Chapter 83 TYLER
I didn’t have a plan.
No excuse. No smooth, heroic way to steal Harper away from Mark without making it obvious—or humiliating myself in the process. All I knew was that she didn’t look like she wanted to be dancing with him.
Or maybe that was just my heart forcing meaning into every glance, every half-smile, every subtle shift of her body. Either way, I didn’t slow my pace.
My eyes stayed locked on them even after she stopped looking in my direction. I was only a few steps away when a body slammed into mine, knocking me back.
“What the hell, Tyler?” Peter hissed under his breath. “Don’t cause a scene, for Christ’s sake.”
“I’m not going to cause one,” I snapped quietly, jaw clenched as I held my ground. “I just want to ask her for a dance.”
He stared at me like I’d lost my mind. “While she’s dancing with her boyfriend? In front of everyone?”
“And?” I shot back.
“And you’re going to raise questions,” Jax said, gripping my collar and tugging me backward.
“Just take a chill pill, Cap,” Kane added, joining in as they both dragged me away.
I bit down hard on my jaw, fighting the urge to snap. I knew they were trying to help, but that didn’t make it any less frustrating. My chest felt tight, restless, like something inside me was pacing back and forth with nowhere to go.
Peter stopped in front of me, following my line of sight back to Harper. He exhaled slowly, then let go of my arm.
“Fine,” he said. “You want to dance with her? I’ll help you. But promise me you’re not going to make it awkward.”
He held out his pinky.
“Are you insane?” Kane whispered sharply. “How exactly is he supposed to dance with her when Mark is right there?”
“And his parents are watching,” Jax added. “You’re going to turn this into a whole thing.”
“Not if everyone’s too busy dancing,” Peter said, already walking away. He paused and pointed a finger at me. “Don’t make me regret this.”
I didn’t answer. I just watched, silently praying that whatever half-baked plan he had would actually work. Peter only had good ideas once in a blue moon. I needed tonight to be one of those times.
Jax and Kane hovered beside me, throwing wary looks my way. I ignored them.
Peter strode up to the DJ and grabbed the mic.
“Alright, alright,” he said, voice booming through the room. “Enough of making single people like us feel even more single. It’s Christmas Eve—everyone should be dancing, not just couples.”
Jax and Kane immediately cupped their hands around their mouths. “Yeah! Justice for the singles!”
Laughter rippled through the room. Even Harper’s lips curved into a small smile. Our eyes met for a brief second before she looked away again, and my chest tightened like someone had wrapped a fist around my heart.
I didn’t realize how badly I wanted her until that moment—until I found myself chanting along with Jax and Kane without even thinking.
“Thank you, my loyal minions,” Peter said with a grin. Kane muttered a curse under his breath. “DJ, how about a rewind on my favorite song? Keep it on loop for a bit. If you know the dance trend, jump in. If you don’t—watch, learn, then join in. It’s easy.”
Cheers broke out. Mostly from people our age.
Mistletoe started playing again, filling the room with warmth and nostalgia. Peter nodded toward us as he moved in Mark’s direction.
Harper began swaying to the beat, her hips moving naturally, effortlessly. Like the rhythm lived inside her. My lips tugged into a smile just watching her. She knew the steps perfectly, like she’d memorized them without ever trying.
Kane clapped a hand against my back, urging me forward. The three of them crowded around Mark and Harper, pulling in more classmates until the dance floor filled up.
Finally, they managed to get Mark distracted dancing with them. Harper ended up beside Megan, laughing as they moved in sync—hands swinging side to side, hips following the rhythm before clapping back in the center.
The room grew crowded, bodies pressing together, but I barely noticed. I stood there, watching her like she was the only person in the room.
Her hands floated through the air, left to right, her waist following the beat. Her shoulders swayed as she laughed, and something about the sound cracked me open from the inside.
I edged closer, then stopped. I didn’t want to ruin the moment—the way she looked carefree, unguarded, genuinely happy.
Her head lifted, and our eyes met again.
I gave her a tight-lipped smile, already expecting her to look away. She didn’t.
Megan noticed us first. She grinned and poked Harper playfully, then suddenly Harper was moving toward me.
She grabbed my hand and dragged me into the middle of the living room.
“Come on, Tyler,” she said brightly. “It’s Christmas Eve. Don’t be moody. Just sway along to the music.”
I didn’t tell her I already knew the steps. Not when watching her try to teach me was quickly becoming my favorite thing in the world.
“You just have to match the rhythm,” she said, demonstrating. “Swing your hands and hips like this. It’s more… manly that way.” She laughed. “For girls, swinging the hips is enough.”
Don’t make this awkward, I warned myself.
I forced myself to focus, moving with the beat, mirroring her steps.
“Like this?” I asked.
She smiled. “Okay, hotshot. Extra points for you.”
Peter whooped from somewhere nearby. “If you can’t dance, at least sing along!”
The crowd cheered as the music carried on, filling the room with even more festive energy.
I reached for Harper’s hand and pulled her gently toward me, not caring who saw. I spun her once, her skirt flaring as she laughed and stumbled back into my chest.
I caught her easily. The world shrank into just the two of us.
Guiding her movements instinctively, I spun her again, then swayed with her, our bodies falling into rhythm as if we’d done this a hundred times before. Her gray eyes shone under the lights, bright as stars, fixed on mine. For the first time since I'd heard this song, the lyrics made sense. I'd rather be here with her than anywhere else celebrating the holiday.
I didn’t even realize when the dance slowed, when our movements softened into nothing more than a sway. My hand rested at her waist. Hers pressed flat against my chest.
We were just inches apart. Breathing the same air. Holding each other's gaze. Then Peter’s voice cut through the haze.
“Whoa. Is it just me, or did it suddenly get hot in here?”
Harper startled, stepping back as if she’d been burned. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, her cheeks flushing.
I exhaled shakily, half grateful, half murderous. Another minute and I would’ve kissed her. No doubt about it.
“Merry Christmas, Tyler,” she said, smiling genuinely.
My brain short-circuited.
Before I could respond, a hand slid around her waist.
“Hey, babe,” Mark said. “Can I talk to you for a sec?” His eyes flicked to me—cold, deliberate, like he was staking a claim. The easy warmth he usually carried was gone, replaced with something tight and possessive. “Alone,” he added.
Harper’s smile faded. “Sure.”
I watched them disappear toward the exit, dread settling deep in my gut. Behind me, Peter sighed.
“You just had to break your promise,” he muttered.
And my chest tightened with guilt—because I knew whatever conversation they were about to have… was because of me.