Not Your Match

by Lindzee Armstrong

  “Of course. I’ve told her I’m not going to fall in love with you.”

  “Oh, Luke.” Andi sighed. “You might’ve told her that, but I doubt she believes you.”

  “Women. I’ll never understand them.”

  When the final credits rolled, Andi rose and Luke followed her from the theater. Once they were in the heart of the mall, he took her hand. Andi didn’t protest. His fingers were warm and his grip comfortable. But she didn’t feel any sparks of attraction. Luke was fun to hang out with, if a bit brooding.

  But he was no Ben.

  Stop it, Andi commanded. After last night, it seemed like there was a good chance he and Whitney were getting back together.

  “What are you thinking about?” Luke asked.

  Andi blinked, then shrugged. “Nothing.”

  “Hey now.” He nudged her shoulder. “I might be dense, but I’m not an idiot.” He pulled her into an ice cream parlor. Andi ordered the smallest bowl so she wouldn’t hurt Luke’s feelings. Ice cream wasn’t her thing.

  She could really go for some cheese fries. She wondered what Luke would say if she told him that.

  Once they sat down, Luke motioned to her bowl. “Okay, I’ve bought you ice cream—Brooke seems to think that’s a prerequisite to any serious discussion. Is it about last night?”

  “Yes,” Andi admitted.

  Luke smiled sympathetically, resting his hand on hers. “Have you talked to him?”

  “What would I even say?”

  “Maybe it wasn’t what it looked like.”

  “Maybe it was exactly what it looked like.”

  “Ask him and find out.”

  Andi sighed, dragging her spoon through her ice cream. “This is stupid. So I liked a guy and he kissed his ex-fiancée. Big deal. It’s no Brooke-and-Luke fiasco.”

  “Hey now. I think I’m making progress. We’ve almost got the big proposal planned.”

  Andi smiled. “I haven’t been attracted to a guy since Mark, and my hormones are going crazy. That’s all this Ben thing is.”

  Luke put a hand to his chest in mock horror. “Are you saying you aren’t attracted to me? I really wish you would’ve brought that up before agreeing to be my girlfriend.”

  Andi laughed, throwing a balled-up napkin at his face. “I’m not about to stroke your enormous ego by laying on compliments. You know you’re hot.” She grew serious. “This thing with Ben? I don’t know. He’s easy to talk to. He’s … familiar. Comfortable. I feel safe and happy when I’m with him.”

  “He’d be an idiot not to go for you.”

  Andi raised an eyebrow. “Are you saying you’re an idiot?”

  Luke chuckled. “Touché.”

  They finished up their ice cream, then decided to do some window shopping before calling it a night. Andi knew Luke wanted the press to snag another photo. He hoped that saving Toujour would save his relationship with Brooke.

  She wondered if Ben saw the pictures of her in the magazines, and what he thought about them. He hadn’t mentioned her relationship with Luke since dance class on Tuesday. Not that she’d spoken to Ben since. He didn’t even know she’d been at the basketball yesterday.

  They came to a specialty dance shop, and Andi eagerly tugged on Luke’s hand. “We have to go in here,” she said.

  He looked up at the sign and raised an eyebrow. “This looks like ballet stuff. I thought you did ballroom dance.”

  Andi rolled her eyes. “Just because they have pointe shoes on display in the front window doesn’t make it a ballet shop.” She tugged on his hand again, yanking him into the shop.

  Andi browsed the leg warmers, dance pants, and costumes before making her way back to the shoes. She ran her hands along the selections—satin ballet slippers, pliable jazz shoes in a soft leather, and the heeled ballroom shoes she so loved. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply, loving the smell of leather and new rubber soles. Suddenly she wanted a new pair of shoes more than anything. Yes, in a couple of months she’d be done teaching this class. And the strap on her shoe might hold out until then. But maybe Elle would let her teach another class, or maybe she could find an advanced class for adults at the community center or college.

  She wondered if Ben would teach another course with her. She wondered, if he and Whitney got back together, if she could handle seeing him with someone else.

