J

The elevators ding a million times as I wait next to them in the lobby. With every set of doors that opens, my heart rate doubles only to be shot down when Liaa's not on it. I should have just gone to her room, but I wanted to surprise her with coffee and … me.

Ding.

And there she is. Lisa looks up from her phone.

"There you are!"

I turn toward the female voice that stole my line.

Tzuyu charges toward the elevators, holding two coffees. "Oh, hey, Jennie. Lisa, I got you—"

Lisa holds up her finger to stop Tzuyu from speaking. I start to step back, not sure if she's meaning for me to not talk either or if our relationship needs to remain secret.

"I need Jennie for just a sec …" She grabs my hand and pulls me into the elevator. Before the doors completely shut, she takes my face and kisses me with the most demanding lips.

I can't move because I have a cup of coffee in each hand, so I just let her keep me upright with hands that were made to hold me and her body pressing me to the wall of the elevator.

"Good morning," she whispers over my lips with a generous smile capturing her mouth.

And there it is … the prickling along my skin and the butterflies going crazy in my tummy. She sucked all the words from my mouth. I start to speak, but my smile gets its way first.

"Is this for me?" She takes one of the coffees like she didn't just violate my mouth, leaving me a goop of runny paint on the wall. "Mmm … it's good. Thank you." She pushes the button to the lobby.

"I-I wasn't sure if you wanted anyone to know about us."

The elevator dings, and the doors open to Tzuyu waiting with a long list of questions on her face.

"Yes. I think I want people to know." She gives me the best pearly white grin and takes my hand, interlacing our fingers as we step into the lobby.

Tzuyu's jaw slowly unhinges. "You … you're …" Her eyebrows inch up her head.

I hide my happiness behind my coffee cup.

"I, uh … thought she was your student?"

Lisa shrugs. "She was. But she's not now."

My heart does a pirouette. You don't realize how much you miss someone until you're with them after a long time apart and your heart can finally beat again.

"Well …" Tzuyu takes a slow inhale. "Okay then, looks like you have your coffee needs taken care of this morning." She winks at me.

I wrinkle my nose in a tiny apology. But the thing is, I want to meet all of Lisa needs. Always.

"She's the best." Lisa presses her lips to the side of my head.

"You taking the shuttle? Or grabbing a car?" Tzuyu asks.

"Car. So we don't spill our coffee." I hold up my cup.

Tzuyu nods.

"I'll order one. You can ride with us." Lisa takes my coffee so I can dig out my phone.

When we get to Coachella, Tzuyu gives me a hug and whispers, "Lucky girl," before heading to the entrance.

Lisa pulls me into her arms. "Where's your dad?"

"He had a breakfast date with Bethanne."

"Yeah?"

I nod before pressing my lips to her chest over her heart. "I love you. Will you wear a hard hat today?"

She chuckles. "Definitely."

"I want us to have dinner with my dad tonight before he goes home tomorrow. I know it will be late, but if he stops wanting to kill you for two seconds, I think he'll really like you."

"Alrighty then … sounds promising and a little scary."

"I'm an only child." I glance up, squinting against the sun. "Lots of people feel very protective of me. You'd better be careful."

Bending down, she brushes her lips along my cheek. "Jenlisa are a lot of things, but careful is not one of them."

Closing my eyes, my heart dances in this moment, not wishing for the next one. It's not a destination, and it's not even a journey. It's a moment. Life is a moment. Who says we have to go anywhere in life to experience it?

I have never felt more alive than when I'm with Lisa.

My dad and Bethanne meet up with me by lunch, and we spend the last day at Coachella together. I like her silent confidence and her sick knowledge of music. She reminds me a lot of my mom. Dad clearly has a particular taste in women.

After the last performance, all four of us have dinner together. Bethanne is the perfect buffer between my dad and Lisa. It goes unexpectedly well. My dad even gives Lisa a friendly squeeze on the shoulder when we say goodnight.

"We're going to grab a quick drink in the bar." Dad nods toward the hotel bar as Bethanne stands behind him, rocking back and forth on her heels.

I have a feeling Lisa and I are not invited. Part of me wants to pull a Juni and hand my dad a box of condoms with my blessing to hook up with his old friend tonight. But … I don't go quite that far.

"We're taking off early in the morning, so if I don't see you again, it was nice meeting you." I smile at Bethanne.

"Why are we taking off so early?" Dad squints at me.

Lisa squeezes my hand.

"Oh … did I forget to mention that I'm riding back to Colorado with Lisa?"

"You did." Dad's eyes narrow a fraction more.

This is ridiculous. He knows where I was last night and what or who I was doing. I'm twenty-one. His infatuation with playing protective dad needs to come with a large side of reality.

"We'll drive the speed limit, sir." Lisa assures him.

I manage to hold out for a full two seconds before bursting into laughter. Bethanne joins me.

"Come on, Mitch. I'm sure they'll be just fine." She pulls at his arm as he maintains a scowl.

Lisa keeps her composure. Smart girl. I release her hand and lift onto my toes to give my dad a kiss on his cheek.

"I'll see you after a bit."

"Don't wait up for me since you're leaving so early. We'll say goodbye in the morning. Early." He frowns again.

Bethanne's cheeks turn rosy.

"Yeah …" I nod slowly. "I won't."

My dad's face turns pink as well. Oh my gosh … this is too much.

"Night." I twist my lips to keep from letting the gotcha grin slip.

The elevator door dings. Lisa tugs on the back belt loop to my shorts as I watch my dad and Bethanne walk toward the bar. She slips her arm around his waist.

Yeah, he's getting laid tonight.

I turn toward my girl when the door closes. "I guess this is goodnight." My shoulder lifts into a half shrug.

Lisa inspects me with a restrained smirk. "Guess so."

We lean against opposite walls of the elevator with the sexual tension so thick it's hard to breathe. I'm on the fifth floor. She's on the third, so it stops on her floor first. The door opens.

"Nighty night." I grin.

Her eyebrows lift into a slight challenge. "Night." She steps out of the elevator.

I let it go up to my floor then I push the button to the third floor again. Why? Why doesn't she insist we have a goodnight kiss or something like … sex!? She plays me better than I play her. I suck at cool. I just want her. Period.

When the door opens, she's standing right there, waiting for me. "Jerk." I grin.

Lisa pulls me out of the elevator and tosses me over her shoulder. "Tease." She smacks my ass and carries me to room 312.

This moment. This is life.