Page 75 of Seas the Dating Coach

“We’re going to learn the basic steps with Margot in the grassy area, and then the band is supposed to play “Open Arms,” “Take it to the Limit,” and “Electric Heartbeat.” Those all should have a waltz feel to them so we can practice. Next week, we’ll have a more formal lesson at the library.”

I grin at the last song title. It’s one of my Raven Sacaria favorites. Just as the band is really getting into their song, the audio cuts out. They continue a few beats acoustically before the bassist yells out to the crowd. “Give us a second, and we’ll be right back!”

Several hoots and hollers arise in response.The Deloreans Bandusually pulls more mainlanders to our island than the regular Saturday night bands.

Geneva strides by in her signature black heels and snug black dress. She gives Finn a tight nod, but the corner of her mouth quirks when she catches my gaze.

“I’m surprised to see Geneva here,” Finn says after she’s passed us by.

“Why? She’s here almost every Saturday night.” Not that I know this information firsthand, but it’s well known throughout town. “I’ve heard she enjoys shooting down the mainlanders who try to hit on her.”

As if on cue, an unfamiliar man sidles up to the bar where Geneva is speaking to Cynthia. The mustached man says a greeting over her ear, setting his hand on Geneva’s back. Except, his hand is so low he’s essentially cupping her backside. Finn drops my hand as he surges forward, but before he canintervene, the man is met with a whip-quick elbow to the solar plexus. Geneva doesn’t even take her attention away from the tattooed bartender during the movement. She just keeps chatting with Cynthia like nothing happened.

“Hey!” one of the man’s friends shouts as he rushes to aid his doubled-over friend. “That was uncalled for.”

The crowd turns from watching the band resetting the audio to the scene at the bar.

“What was?” Geneva blinks at the second man with doe-eyed innocence, her voice artificially airy. “Me flinching when he touched me? There’s no way I could have hurt him with a little twitch.”

He glares. “That was way more than a twitch.”

“Looked like a flinch to me,” Cynthia says, setting two orange crush cocktails in front of the couple to Geneva’s left.

The man looks around, but no one—absolutely no one—offers him backup. Since his friend is still wheezing, he human-crutch-walks him to a picnic table by the water. Barely restrained chuckles echo in the bar area before the strum of an electric guitar diverts everyone’s attention back to the stage.

Finn continues to frown. “I hate when men do that—take advantage just because they can.”

“It’s disgusting,” I agree, my stomach churning as Geneva lets out a slow deliberate breath.

I want to go over and talk to Geneva, preferably wrap her in a hug, but I’m pretty sure she wouldn’t want to be approached. If she’d been giving don’t-talk-to-me vibes before, she’s giving poison-barbed-angry-wolverine vibes now.

“Fortunately, Geneva is a force to be reckoned with.”

“Yeah, but…” I tilt my head. “As much as she projects thatLive, Laugh, Toaster Bathexterior, I think she’s really all marshmallowy gooeyness inside.”

I don’t share the observation I made on my way to Finn’s house earlier. Geneva had been working out in her gym alone. One of the garage doors had been half open,Paramorepouring out into the air. She’d beenabsolutely destroyinga punching bag with not only hits but a series of barefooted kicks. But then there’d been this moment I wasn’t supposed to see. Geneva placed one glove on the bag, bracing herself as her head hung low. I’d thought she was just resting, but then she used her other forearm to wipe away tears.

Of course, she could have been wiping sweat out of her eyes.

Either way, I made a decision at that moment. Geneva is officially added to part four of the plan: make new friends. Things went great with Summer this morning, but somehow, I know I’ll need to tread lightly in befriending Geneva. When she’d arrived, out of the blue, five years ago, it’d taken Noah over a year to finally convince her that he was nothing like their estranged father. Luckily, I’m three thousand times more lovable than that cheating dirtbag.

Finn chuckles at my description of Geneva before offering his elbow like a proper gentleman. “Shall we, my lady?”

“Yes, let’s.” I wrap my fingers around his strong arm, and he escorts me toward the people awaiting dance lessons.

We’re exactly three steps into Margot’s instruction when I snort. “You already know how to waltz.”

“It was expected.” Finn keeps his gaze over my shoulder, his expression too stony for the relaxed atmosphere.

I’m carefully considering my next question when Karen’s ring-laden hand slaps me in the ribs after Todd sent her out in a sloppy spin. The two are in rare form tonight, overly affectionate as they waltz along. Usually when they’re out in public, they’re fighting.

“Sorry,” Finn murmurs, pushing me closer to him with one broad hand between my shoulder blades and effortlessly steering us away.

“Why are you apologizing?”

“I should have kept you out of the reach of those menaces. I don’t know how everyone puts up with them.”

“They’re locals.” I shrug.

---