Page 7 of Losing the Rhythm

“Really?” I challenged. “Like the Spice Girls?”

Justin’s and Bryan’s eyes got huge and they began shaking their heads. I bit back a laugh.

“What, you don’t think I’d make a good Posh Spice?” Toby asked, pretending to flip his hair.

“If anything, you’d be Sporty Spice.”

They all went into who’d they’d most likely be if they were to do it. Still, Justin was staring at me, practically begging me to not make that choice. Justin wasn’t a chatty guy, but I always found that his expressions were able to give him away. His blue eyes shone with desperation, pleading with me.

I finally broke out laughing. “Don’t worry, I won’t do that to you all.”

“I mean, I could rock it,” Seth said.

“Please, no,” Bryan said.

“Maybe Dr. Seuss characters. That could be fine.”

Bryan still looked absolutely tortured. Toby seemed to really consider it.

“Pacman?”

“I want to be a ghost!” Toby said.

Paxon finally spoke up. “That could work.”

“I’ll have to keep thinking about it.”

“Well, let us know this weekend, then we can spend a day doing costume shopping,” Seth said.

“Oh! Should we drive down to the city?” Toby asked.

I shuddered. “Pass on that.”

“You don’t like it there?” Bryan asked.

“Not at all. Too crowded. Too dirty. Too busy. I feel claustrophobic there.”

“I get it,” Justin said. “We have some good shops we don’t have to drive four hours to get to.”

Toby sighed. “Fine.”

“We’ll go for Christmas shopping,” Bryan said.

That seemed to placate Toby.

I reached up and hung the decorations and went to step down, but I missed the step.

“Shit,” I said, feeling myself stumble. But before I could actually fall, hands were on my butt and back, holding me long enough for me to steady myself. The ladder wobbled for a moment as I overcorrected myself.

“Are you okay?” Paxon asked.

“Yeah.” I cleared my throat then looked down at his hand that was still on my butt.

His gaze followed where I was looking and for a moment he froze. Then his face went completely red as he stepped back, finally looking away.

“Sorry! Shit, I’m sorry.”

“Holy crap, Paxon just harassed Cadence!” Toby called out, cackling.

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