Page 12 of Secret Santas and Holiday Dances

Jessie and Caroline exchanged looks, and Jessie let out a long sigh. “All right, fine. But if she steps out of line even once, I’m dumping roaches in her bed.”

Caroline nodded. “We have your back, Grace. Whatever you need, just ask.”

Chapter 6

Liam swung Penny around the dance floor to “All I Want for Christmas is You,” grinning from ear to ear, listening to her happy giggles, and watching her joyful smile. The town had gone all out on decorating the cultural hall or red barn, as everyone called it. They draped the ceiling in twinkling lights, and a large Christmas tree sat in the corner. Each table around the dance floor had cranberry-colored tablecloths with large candles sitting in the middle of evergreen branches. The town rarely used the cultural hall for dances, a couple of dances in the spring and summer, a Halloween dance during the Harvest Festival, and a Christmas dance, and boy oh boy, were people taking advantage. This was the busiest he’d seen the hall for a dance all year. Harvest Ranch loved Christmas.

He dipped Penny and she let out a happy squeal, catching the attention of his parents who danced nearby. They grinned as he pulled her up and spun her out. Helena and Ryan waved at her from where they were dancing, and Jenny and her husband sat at their table, laughing, both couples enjoying their night out away from kids. Liam felt a little pang in his chest watching his parents, sisters, and brothers-in-law, all so in love and happy. He’d thought he’d had what they had once, with his ex. He’d been wrong—painfully, excruciatingly wrong. He wouldn’t be jumping into a new relationship anytime soon.

Grace popped into his head, along with the little red present she’d left for him, but he pushed it out just as fast. Grace was his friend. Nothing more.

Lula let out a loud laugh from the edge of the dance floor, catching his and Penny’s attention. A young man took her hand and led her to the dance floor. Liam and his niece laughed and kept dancing. Lula had danced with every eligible bachelor in the room tonight. How his youngest sister had managed to get to twenty-six and not get married was beyond him. Both Helena and Jenny had married young, but Jenny had wanted to finish college and get settled in a career here in town before she’d even considered a relationship. The way she was flirting tonight made him wonder if she was getting ready to consider it.

The song ended, and “Winter Wonderland” came on. Ryan caught Liam’s eye over Penny’s head and he signaled a change of partners. Liam spun his niece out, and Penny’s dad stepped in, dancing his little girl off. Helena walked over to him, and he held out a hand.

“Dance?”

She fanned her face. “Water first; want some?”

“I’ll grab them,” he said.

“Thank you!”

He pushed through the group of dancers and people standing at the edges of the dance floor. He scanned the room for Grace, shooting a look at the door. She wasn’t coming. He knew she wasn’t when she’d told him she’d try. Life on Canvas had been closed for half an hour now. He’d bet she was sitting in the darkened studio, looking at budget reports not due for another couple of weeks. But that didn’t stop him from looking for her whenever he glimpsed someone her height and build or with similar coloring.

Emma Lee’s Christmas party was next week, and he had to get her there. To get her out of her bubble. He had to help her loosen up and learn to have a little fun—to learn to take care of herself, too.

He reached the bar and leaned against the side, holding up two fingers to the bartender, who they brought in from Charleston for the dance. “Two waters.”

The bartender nodded but didn’t look thrilled—must be a bad tip night. He’d leave him a good one. Liam pulled out his wallet.

“I’ll have one of whatever he’s having, too,” a low sultry voice called to the bartender from beside Liam.

He smiled and glanced to his right. “Hope you were after water,” he said. A beautiful, petite redhead stood there, a flirtations smirk pulling at her luscious red lips. He came up short.

She batted her lashes, her pale green eyes sparkling with mirth. She chuckled, her laugh like Christmas chimes. “Big spender, huh?”

He faced her. “You know it. In fact, your drinks on me.”

She laughed as the bartender handed them three bottles of water. “Thank you, kind stranger,” she simpered.

The bartender mumbled something about the waters being free as he walked off. Liam raised his brows in amusement, pulled a twenty from his wallet, and shoved it in the tip jar. Call it goodwill for a cranky bartender for Christmas. Besides, Liam could use all the good karma he could get, especially if he was going to get Grace to go to these dances with him.

He returned his gaze to the woman. She had one fine-tipped, white nail pressed to her lips. There was something familiar about her, but he couldn’t put his finger on it. “Are you new in town? I haven’t seen you around here before, have I?”

She held his gaze and slowly opened her water bottle, letting the seconds tick by without dropping eye contact. Man, this woman was a flirt. Older than him, but probably not by much. And stunning. She was the kind of woman who spent good time on her looks every morning, and the effort paid off—though he’d bet she’d be beautiful without all the effort too.

Finally, she shook her head. “New-ish. And I’m sure I’d remember meeting such a handsome man.”

Yep, she was trouble. He held out a hand. “Liam Nichols, and you are?”

She quirked a brow and shook his hand. “I’ll tell you on one condition.”

“All right, I’ll bite,” Liam said. “What’s the condition?”

“A dance?”

He threw his head back and laughed. “Oh, man. Deal.”

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