  Andi browsed the selection. There were nude-colored shoes with a short heel and silver shoes with a mid-sized heel. But she went for the tall heel, like always. The shoes were a black satin with crisscross straps. She selected her size and sank onto the bench, slipping them on. She rose and instantly felt her shoulders pull back and her spine straighten into perfect dance posture. The shoes made her feel feminine and beautiful and alive.

  “You look good.”

  Andi glanced at Luke. She’d nearly forgotten she wasn’t alone. He leaned against one of the racks of shoes, his arms folded across his broad chest.

  “Thanks.” Andi walked over to the mirror at the end of one aisle and pulled up the leg of her pant to admire the shoes. She did a tight pirouette to test out the feel. A smile slid across her lips as she flung her arms out and arched her head back.

  Amazing.

  Andi went back to the bench and sat down, pulling off the shoes. She carefully placed them back in the box and rose.

  “You’re getting them?” Luke asked.

  Andi nodded. “The strap’s about to break on one of mine. Ben’s shoes looked worn, too. I’ll have to tell him about this place if we keep teaching.”

  Luke motioned to the men’s section. “You should get him a pair, too. Let him know you’re interested.”

  Andi snorted. “A pair of dance shoes is supposed to convince him to choose me over the woman he has a four-year history with?”

  “You said you danced together in high school, right? That’s history, too.”

  Andi picked up a basic black shoe, squinting at it. She sighed and put it back. “I don’t know what size he wears.”

  “Take a guess, then get a gift receipt and he can exchange them if you guess wrong.”

  Andi pointed at Luke’s feet. “How big are your feet? They look about the same size as Ben’s.”

  Luke frowned and folded his arms. “A ten. Don’t look at me like that. I have small feet, okay?”

  Andi smirked. “So does Ben.” She grabbed a box of size tens and headed to the cash register to pay. The dance shoes would be a good peace offering, if nothing else.

  “Is Ben any good at dancing?” Luke asked.

  Andi flashed back to Tuesday and the way his hands had caressed her body as they waltzed. “He’s an amazing dancer.”

  “Sounds fruity.”

  “It’s not fruity, it’s sexy.” Andi pointed a finger at Luke. “I bet if you do convince Brooke to marry you, she’ll make you take classes for your first dance. I bet she finds it as attractive as I do. There is nothing sexier than a guy who can dance. Especially if it’s a Latin dance.” And on Tuesday, they’d be going over the tango. Heaven help her.

  “And you’re going to woo Ben with your dance moves?”

  She doubted sashaying her hips would erase Whitney from his mind. She gave Luke a wink and made her voice teasing. “Oh, you haven’t seen what my hips can do, Luke Ryder. I could woo you if I wanted to.”

  He held up his hands in surrender. “I believe you. Don’t try to woo me.”

  Andi laughed and Luke wrapped an arm around her shoulders in a friendly gesture. “You’ll get your man, Andi Harmon. I have faith in you.”

  If only Andi had faith in herself.

  Ben sat the paint brush on the edge of the tray and looked around the kitchen, admiring his work. The half-wall and archway were gone. He’d found the perfect cabinet for the breakfast nook on clearance at a construction store, and a counter top that was a near perfect match for the existing one. He still wanted to paint the cabinets and eventually replace the cheap Formica counters with granite, but all in all, the condo wa
s already a vast improvement over what it had been.

  After the basketball game last night, remodeling was just what the doctor ordered.

  He’d eventually caught up to Whitney and convinced her to let him drive her home. She’d yelled and screamed and cried the entire drive, and Ben had sat there silently and took it. He’d been wrong to kiss Whitney, and he deserved whatever she dished out. But while Whitney yelled at him, he thought of Andi, and how he ached to be with her. He wanted a relationship with her.

  But first, he had to convince Whitney to go back to Arizona. He was still working on that part.

  Ben washed out the brush in the sink and put the painting supplies away, then made himself a sandwich and sat down at his small dining room table. Now the only eyesore in the breakfast nook were the bi-fold doors hiding the washer and dryer, but he’d need to rent a paint sprayer and paint all the doors at Rachel’s one Saturday.

