Page 31 of If Ever

"Uh, I don't know." I utter. "I'm no good next to them."

"That's crazy talk. You just scored perfect tens."

Stepping back, I say, "I'm serious. I can't dance unless I've been given steps and a week of rehearsals." Talking with him is more than enough to make my night. I don’t need to ruin it by dancing poorly.

"Me, either." He gestures to the dance floor.

I take a sip of my rum and Coke, and we step onto the dance floor with his hand at the small of my back. The song is upbeat. But he swings me into his arms, guiding me around the dance floor. Surprisingly, I'm able to follow his lead. I guess all these weeks of dancing has paid off.

The song changes to something slower and he transitions us into the new number. "Wow, you can really dance!" I exclaim, relaxing in his close proximity.

He raises an eyebrow. "I am on Broadway."

My mind goes blank. What does that have to do with dancing? Then my thoughts click. Broadway. Performing. Singing and dancing. "Oh my God. Of course!"

He throws back his head and laughs. I lower my forehead to his chest to hide my embarrassment. Tom leans back and holds me away so I'm forced to look at him again.

"I am such a moron. I've been in this Celebrity Dance Off bubble for too long. It's like anything outside of this show doesn't exist."

He maneuvers me into a turn, pulls me back to him, and smiles. "I love how there's no fancy pretenses with you." He smiles.

I'm so out of my element with this guy. I release his hand to make a quick escape. He catches me before I take two steps. "Oh no you don't. You're not bailing."

"Now who's bossy?" I say, firmly and happily ensconced in his hold again.

He smirks and when the song eventually ends, I'm disappointed. We join Dominic, Pavel and a couple others at a highboy. Tom is dragged away to meet someone and I pretend I don't miss him.

Hank sidles up as the others leave for the buffet. "That was some performance tonight."

"Thanks." His compliments always mean the most.

"That video package was something." He holds my gaze. "You've been through fire and ice and come out all the stronger."

"Is that what happened?" I laugh.

His wise, old eyes see right through me. "You, my dear, are a survivor."

I glance away, self-conscious. Tom is talking with Dominic. Dominic shakes his head and smiles, then pats Tom on the shoulder.

Hank lifts his glass. "So it looks like you and Dominic are back in the race."

I return my attention to Hank. "You looked pretty suave out there tonight," I say to change the subject. And then I see Cassie fawning over Tom again and turn my back so I don't have to watch.

"I just let Sonya push me around the floor and whisper the steps in my ear. I'm getting too damn old to play with you kids." He shakes his head, as if ready to throw in the towel.

"Hank. Don't say that. You're one of the few highlights of this show for me."

He smirks. "I don't know. You seem to have found a new highlight of your own."

"What are you talking about?"

He tilts his head toward Tom who's now laughing with Cassie and her troupe friends two tables away.

My heart warms at the sight of him, but he's distracted with the gorgeous pro dancers. "It was really amazing that he came out here to sing for us."

"I'd say it was amazing in more ways than that. I've seen how you light up whenever he's around." Hank winks.

If Hank noticed, has everyone else? My face falls. "Oh my God, do you think he knows?"

---