Page 6 of Single Chance

As if I’d summoned her with my thoughts, she came back into the ballroom at that moment. She paused, scanning the room. I saw the second she recognized me in the low light.

When she headed in my direction, I felt light as air. The crowd had thickened on this end of the ballroom now that the band was done playing, so I lost sight of her a few times. Then there she was, still coming my way, her eyes on me and a shy smile on her tempting lips.

I closed the last few steps between us and took her hand as the DJ started a song.

“Hey, princess,” I quipped, smiling warmly. “I was hoping you’d come back.

“I told you I would,” she said.

I didn’t point out that could just as easily be a blow off as a promise. “Would you like a drink? A dance?”

“I’d love some water. I’m parched.”

“It’s that dry, frozen air,” I said, laughing again because we’d gotten so carried away out there in twenty-degree weather.

“You’re lucky your arms didn’t get frostbite,” she said as we headed to the nearest bar.

“I’m lucky I had a beautiful girl keeping me warm.”

Once we’d shared a bottle of water, we headed to the dance floor. The music was too fast for slow dancing, but I could hold my own on the upbeat songs too.

Halfway through the first song, Rowan leaned close. “You’re good at this. I’m not worthy.”

I laughed. “You’re perfect.” I pulled her closer, and we swayed together, our eyes locked, both of us grinning. I hadn’t drunk more than two beers, but I was flying high because of her.

After a handful of eighties dance songs, the DJ said, “Hey, party people, the New Year’s about nine minutes away. We’re going to slow things down for a couple dances to get you in the mood for your New Year’s kiss, so if you don’t know who you’ll be kissing yet, now’s the time to figure it out. Don’t be caught alone at the stroke of midnight!”

I didn’t have the chance to question Rowan. She ran her hands up my chest, to the back of my neck, drawing me in closer, her pretty eyes sparkling as if she’d drunk twice as many cocktails as she had. Knowing I was the cause of that sparkle sent my blood pounding through me. I ached to see what other reactions I could elicit from her, preferably with her out of that sedate costume.

Thatwas getting ahead of myself.

“Tell me something about yourself,” I said as we swayed to a Madonna slow song, trying to rein in my thoughts. I barely knew this girl and might be reading her all wrong.

She laughed quietly. “Like what?”

I shrugged. “What do you do for a living?”

A frown flitted over her face so quickly I wasn’t sure I’d seen right.

“I’m a high-school teacher,” she said.

“In Nashville?”

She bit her lip. “I’m between teaching positions.” She averted her eyes. A couple of heartbeats later, she met my gaze again. “I had to quit my position to care for my grandmother. She died recently of Alzheimer’s.”

The sadness in her eyes hit me in the gut. “I’m sorry,” I said helplessly. “That must’ve been really hard.”

She swallowed and nodded. “Let’s not bring the mood down.” She mustered a smile. “What about you? What do you do?”

“I’m in marketing,” I said, still trying to wrap my head around what she might have gone through recently. Quitting a job to be someone’s caretaker told me a lot about her character. I wanted to know more, but I didn’t want to cause more sadness.

“Is this how you spent last New Year’s Eve too?” She gestured to the party, then put her hand back on me where I wanted it.

“Truth? I don’t remember how I spent last New Year’s.”

More than likely, it was something to do with my daughter. I needed to quit thinking about Sam for a few hours, but when I spent most of my waking hours worrying about her, turning that off didn’t come easily.

I eased our bodies closer together and breathed in her sweet, feminine scent. “Tonight has the potential to be much more memorable,” I said, watching her for a reaction.

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