Page 36 of The Magic of Sea Glass
She liked the idea that it could be meant for her. “You know, I found a piece of sea glass too. It was on the beach outside the inn.”
“Maybe it’s your lucky charm,” Stephanie said, going back to her watermelon.
Lauren looked down at her bracelet, considering the fact that she seemed to be surrounded by sea glass lately. The idea warmed her. It had been a long time since luck had made its presence known in her life. As she took in the stunning piece of glass, she did have to admit that it was nice to have such beauty around her. Maybe itwaslucky.
* * *
“You know that dance the kids are doing—that wiggle, wiggle, turn thing?” Stephanie asked Lauren as she sat with her knees pulled up on Brody’s sofa, her fourth glass of wine in her hand.
The wine had been Brody’s suggestion, since he didn’t have any other dessert, apart from the watermelon.
“I don’t know it,” Lauren replied, taking a drink from her glass. She’d lost count of her own number of glasses, but she had the mellow buzz of normalcy that came from sipping it slowly, which she gladly welcomed. Even though she knew the feeling wouldn’t last after the wine wore off, she was thankful for the moment of peace.
“Yes, you have to know it.” Stephanie jumped up and set her glass on the table. “Doyouknow what I’m talking about, Brody?” She put her hands in the air and wriggled around, nearly falling over and making Brody lurch forward in response. Lauren reached out and steadied her.
“Definitely not in my repertoire,” he said with a chuckle.
“This is ridiculous,” she teased, pulling out her phone and scrolling through social media. “You all have to have seen it.” She turned a video around toward them.
“Oh, Idoknow it,” Lauren said, a plume of amusement rising up at the sight of it. “It’s like this,” she said, getting up and demonstrating the dance for Brody. As she waved her arms overhead, the sparkle in his eye relaxed her even further. “Stand up, I’ll teach it to you—it’s easy.”
Chewing on a smile, Brody complied and followed her lead.
“Wait!” Stephanie stumbled across the room and clicked on the radio, tuning it to a pop station. “This’ll work.”
The music thumped throughout the room.
“Put your foot out like this and then back in,” Lauren instructed Brody.
He did as he was told.
“And then put your hands out like this. One, two, three.” She waved her hands in the air, laughing when Brody did the same, the amusement coming effortlessly tonight.
“Now turn a half turn and do it again.”
Brody kicked out his heel and then put his hands up. “This is definitely not rocket science.”
“But you have to show him how it fits when the two of you do it together,” Stephanie said.
Lauren stepped in front of Brody, his woodsy scent wafting toward her. “When you put your right foot out, I’ll put my left foot back. Then we’ll throw our hands in the air, lock fingers, and turn together.” As the music pounded loudly around them, they moved in unison, and before she knew it, his strong hands were holding hers, the two of them rotating as their arms slid down by their sides. His breath was at her cheek, their bodies moving together. He put his hand on her back and they began dancing right there in the middle of his living room.
Finally satisfied, Stephanie fell back onto the sofa and picked up her glass. “I want to be sure we include that in the reception. It’s so much fun. It’s been on my mind for weeks.”
Lauren let go of Brody, breathless. “I’ll make sure of it. You have my word.”
A knock at the door halted the conversation.
“That’s probably Mitchell,” Brody said, jerking his gaze away from Lauren, clicking off the radio, and walking to the front entrance.
Stephanie looked over at him wide-eyed. “Mitchell?”
“Yes, I called him to come get you,” Brody called over his shoulder.
She gave him a sleepy-eyed grin. “You’re so great. Isn’t he great?”
Lauren’s heart hammered. Yes, hewasgreat.
Brody answered the door and let Mitchell in. “Your bride,” he said with a wave.
