Two weeks after my momentary lapse of sanity I’m standing in front of my high school gym. The weather is hot and sticky, and it feels like home. I glance around the parking lot trying to get a glimpse of the people filing out of their cars. The one thing about small towns is everything is conveniently located.

My hotel, the only hotel in the town, is directly across the high school. I hope walking across the street and through the parking lot would give me time to compose myself. That wasn’t what was happening.

My nerves are jumpy and I resist the urge to wipe my sweaty palms down the front of my bright red gown, Archer’s favorite color. I roll my eyes. It’s amazing how being near my old high school reverted me back to acting like a high schooler.

“He probably won’t even be here,” I whisper to myself after ensuring nobody’s close enough to hear me.

Archer hated high school and would tell me daily I was the only reason he showed up.

Throwing my shoulders back I walk as steady as I can toward the gym. My knees are knocking and I’m grateful I chose a full-length gown for this black-tie event.

“Nicole Stewart is that you?” A high-pitched voice hit my ears as soon as I enter the gymnasium.

Panic sets in as I stare at a woman in a fluffy pink dress coming straight at me. My mind goes through my high school yearbook trying to place a name with the woman eating up the linoleum between us.

“You look amazing,” I say stalling for time, begging the dark recesses of my brain to find a name.

“Thank you. You look good too. I guess it’s all that city livin’. I’ve heard they have the best doctors to keep you from falling apart,” no name pink dress says as her eyes roam all over my face as if she’s looking for face lift scars or botox injection sites.

Bingo, I think to myself. Her face may not have been familiar, but her back handed compliments were a dead giveaway.

“Jade June, how are you?” I smile widely. With petty glee I glance down at the pudge she has put on since high school.

Jade June was the cheerleader and homecoming queen of our class. She was also the meanest girl in our school and from her comment she hasn’t changed. Jade was especially salty to me because she had a huge crush on Archer and hated that he was loyal to me. When she found out we broke up she made a play for Archer the day I was leaving. It didn’t end well for her. From the surly expression she was wearing she still held a grudge.

“I’m great. I got married.” She flashes a ginormous diamond that had to weigh down her hand.

“Congratulations.”

Her gaze lands on my empty left ring finger and she smirks. I resist the urge to curl my hand and maybe land a punch in her heavily makeuped face.

“I see nobody has caught you yet. It’s a shame you left Archer the way you did. You two seemed like such a good couple. Oh well. I’m sure you two both found better.”

My hand rose and I wasn’t sure what my intentions were.

“I’ll be right there,” I scream out into the open area and to no one in particular. “I’m sorry Jade. I just saw someone. It was great catching up.”

I skirt around Jade and bee line it toward the check-in table.

After getting my name tag my knees start shaking even more. Knowing Archer could be right past the double doors is making my stomach flip. Entering the dim gym I blink rapidly wanting to adjust to the lighting as quickly as possible.

On my second circle around the gym it’s obvious Archer isn’t here. On the first lap my heart was hammering against my sternum with anticipation, but halfway through my second go around my heart is so heavy it was struggling to beat properly.

Old friends and acquaintances I haven’t seen in ten years wave at me through the crowd. They give me looks of pity as if they know who I’m searching for. Or at least that is how I felt.

“One more lap and you can go back to your hotel room,” I promise myself.

I feel him before anything else. His closeness always accompanies an electrical buzz, lighting up my senses. Next is his smell. It’s the same cologne he wore in high school, a present I’d gotten him for Christmas our freshman year. The same cologne I have hidden in the back of my sock drawer and occasionally take out to sniff when I’m in a bad mood.

Last but not least came his deep baritone voice sending shivers down my spine. “Now that’s a shame as I just got here and the only reason I came to this damn thing was to see you.”

I close my eyes and inhale deeply before steeling myself and whirling around. He’s still gorgeous and oh so delicious. Archer’s half smile lights up his face just like I remember it doing all those years ago. His brown hair is longer than before curling over his ears. He’s still tall and thin but his muscles filled out making him more manly.

I laugh when I notice he’s wearing a snug black T-shirt and blue jeans.

“I see you took heed of the black tie dress code.”

“Black tie my ass. Why should I get all dressed up for these people? It was you I wanted to see and you’ve already seen me in black tie on prom. Remember?” His southern accent gets stronger with every word.

He’s like thick honey and I’m downing in him. If I thought he was charming before he has definitely stepped up his game since I’ve been gone.

I tilt my face down to study his blue jeans when I answer. “Of course I remember prom.”

Archer chuckles as his finger dips under my chin bringing my face back to his.

“Good.” He winks at me before entangling our fingers together. “Come dance with me, Nicky.”

He doesn’t wait for me to answer him. He’s already leading us into the middle of the crowded dance floor. I let myself go back ten years when he led me onto the same dance floor during our prom night.

Prom was the first time I’d seen Archer dressed in something besides blue jeans. He was so handsome my teenage heart could barely stay in my chest. Archer made everything magical that night. Prom was the night I fell so deeply in love with him I couldn’t breathe without him near me, now so many years later being led onto the dance floor I realize maybe I haven’t taken a breath since I left him.

I think back to prom night and smile. After the DJ shut down and as the sun began to crawl up the sky I found myself secure in Archer’s arms in the bed of Archer’s pick up. Prom was the night of firsts for both of us and if Archer’s comments were anything to go off it was just as special to him as it was to me.

Archer’s blue jeans hug his ass and my teeth itch to bite into it. How he was able to get sexier was beyond me. Archer turns and his eyebrow arches up showing me he caught me staring. I practically fall into him winding my arms around him so I’m snug against him. As I breathe in his familiar scent Archer pulls me closer. Tears spring up when I feel him bury his nose into my hair and inhale deeply. It’s the same thing he used to do all those years ago.

Swaying to the music I can’t fathom why I ever left him in the first place. Drowning in being near him makes it impossible to think of anything but finding a way to stay with him now.