Page 36 of Dance with Me on New Year's Eve

“I don’t—I don’t think your dad will want me to come. And you should have some bonding time.”

“I’m sure Daddy would be fine with it. Right, Daddy?” She aimed her hopeful face toward him. It would be hard to say no to that sweet face, but I knew he would.

He made eye contact with me briefly before turning back to his daughter. “It’s fine. She can come if you want. Ifshewants to. She might have other plans.”

My jaw hung open as I shook my head, feeling confused. “No …”

“You don’t want to go?” Lila looked like she was going to cry now.

“No, I mean, I don’t have plans.” My eyes bounced back and forth between her and her dad. Going hiking with a colleague I could barely tolerate on even the best day—and who felt exactlythe same about me—was a bad idea for so many reasons. But I couldn’t say no to Lila, could I?

I glanced at Aileen, who was rolling her eyes and exhaling loudly. And I knew what I had to do.

“OK, I’ll go.”

I didn’t dare look at Jeff, afraid of what I’d find there. He was surely hoping I’d decline.

Chapter 9

“Maybe I could just make up an excuse not to go,” I said over the phone a week later, with a heavy sigh. “I’m good at that.”

“Hmm,” said Julia.

I leaned forward on the couch to stretch my tight calf muscles, which were a bit sore from walking uphill to the resort more than usual this week. Mariana and her executive assistant were leading a series of staff meetings and professional development sessions that I’d unfortunately had to not only plan but also attend. At least the planning and logistics kept me busy and away from Jeff for the most part.

When Julia didn’t say more, I prodded her. “What does ‘hmm’ mean, Julia?”

“It means … you could do that.”

“But?”

“Do you want to disappoint a little girl?” she asked in a too-casual voice.

I groaned. “Of course I don’t. She’s so sweet.” I ran my palm over my hair and tugged on the ends. “Do you think I haven’t thought of that?”

“Of course you have.”

“I mean, it’s the reason I said yes.”

“Right, of course.”

“But you understand my hesitation, surely?”

“Of course,” Julia said in a voice that sounded a littletoononchalant.

She was my best friend—my only friend—but sometimesshe could be maddening. I took a last sip from my wineglass and rose to refill it in the kitchen. “Julia—”

“Are you drinking, Rox?”

Despite being mildly annoyed, I chuckled. “Guilty as charged,” I said while opening the red wine bottle and pouring some more. “I feel just a slight bit bubbly.”

Julia burst into laughter. “Were you just trying to do an English accent? Because I’m living in England?”

“Guilty again!” I took another sip. “I’ve only had one glass so far though.”

“You never did haveanytolerance, even during college.”

“I know. Or should I say ‘I know’?” I donned my horrendous English accent for the last words. “Sorry, I can’t help it. CAH-n’t help it, that is.”

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