Page 53 of Stuck With the Billionaire Grump

No, I don’t want to dance with you. I mean, I shouldn’t want to dance with you. Dancing with you would probably be a bad idea. Like, one of those bad ideas that definitely sounds like a good idea, but will probably turn into a disaster before you know it.

“Yes,” I answer.

My befuddled thoughts turn into wordless question marks at the unexpected response that spills out of me.

I think Eric says something as I slip my hand into Theo’s, but my heart is beating too fast for me to hear anything else.

Theo leads me to the dance floor. I’m too stunned to say anything. Who is this man? Is this the real Theo Danvers? The version of him that everyone but me gets to interact with?

When we reach a spot on the dance floor with plenty of space for us among the other couples, I rest my free hand on Theo’s shoulder. He places his on my waist. It feels just like it did before in the moonlit woods, both of us tangled in the ferns and pressed against the smooth bark of a tree trunk. What might have happened then if Eric hadn’t interrupted us?

I would have kissed you.

I catch Ruby Sullivan’s eye just past Theo’s shoulder. She’s dancing with her boyfriend, Ben, a charming poet from New York. Not far from Ruby is her twin, Amy, contentedly leaning against Liam’s chest as they sway together, her engagement ringgleaming in the dim light. Theirs will be the next wedding to plan.

Josie and Elijah are holding court at the other end of the ballroom, accepting the congratulations and compliments that they wholeheartedly deserve.

“It’s a beautiful wedding, Lucy,” Theo murmurs. “You did an amazing job. Really.”

I can’t help smiling at him, even as I’m simultaneously overwhelmed by how close his face is to mine. “You helped.”

He smirks. “Barely.”

“More than that. Without you, the lights and the slideshow and the mics wouldn’t be functioning properly. Plus, you sacrificed a shirtsleeve to help me with the wisteria arch.”

Theo playfully rolls his eyes, but he quietly accepts my praise. I call that progress. Actually, this entire moment symbolizeshugeprogress between us. Here we are, our bodies mere inches from touching, and we’re not even arguing. It’s a vast improvement on what happened twelve years ago.

His smile fades slightly. “I’m sorry I stole you away from Eric. I just didn’t know when I’d get another chance to talk to you.”

“You didn’t steal me away from him,” I insist with a laugh. “Eric is just an old friend. We’re not—there’s nothing going on between us.”

“Really? But he said you two have history…”

I scoff quietly. “If we do, it’s your fault.”

Theo cocks his head to the side. “What do you mean?”

I shouldn’t have said anything. “It’s nothing.”

“No, really.”

Fine. He was honest with me about his perspective of that night at Cabin B, therefore, I should be honest with him, too.

“The only reason I kissed Eric that summer is because I was trying to distract myself from the fact that you didn’t want to kiss me,” I admit. It sounds silly and childish when I say it aloudnow as a grown woman, but it was the absolute truth when I was sixteen years old.

“Oh. I thought you didn’t like me, though.”

“I thought I didn’t either. In hindsight, I don’t think that’s true. I think I was a little heartbroken that you refused to even touch me. Of course, I understand whynow, but back then I was just angry, offended, and hurt.” I’m talking so fast that I don’t even know how Theo is listening, but I have to get these words out before I lose all my steam. “So, when I came home for the rest of the summer and Eric was here, he was nice and friendly and I just wanted to get my stupid first kiss over with. Except, it was a complete disaster.”

The song is close to ending, but I’m not ready to let go of Theo yet. From the way his hand tightens on my waist, I think he feels the same way.

“A disaster?” he echoes.

“Eric gave me mono from that kiss. Then I shared a drink with Josie before I realized I was sick, so she got it, too. And obviously she was kissing Elijah all the time, so then he got sick. It was a whole thing. Eric left shortly after and I literally haven’t seen him since then. So, it’s not really like we have history together. It’s more like we just have a really funny, ridiculous story to tell about how we met.”

Theo’s lips twitch. “Our story is kind of funny and ridiculous, too. In hindsight, I mean.”

I mirror his slight smile. “Yeah, it is.”

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