What The Heart Wants by Jessica Gadziala

nervously.
    Then loudly through the crowd, drowning out Eric’s growl of a bid, “Five-hundred. She’s mine, suckers,” Devon called, running up to the stage, grabbing Anna’s hand and handing the money to Mr. Sinclair. He pulled her down the stairs and brought her over to the refreshment stand. “It had to be done before an outright brawl started,” he grinned, handing her a cup of punch which she drank thirstily.
    “You’re my hero,” she laughed.
    “I’ve always been a sucker for a damsel in distress. So spill… what’s the deal with that love triangle of yours?”
    “There is no love triangle,” she blurted a little too quickly.
    “I think the lady doth protest too much,” he teased.
    “Sam kissed me,” she admitted. “Once. That’s it.”
    Devon nodded. “And O’reilly?”
    “Literally nothing happened with him.” At his disbelieving raised eyebrow, she rushed on, “I know. I know. He’s like this legendary player but nothing happened there. Scouts honor.”
    Devon glanced over her shoulder. “He may not have tried anything yet, but let me promise you something: he wants to.”
    Anna craned her neck over her shoulder to where Devon was looking. Eric was standing by the exit. He was watching them and when he noticed her looking, he smiled slowly and winked before leaving.
    She glanced around trying to get a glimpse of Sam but he was nowhere to be found.
    Devon pulled her onto the dance floor for the final song and held her at a chaste distance. “I’m going to pay you back, you know,” she told him.
    Devon’s eyebrow dipped in confusion. “For what?”
    “For me. This dance. Five hundred dollars was an insane bid.”
    Then Devon surprised her by letting out a loud laugh, throwing his head back like a little kid. “Oh hush,” he said, still smiling. “I’m from one of the founding families, Anna. We have money coming out of our ears. Besides,” he said, reaching forward and tugging a strand of her hair like a brother would. “you’re worth every penny.”
    After the dance was over, Devon led her out to her car, bowed to her and told her to get home safely.
    Back at home, Anna stood out in her yard, cooling off after hours in a hot gym. She flexed her sore, blistered feet in the cold grass as she reflected on the evening. She had to hand it to Hank, she really had a great night. It was an easy way to talk to new people without the pressure of sitting across the table from someone. Devon had been a blast.
    Anna shook her head, realizing the people she’d connected to the most effortlessly were Ashley and Devon- both teenagers.
    Sighing as the wind cooled her flushed face, she reached behind her back, looking for the zipper to her dress. It budged about a quarter of an inch before it got stuck. She cursed under her breath.
    “I can help you with that,” Sam said behind her and she shrieked, spinning to face him with a hand on her pounding heart. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you,” he apologized.
    “Then you shouldn’t sneak up on people,” she snapped. She had never been the kind of person who was comfortable expressing her frustration or anger and she wasn’t entirely sure why she was so annoyed with Sam.
    Sam cocked his head to the side at her tone. “You didn’t answer when I knocked,” he explained calmly.
    Having no further comment, Anna reached down to retrieve her shoes. “Did Maude get your money back?” she asked, walking toward her back porch and dropping the shoes inside the kitchen door.
    Sam shook his head and sighed. “She stormed over, smacked me upside my head and informed me she was keeping my dollar because I was sending Little Red Riding Hood to the wolf.”
    “She’s a cryptic woman,” Anna hedged, not wanting to have that conversation.
    “Look I don’t need a Rosetta stone to interpret that. She was talking about you. And Eric.” He stepped a little closer. “I saw you dancing with him tonight.”
    “I danced with a lot of men