, they walked back over to Cass.

“Sorry you had to see that.” They burst out laughing again.

“You were so happy.”

“Weirdly, I’ve been happy all night.”

Cass pulled them in for a hug. Jo laughed from the suddenness of it, but relaxed into her embrace and encircled their arms around her waist.

One moment they were still, and the next they were gently swaying to the country song that was playing.

They had been happy the entire night. Despite everything that had stressed them out prior, the reception had been great so far. June was a piece of that, but the best part had been Cass. The best part of so many of Jo’s recent days had been Cass.

Maybe that meant something.

The song grew quieter. Jo no longer heard people’s conversations. The only thing they could hear clearly was Cass’ heartbeat. Together they swayed gently as one song bled into another, until a dancing couple bumped into them, apologizing.

Jo told them not to worry about it, but their voice sounded far away, like they were coming out of a restful sleep.

“Want to get some air?” They asked Cass, motioning to the double doors leading out to a balcony overlooking the less-than-scenic parking lot.

Cass nodded and Jo led them outside, keeping their hands locked together until they were outside and Jo turned to face her.

She was tall and gorgeous in a rough around the edges sort of way that Jo liked.

She looked at Jo like she couldn’t wait to hear what they had to say.

Jo had a hundred questions running through their mind as they asked themselves again how they felt about Cass.

They had to find out and that started with figuring out what happened that night in the tent.

“Was that a kiss?” It wasn’t what they meant to say first, but it was what came out.

“What?”

“Did you try to kiss me in the tent that night after the hike?”

Cass didn’t hesitate. “Yes.”

“But you’re into women.”

“And also you.”

Jo’s entire world tilted, and they felt unsteady on their feet, so they reached for the only thing that had made them feel comfortable and safe the past few days.

Their hand twisted in the front of Cass’ crisp, pressed shirt and they pulled her down to their level.

Cass looked confused, but she went willingly.

Their eyes locked and Jo searched hers for reasons why she’d tried to kiss them, but, coming up short, they did the only thing that felt right in the moment — Jo kissed her.

It was quick, barely a brushing of their lips, but when Jo pulled back, Cass kept her eyes shut and leaned forward like she was waiting for more. When it didn’t come, her eyes fluttered open.

“I love you.” The words rushed out of Cass on a whispered breath.

“What?” Jo sputtered.

Cass stood upright, fixed her suit, looked Jo straight in the eyes, and said it again. “I love you.”

“You love me?” Jo asked slowly, processing the words and how they wanted to feel about them.

“Yes.”

“Why?”

Cass paused, brows knitted in confusion. “What do you mean ‘why?’”

“I mean, it’s too soon, isn’t it? How can you know you love me?

” Jo was still working out everything in their own head and heart, and yet Cass was ready for love?

Didn’t that take time? Jo had said those words out loud to the people they dated before, but they’d never felt compelled to say them.

They figured people had to work up to that, that love took time to grow. It didn’t just happen.

“Can I take that to mean you don’t love me the same way?”

“Cass, I don’t — I don’t know. I think I might feel something but I —“

“I’m sorry. I misread the situation. Again.

I thought this time — never mind. I’m just sorry.

I promised myself I’d never push past what you were willing to do, but I did it again.

I’m going to go sit in the car for a bit.

I’ll find you later.” Cass dipped her head and walked down the balcony stairs towards the parking lot.

Jo stood for a while without moving, staring at the place where Cass disappeared around a corner. What was wrong with them? Cass said she loves them and their response is to ask why? But, it was too soon, wasn’t it? They weren’t even dating. Could a person love that quickly?

Could a person like Cass love Jo like that?