Page 4 of Dance with Me on New Year's Eve

Chapter 2

The frigid March air felt wonderful as I strode down the lightly snow-covered sidewalk an hour later. Stress and anxiety tended to make my body heat up a million degrees. But within a minute, I was putting on my mittens and thick knit hat.

My phone buzzed in the pocket of my thick coat, but I wasn’t about to take off my mittens to check it. I could wait one more minute until I got home. At least I lived near the restaurant where I’d met Hazel and Jeff. I was basically within walking distance of everything in downtown Shipsvold, a tiny, charming town in southeastern Minnesota. Downtown was less than a mile long and only a couple of blocks wide. And that was pretty much the town.

Sure, some Shipsvold residents—including Hazel and her new boyfriend, Peter—lived a distance away off the country roads. And there was the fancy resort across the lake, which was a bit of a distance to walk uphill. But thank goodness for that, because I wasn’t exactly great at committing to organized “exercise.” I did own a car, but it sat in my apartment building’s underground garage most of the time. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d driven anywhere. Like most residents, I could walk or bike almost anywhere, even in the harsh winters, though I preferred to stay home as much as humanly possible.

When the icy two-minute walk was over, I slumped against the wall inside the foyer of my apartment building. I didn’t remember today’s weather forecast beingthisbrutal. I’d grown up in the South but had lived in Minnesota for the lastdecade, so I should be used to this. Winter here consisted of Christmas, New Year’s, and then at least three months of icy misery.

Maybe you never get used to it.

Too late, I spotted a tall, curvy blonde woman starting to open the door into the foyer, where the mailboxes were located, and I cringed under my heavy knit scarf.

Jenna Stirling was the most extroverted person I’d ever encountered, I was certain.

Before I could dash off in the other direction, she was in my face, squinting at me through her thick black lashes. “Is that … Roxy, is that you?”

I nodded reluctantly, pulling my scarf off my face and immediately regretted it as her rich amber perfume assaulted my senses. “Uh, hi—”

“I amsoglad I caught you. We need to talk, like, yesterday.”

My brows furrowed. What could be so urgent?

Doesn’t matter.

Get out of there.

But before I could even begin to utter an excuse to run off, she put a hand on my right shoulder. “Did youseethat new guy who just moved in?” I shook my head, knowing she wasn’t really looking for an answer. “His name is Roberto, and he’s freaking gorgeous, Roxy. You would not believe what he was wearing when I bumped into him this morning in the gym. These shorts that barely covered—”

“Jenna, I really can’t—”

“Believe me, you’re going to want to hear this, hon. He didn’t just have a physique to die for, but hisvoice, like velvet,was the most sensual thing I’ve ever heard. I couldn’t resist asking what he was doing tonight.” She raised her eyebrows.

“Uh, probably unpacking? You said he just moved in.”

She elbowed me sharply and giggled. “Oh no, he has sons who will do all that. Yes,two sons!Can you believe it? A single dad. I mean, this isperfectfor you, Rox. I made sure to tell himyou’re single, and he—”

“Wait, you saidwhat? What … why me?” My brows furrowed as I frantically tried to process her words. Why would a single dad be perfect for me? Granted, I did enjoy children. Still, I wasn’t even sure if I wanted kids at all, considering my, er, deficiencies as a human being; I definitely wasn’t interested in some random guy’s kids.

“Well, I … I just assumed you might …” For once, Jenna seemed to struggle for words. Then she clapped her hands together as her full lips curved into a smile. “You know what? It doesn’t matter. If you’re not interested, I know someone else who is.”

Was she implying I was desperate? I mean …

I swallowed, wishing I could end this conversation immediately but knowing she’d just follow me. “You?”

She erupted into giggles, making her long earrings shake. “You know me too well. He’s almost young enough to be my son, but that’s never stopped me before, has it?”

I nodded weakly, unsure how to respond.

Think. Think fast.

“Well, that’s great for you. So, I need to go—”

Her long, thin eyebrows peaked with interest. “Oh, where are you off to? I’m not busy, so I could come along—”

Nope. Just no.

“I—work. I have to work. And then wax. In the, uh, all the places. I also have to clean out my—”

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