Easton yanked Zoe onto the dance floor just as the music kicked in. Surprisingly, the crowd seemed to have an unspoken agreement to stay back, giving them the whole floor to themselves.
Easton shot a glance at Cassidy, but she wasn't even looking his way. She was too busy nursing her drink, head down. He frowned, swallowing his irritation, and kept dancing with Zoe.
Zoe was stunned that Easton actually agreed to dance with her. The moment they hit the dance floor, her mind went blank, and she almost tripped over her own feet. She was so excited and shy that she didn't dare look up at Easton, completely missing the fact that he was keeping an eye on Cassidy.
After a bit, others started to join them on the dance floor.
Zoe finally mustered up the courage to talk to Easton, but he was clearly annoyed and only gave her half-hearted responses.
Lost in her own happiness, Zoe didn't notice anything off. Easton was a fantastic lead, and she could feel him guiding her every step. Despite her excitement, she managed to keep up with him perfectly.
A good-looking guy and a pretty girl dancing together always turned heads. No matter what moves they pulled off, they looked effortlessly elegant, making everyone else stop and stare. Eventually, the crowd cleared the floor, leaving it all to Easton and Zoe.
When the dance ended, the crowd burst into applause. Zoe, her face flushed, looked up at Easton with stars in her eyes and said, "Easton, you're amazing!" She was so innocent, her feelings written all over her face.
"Thanks," Easton replied, wanting to leave but feeling like he needed to clear some things up with Zoe.
"Their dance was so beautiful! They look perfect together!"
"Maybe they're a couple on vacation!"
"I didn't expect to see something so lovely on this trip. They look like they belong together!"
The tourists' comments about Easton and Zoe made Cassidy feel uneasy.
Cassidy was surprised that Easton agreed to dance with Zoe, but mostly she was happy. She hoped Easton would start paying more attention to Zoe instead of her. But seeing Easton being so gentle with Zoe and hearing everyone say they looked perfect together made her uncomfortable.
She had to admit they did look great together, but she couldn't keep watching them. Even though this was what she wanted, seeing it happen made her feel uneasy.
Feeling overwhelmed, Cassidy left the ballroom and headed to the beach to clear her head.
Easton noticed Cassidy leaving and figured it was because she was jealous of his closeness with Zoe. His expression softened, and he seemed more relaxed.
Zoe, standing next to him, noticed the change. She realized after the dance that Easton seemed to have been in a bad mood earlier. He responded to her, but his mind was clearly elsewhere. She knew she should let him go, but the moment was just too magical.
They had just finished dancing, and the tourists were saying they looked like the perfect couple. Some even thought they were in love and wanted to attend their wedding. Wedding—a word that sounded so beautiful.
Zoe had daydreamed a million times about what her wedding with Easton would be like. She hoped, more than anything, that Easton would feel the same way about her.
Feeling like the moment was just right, Zoe led Easton away from the dance floor, her heart pounding. She took a deep breath to steady herself and looked up at him with a hopeful smile. "Easton, I need to tell you something."
Easton had a feeling this was coming. "What is it?"
"Easton, I like you. Do you want to be with me?" As soon as the words left her mouth, it felt like the world went silent. All she could focus on was Easton, waiting for his response.
Easton was taken aback by her boldness. He always thought of Zoe as shy, so her straightforward confession was a surprise, but not an unwelcome one.
"Zoe, my heart belongs to someone else." As he said this, he looked at her, but all he could think about was Cassidy. Despite their rocky start, he only wanted Cassidy by his side. He couldn't stand the thought of another man getting close to her.
Zoe's face went pale at his rejection. "You already love someone else?"
"Yes," Easton replied seriously.
Zoe stepped back, looking crushed. 'How could this be? There's never been another woman around Easton. Who could he possibly love?'
Easton didn't notice her distress. He was too focused on finding Cassidy. After a quick goodbye to Zoe, he left the ballroom, leaving her standing there in shock.
Cassidy had no idea what was happening at the ball. She was sitting on the beach, trying to clear her head. The sound of the waves was soothing, and she was lost in her thoughts when she heard footsteps approaching. She looked up and saw Chase.
Chase, realizing he couldn't get through to Easton, decided to get the information he wanted from Cassidy. He sat down next to her and started chatting.
After a few minutes of small talk, Chase asked, "Are you serious about Easton?"
Cassidy turned to him, startled. "What do you mean?" She panicked, thinking, 'I've been so careful. How does Chase know about me and Easton?'
Chase didn't look at her; he just stared out at the dark sea. "I know about you and Easton. But don't worry, no one else does. I just want to know if you're serious about him."
Cassidy jumped up, her voice shaking. "What happens between us is none of your business!"
She took a few steps back, thinking, 'How does Chase know? I've been so careful, not even getting too close to Easton in front of others!'
"Cassidy, calm down. I don't mean any harm. I just want to know what you think." Chase stood up and reached for her hand.
Cassidy pulled away. "What are you trying to do? Did Easton send you?"
'What is Easton up to? I've been so careful to hide our relationship, and now he's told Chase!' Cassidy thought, backing away.
Chase, worried, stepped closer. "Cassidy, you've got it all wrong. Don't be upset."
"Shut up!" Cassidy snapped, her expression icy. "No matter how you found out, it's none of your business!" With that, she stormed off the beach. But when she got back to her room, she found Easton sitting on her bed.