Page 87 of Just Another Silly Love Song
It was just dancing and nothing more.
As long as she didn’t wear that perfume.
Because if she did, all bets would be off.
Chapter Seventeen
LORI
Grandma Joyce and I arrived at the dance studio at the same time as Ben and his grandpa. We got out of our cars and everyone exchanged hugs, except for me and Ben. I had been fighting the urge to hug him, so I had come up with an alternative.
I’m embarrassed to say that I decided on a fist bump.
“Hey, partner.” I curled my fingers together into a fist and held out my hand.
Ben stared at my hand for a moment, chuckling. “Right.” He fist-bumped me and shook his head. “I feel so much closer to you after that intimate knuckle exchange.”
“Friends. Remember that.”
My words were lacking authority and that scared me.
“How can I forget? You’re like a broken record.” Ben grabbed the door handle to the dance studio and swung it open, waving us through.
I was surprised how many people were already there, and even more shocked that Ben and I appeared to be the only two people who weren’t seniors. We all signed in and stood behind the group of people, waiting for the instructor.
A few seconds later, woman in her thirties dressed in a black dress and black dance shoes practically floated on air toward the center of the room in front of the mirror that covered the entire wall.
“Welcome, one and all! My name is Eliza and I will be your instructor this afternoon. Now, I want to make sure you all know that this is a beginner class, just in case someone showed up at the wrong time, or if one of you is a dance expert or former contestant ofDancing with the Stars. If you are here by mistake, please raise your hand.”
There were a few laughs from around the room, but nobody responded or raised their hand.
“Good! We’ll be learning a few beginning dance moves today. Salsa and cha cha are always very popular, so we’ll start there. If we have time, then maybe we’ll do a country two-step or the hustle, or something else.” She clapped her hands together. “Let’s begin! We’ll first start with some very basic salsa moves, so I will need a volunteer.” She scanned the room, passing several of the enthusiastic waving hands from men, her wandering eyes stopping directly on Ben, but not before inspecting him from head to toe. “You. Sir.”
Why wasn’t I surprised?
She just happened to pick the best-looking man in the room.
Were we all supposed to believe that it was a coincidence or a random choice?
No way.
Ben poked himself in the chest with his index finger. “Me?”
Eliza smiled and gave Ben thecome-hithersignal with her finger. “Yes. You. It takes two to tango, and salsa and swing, and everything else for that matter.”
Oh, brother.
For some unknown reason, I glanced down at her ring finger and saw it was bare.
I mentally kicked myself for doing that.
Why did I care?
Friends, remember?
Even my thoughts were lacking authority.
Ben walked to the front of the room next to Eliza and swung around to face everyone.
