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Off the Map: In the Shadow Book 1

By JL Crosswhite

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Chapter One

The lights in the spacious atrium dimmed, and a spotlight shone on the marble floor. Allie Ellis turned in her chair at the round banquet table to watch the bride, her friend Cait, get swept up in the arms of her new groom, Grayson, for their first dance. The band leader announced the bride and groom, and the band played “It Had to Be You.”
Steve Collins—he’d always gone by his last name—was her date for the wedding. His gaze was steady on her but unreadable. She’d been half in love with him since their high school days, but was he just an idealized fantasy she’d created? Would getting to know him shatter the dream man she’d created in her mind? Could high school dreams even survive into adulthood?
The band leader invited everyone to the dance floor. Their table cleared. It had been full of their friends—all couples. Her sister Melissa with Scott, Kyle and Heather, and Joe and Sarah. She glanced at Collins. Would he expect her to dance to such an obviously couples’ song when she wasn’t sure if they were anything but friends?
He grinned at her and held out his hand. “Shall we? I have to warn you, I’m not a great dancer, but I can sway to the beat.”
But Allie’s heeled sandal caught in the floor-length tablecloth, and she whacked her knee on the table leg as she pivoted. Graceful.
“Are you okay?”
She nodded, hoping he hadn’t seen her clumsiness and that her smile looked more confident than it felt as she placed her hand in his warm one. Was hers too cold or too sweaty? Why did being around him make her feel like she was back in high school?
His large, warm fingers enveloped hers, and tingles swirled along her arm. This was the first time he’d ever held her hand. But it was just out of courtesy. Wasn’t it?
She rose, being careful not to tangle herself in the tablecloth, and let him lead her toward the rapidly filling dance floor. She turned sideways to avoid an older lady in a sequined jacket pushing out her chair in front of Allie. But that caused her heel to catch on the leg of another chair. She tugged on Collins’s hand to slow his progress and steady herself.
He stopped and turned.
Just as Sequined Jacket spun into Allie with a full cocktail glass.
As the icy, sticky liquid splashed down the front of her organza bodice, she gasped and pulled out of Collins’s grasp.
No, no, no, no, no! This could not be happening. She’d wanted this night to be perfect. And now her dress was definitely not.
Sequined Jacket looked up, just now recognizing what she had done. “Oh dear. I’m so sorry. Let me help you.” She snatched up a cloth napkin from the table and handed it to Allie, but the polyester did little to sop up the wetness. “I’m so sorry. Oh your poor dress. And it was so pretty on you.”
Was being the operative word. Allie sighed and looked at Collins. “Let me head to the ladies’ room and see if I can’t do something with this.” She wove her way through the chairs and tables, scooting around the edge of the perfectly romantic atrium. She’d used her real estate connections as a corporate relocation specialist to secure it for Cait. Wedding venues were at a premium, but this was a luxury office space with a lush tropical-and-marble atrium that soared five stories. With fairy lights added to the existing lighting scheme, it was a beautiful place for a wedding. Their friend Sarah Brockman was the architect who designed it, and between the two of them, they convinced the building’s owner to let them rent it. It had become a magical space for Cait’s wedding.
As she left the atrium, footsteps followed her. She turned.
Collins was behind her.
“Oh, you don’t have to wait for me. Go enjoy the wedding.”
He shoved his hands in his pockets, a sheepish grin crossing his face. “I’d rather wait for you.”
She got it. He didn’t know the bride and groom. And everyone was on the dance floor.
He closed the gap between them, resting his hand lightly on her lower back as they continued down the hallway to the restrooms.
The sounds of the band faded, and the squeak of the restroom door seemed particularly loud as she pushed it open into the marble-lined ladies’ room and made her way to the sink. The mirror reflected the wet red splotch that covered her pale-pink dress. She snatched a handful of paper towels and dampened them, dabbing at the front. It was so pretty. The pale pink organza swirled just above her knees, flattering her generous curves, and the hue brightened her nothing-special coloring.
Collins had certainly seemed appreciative when he’d picked her up, his eyes lighting up and his voice had deepened as he said, “You look beautiful” as he helped her into his large truck. But the ride had felt awkward. Had she made a mistake by inviting him? He seemed the perfect plus-one since he knew everyone at their table, even though he wasn’t friends with Cait and Grayson. Neither was she, really, but she’d helped pull off the location, so she’d been invited.
She and Collins had reconnected last November, but then he’d left on an assignment to help as a detective for the police department in Holcomb Springs, a small resort town in the San Bernardino mountains about two hours from here. So they’d been texting and talking on the phone for the past four months. But friends did that too. She was hoping tonight would give her a better insight into the man he’d become from the boy she once knew.
But bringing him to a wedding… Didn’t that imply something about their relationship? Did they have a relationship beyond old friends? That nervousness and uncertainty had made her clumsy. Well, she couldn’t blame the ruined dress on her clumsiness. That landed squarely on the sequined shoulders of the older lady. But Allie was the one who would reek of alcohol all night.
She peered in the mirror. Despite her best efforts, the slightly less-red spot still dominated her dress. With nothing further to do, she tossed the paper towels in the trash. Get a grip, Allie. Enjoy the evening. No one’s even going to notice you, anyway.
With a final fluff of her hair, she turned and pushed out the bathroom door.