  Ben took a bite of his sandwich and pulled out his phone, logging onto his social media account. He stared at the top trending news stories in shock. There, sitting comfortably at number four on the list, was Luke Ryder Off the Market?

  The Luke Ryder that Andi was dating.

  Ben clicked on the link before he could talk himself out of it. The page filled with news stories on Luke and Andi and comments from people on social media. He clicked on the first link and was taken to a gossip magazine. Luke Ryder Cozies Up to Andi Harmon On and Off the Court the headline read.

  He froze, his eyes glued to the photo. Andi and Luke sat in one of the executive boxes at the Staples Center, their expressions frozen in a cheer. Andi looked beautiful even in the unflattering shot. Her caramel hair flowed around her shoulders, and she looked adorable in a casual T-shirt and jacket. He frantically scrolled down and started reading.

  Luke Ryder and Andi Harmon cozied up to each other last night in Ryder’s executive suite and cheered on the Lakers …

  Andi had been at the game last night. She’d probably seen him kiss Whitney.

  Ben sank back in his chair, running his hand through his hair. He scrolled through the article.

  A source close to Ryder says the couple are completely enamored with each other, and the relationship is going very well. “They can hardly stand to be apart,” the source, who wished to remain anonymous, said when interviewed.

  Was it all for show, like Andi claimed? Or had Ben lost his chance forever?

  His phone buzzed, and he grabbed it off the table, glancing at the number. Rachel. “What?” he barked.

  “Hi, Ben.”

  Not Rachel. Whitney. His heart pounded in his chest, and the fear and anxiety from the night before came crashing back. “Why are you calling me on Rachel’s phone?”

  He could almost see Whitney shrug. “The battery is dead on mine, and I lost the charger.”

  He seriously doubted that. She knew he wouldn’t answer the phone if he saw her name on the caller ID. “Do you need something?” Ben asked, trying to keep his voice even and calm. After last night, he hadn’t expected Whitney to talk to him for a very long time.

  “It’s Saturday.”

  Their typical date night. Or it had been, until she ripped out his heart and stomped on it.

  For the first time since seeing that ring, he was almost grateful to Whitney for leaving him. If she hadn’t, he never would’ve reconnected with Andi.

  “Yeah, I can read a calendar,” Ben said.

  “Don’t be mean.” He imagined her sitting cross-legged on Rachel’s guest bed, her lips turned down in a pout. “I thought maybe we could go to dinner tonight, then catch a movie or go down to the beach.”

  “I’m busy.”

  “You always made time for Saturday nights with me.”

  She was relentless. “I thought last night made it clear where our relationship stands.”

  “I know I said I hated you yesterday. But that wasn’t me talking, Ben. I got so mad and let that take over. I’ve thought about it all day, and I’m not giving up on us.”

  “There is no us. Not anymore. Goodnight.” Ben clicked off the phone before she could respond and tossed it on the desk. He brought a fist to his mouth, imaging the fury playing out on the other end of the line. Would she throw things against the walls, destroying Rachel’s expensive decor? Would she collapse on the floor in angry sobs? Would she search out whatever prescription pills were in the house and attempt to overdose?

  Would he ever be rid of Whitney and the pressing responsibility that threatened to drown him?

  He wanted Andi. He wanted to tell her his frustrations and hear her sympathetically assure him that Whitney’s actions weren’t his fault. He wanted to feel her body pressed up against his as he swung her around the floor in the samba.

  He wanted to tell her that what she’d seen on the kiss cam wasn’t real, and he wanted to know if her relationship with Luke was as hallow as his kiss with Whitney had been.

  He dialed Andi’s number before he could think twice. Would she even answer?

  He almost dropped the phone in relief when Andi picked up. “Hey, Ben.” Her voice was flat, almost angry.

  “Let’s go dancing,” he said.

  “Excuse me?”

  “Dancing. You said you want to cover the tango in class next week, right? I need a refresher course first.”

  “I’ve had a long week, and I’ve spent all day reviewing case files.”

  “All the more reason to go out and have some fun.”

  “Fine. What did you have in mind?”

