Page 57 of Third Time Lucky

‘I know the area well,’ I say, a twinge of excitement filling me. Exploring my favorite part of town with Lucy would undoubtedly be an adventure.

Suddenly, our phones simultaneously ding with a message, interrupting our thoughts. We both check our devices.

‘Is this some sort of -A situation fromPretty Little Liars?’ Lucy asks, her tone laced with both amusement and intrigue.

Aaron

We’re double dating bro!!! STD – next friday, we got a hot 1 – lucy loo’s got the deets.

My eyes scan the message before looking up at Lucy. ‘It’s from Aaron.’

She nods. ‘Madi. I told her our idea this weekend… word’s out.’

‘Not sure we got the same text ’cause I think Aaron’s telling me he’s got an STD?’ I say regretfully. ‘Please tell me yours says something different?’

‘An STD? Mine says, save the date—’ Lucy glances at me with a smirk. ‘You’re officially busy next Friday. Meet us in the Woodstock neighborhood at 8p.m.; there will be a pop-up SBDP.’

‘STD clearly doesn’t mean what I suspected, thank God. But what the hell is SBDP?’ I repeat.

‘No idea.’

Mitzi chimes in from across the room, now sitting at the dining table with her laptop opened. ‘Silent bubble dance party and it seems there’s one happening next Friday night in Woodstock. Dancing!’ she coos. ‘I remember going dancing. It was so wonderfully freeing, letting the rhythm take over.’

Asher and I both turn toward her, intrigued by this new information. She danced, huh?

‘How did you figure it out so fast?’ I ask.

‘Mitzi’s obsessed with Google,’ Lucy says.

‘Google knows everything,’ Mitzi confirms. ‘I wish it was a thing fifty years ago. My nonstop Google searching got you here,’ she tells me directly.

‘Dancing,’ Lucy says, glancing my way. ‘That’s fun.’

‘You’ll need a new dress,’ Mitzi suggests to her.

‘Maybe.’

I notice Mitzi’s interest in our conversation and can’t help but wonder about her younger years. Maybe she wants to come with? I’m sure Lucy wouldn’t mind considering how close they seem.

‘What do you think, Mitzi? Going dancing with us?’

‘Pardon?’ she asks, her head cocked like she didn’t hear me. She closes the laptop, getting up slowly and making her way to the bar.

Lucy beams. ‘Are you inviting my grandmother?’

‘Psshhh,’ Mitzi shushes her. ‘If the answer to her question is yes, I would love to go dancing with you, Asher.’

‘Then it’s a date.’

‘Can I come?’ Lucy asks with a laugh.

‘I hope you do,’ I say.

‘Of course you can, darling,’ Mitzi says. ‘He’ll need a dance partner when I’m tired. And when I’m not, we’ll have a three-way dance party.’

I laugh at her choice of words.

Lucy’s eyebrows shoot up her forehead. ‘She’s a little filthy-mouthed for eighty,’ she teases, leaning into her grandmother, her arm around her shoulders now as she hugs her to her side.

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