Collins stood outside, gazing at his surroundings. His wavy hair was beginning to escape whatever product he had used to confine it. It made her want to play with his curls. She squeezed her hand shut.
He smiled at her. “This is some space, isn’t it? Sarah’s really good at what she does.”
“Yes, she is. I’m glad we could use it for Cait and Grayson’s wedding.” She held her dress out. “I couldn’t do too much with it. Maybe the cleaners will be able to fix it.”
“I hope so. It’s a pretty dress.” Collins’s gaze turned intense and he cocked his head. “Do you hear that?”
“The music?”
“Yes, but that song.” He reached for her hand and pulled her a few steps down the hall. “Remember it?”
It sounded familiar, an alt-rock ballad from their high school years. “Oh, that’s Lifehouse.”
“Yep. It’s ‘You and Me.’ We should go dance to it since I didn’t get to take you to prom.”
A thousand thoughts collided in Allie’s head. “Oh, but my dress. It’s still wet and… stained.” Brilliant, Allie. State the obvious. And, he wanted to take her to prom?
He swung her around in front of him, sliding his hand along her waist. “We could dance here. The twinkle lights almost look like stars.” He grinned.
She put her hand on his broad, football-player shoulder and began swaying to the music, laughing. “Wasn’t that the theme of one of our proms, An Evening Under the Stars?”
“Something like that. All I know is that you went with Chris Mendoza before I could ask you.”
She groaned. “He cornered me in the hall. I couldn’t turn him down. I wish I’d known…you’d wanted to take me. I would have rather gone with you.” Her voice softened, and she looked away. Had she said too much? She and Melissa had found a dress for her at a thrift shop and remade it a bit so she could go. Chris had paid for the tickets and bought her a wrist corsage that his mother had picked out.
Collins tugged her a little closer, apparently not concerned that her wet dress could touch his cobalt-blue dress shirt or navy tie. “We can make up for lost time.”
She didn’t know what to say to that, so she didn’t say anything, just enjoyed the warmth of being in his arms as the music and memories swirled around them. She had been thinking of him as a wedding date, but now he’d taken her down memory lane to high school. And rewritten the history she thought she knew.
He’d wanted to take her to prom? She’d always thought that her crush on him was one sided, and she’d worked to hide it so as not to ruin their friendship or make things awkward. But perhaps their feelings were mutual. If she’d gone to prom with him… a different life spooled out in front of her. She shook the thoughts away. Her imagination was running away with her. Enjoy the moment.
The scent of him, clean like soap with a hint of something spicy, drew her closer. She forgot about her dress and let the music swirl around them.
Footsteps sounded on the marble floor, growing closer. Probably someone looking for the restrooms. She glanced up. Melissa.
She was frowning and biting her lip.
Uh oh. That look always meant trouble. Great.
Allie stepped out of Collins’s arms and saw the confusion in his gaze. But Melissa wouldn’t share her concern unless it was important.
Collins pressed his hand against the small of her back, maintaining their connection. She didn’t pull away. But it was all she could do to concentrate on Melissa and not the feel of his hand.
Melissa glanced at Allie’s dress. “Oh, no! What happened?”
She shrugged. “An older lady bumped into me with her cocktail. The cleaners can probably get it out. I’ll be fine. What’s up?”
Melissa shoved her cell phone into Allie’s hand. “Both Daniel and Brittney are bailing on us.”
She studied the screen. “The Great American Road Trip? You can’t be serious.” No wonder Melissa looked upset. They’d planned this trip for years and finally were able to agree on dates and get it on the calendar last Thanksgiving. Planning future trips around an old map kept them occupied as kids during some difficult times. This trip was supposed to make those dreams a reality finally.
“Why did he text you right now? Didn’t he know we were at the wedding and that Scott was down from Washington?” Allie handed the phone back to Melissa.
Melissa shrugged. “He never pays attention to our social lives.”
Allie touched Melissa’s arm. “Let’s not think about it now. Go back in and enjoy the reception. We can figure something out tomorrow.”
Melissa opened her mouth, but Scott stepped up and slipped his arm around her waist. “I know you, Melissa. Just let it go for now. Allie’s right.”
As Scott led Melissa back toward the wedding, Allie turned to Collins, shaking her head. “We had been planning a sibling road trip, something we’d dreamed about for years. But it looks like Daniel and Brittney can’t make it. So that just leaves Melissa, Matthew, and me. Well, and Scott. He was going to go with us.” She let out a sigh. “I know Melissa will turn it over in her brain, trying to think of solutions instead of enjoying the evening. Speaking of which, we should get back in there.” She brushed her hand down the front of her dress. “Nobody’s going to be looking at me anyway.”
Collins frowned. “Why do you have to cancel the trip? Why can’t the rest of you go? Maybe you can all try to go another time, but it doesn’t mean the rest of you should miss out.”
“Daniel has the trailer. None of the rest of us has one or anything to pull it with. And I don’t want to sleep in a tent. The amount of gear we’d have to buy…” She shook her head. “Let’s go back inside. I think they’re going to cut the cake.”
Collins reached for her hand, intertwining their fingers.
She tried to act casual, like it didn’t mean anything, like she didn’t feel as if her feet would float off the ground as he navigated them back to their table. But in that moment, she was suspended between two realities, two dreams that had been a part of her life for far too long: Collins and the Great American Road Trip. Maybe childhood dreams were never meant to see the light of day.
She focused on the feel of her hand in his. Because if they couldn’t pull off the sibling road trip, would it mean her dreams of a future with Collins would disappear like a misty dream as well?

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