  Ben pumped a fist into the air. It wasn’t the warm reception he’d hoped for, but she was coming. “There’s a club in Huntington Beach that’s a lot of fun. We’ll dance for a couple of hours, then I’ll buy you dinner.”

  “We go Dutch on dinner or no deal.” Her words were firm, and he recognized the lawyer voice she used to win debates in high school. He knew better than to argue with her.

  At least she was going out with him. It was a step in the right direction and he wasn’t about to complain. “Okay, deal. But only if we can take my car.”

  “You think your car can drive us all the way to Huntington Beach?”

  “I know my car can. We wouldn’t want to take your fancy car to the beach anyway. The sand might scratch the paint job.”

  He heard her laugh, the full, head-back, loving-life sound that drew people to her, and hope swelled in his heart.

  “Okay, you win,” Andi said. “I’ll be ready in ten minutes. Don’t be late or I might leave without you.”

  Eight minutes later, Ben drank in Andi’s long legs and sparkling eyes. No way could someone look that good with only a few minute’s prep. She wore leggings and a tunic top, and her hair spilled around her shoulder in soft curls that had him aching to reach out and caress them. She shut her door and headed to the elevator.

  “Two minutes early. Not bad, Rhodes.”

  Ben stuck his hands in his pockets, his body tensing at the ice in her voice. The elevator dinged open and they headed to the car.

  “I’m surprised you said yes,” Ben said.

  “I’m surprised you asked me. What does Whitney think about it?”

  Ben barely held back a groan. She had definitely seen the kiss cam. “I didn’t know you were at the game last night.”

  “I kinda figured.”

  “Whitney and I aren’t getting back together.”

  Andi raised an eyebrow. “It’s not really any of my business if you are.” She yanked the car door out of Ben’s hand and slammed it shut.

  Ben cursed and jogged over to his side of the car. “I only went to the basketball game with Whitney because she’s so volatile. I didn’t want Rachel to get caught in the crossfires if something happened.”

  “Yeah, that’s exactly what it looked like when the two of you were kissing.”

  Ben ran a hand through his hair and started the car. The engine coughed and sputtered before finally roaring to life. “That kiss was a big mistake.”

  “You don’t o
we me an explanation.”

  Ben gritted his teeth, gripping the steering wheel. “And how are things going with you and Luke? You two certainly looked cozy in the pictures.”

  “Don’t believe everything you read in the tabloids. Luke is still trying to win the heart of his lady love. I’m sure he’ll succeed and the two of them will live happily ever after.” Her words were kind, but there was a bitter edge to her voice that had Ben sweating. He wasn’t used to hearing Andi be so cynical.

  Andi reached over and turned up the radio. The music crackled with static, but she just folded her arms and looked out the window. Apparently the conversation was over.

  The club was bursting with energy. The heavy beat of the bass pounded through the floor as he led Andi through the busy room. Cigarette smoke made the air hazy and stale, but the laughing people crowding the bar didn’t seem to notice or care. Ben was glad he’d worn short sleeves and left his jacket in the car—he could already feel his cheeks flushing with the heat. He kept glancing over his shoulder, worried one of the inebriated men whose eyes devoured Andi’s body would try and detain her. She didn’t seem concerned, though, and followed right behind him.

  The crowd thinned the further they got from the bar. The dance floor glowed blue from the lights shining down on it, and the floor shook with the thunderous music. The dance floor smelled like sweat mixed with perfume, but the crowd was relatively thin here, with only a few other couples on the floor. Most of them were grinding against each other, their movements sloppy while their loud laughter echoed around the room. Ben’s feet itched to dance, and adrenaline surged through him. He couldn’t wait to have Andi to himself. To not have to share her with a classroom full of teenagers.

  Ben held out his hand. Andi’s eyes searched his, looking for … something. Whatever it was, she must’ve found it, because she placed her hand in his. Heat swept through him at her touch, and he closed his fingers tightly around hers. A new song started with a strong beat and fast tempo, perfect for the salsa. Ben pulled Andi into closed dance position and took the first step. Shivers raced through him as he watched her hips sway to the beat. Her eyes locked onto his, smoldering with passion.