“Let’s go!” Cassidy yelled, jumping out of the car.
I climbed out, stretching my legs. The boys slid their feet into the shoes Cassidy presented. McKale made a face and Rock grunted.
“Ye can’t expect me to walk with somethin’ crammed between me toes!”
“You’ll get used to it.” Cass’s voice held no trace of sympathy, although she did stretch up to peck his lips, which momentarily stopped his complaints. She took off in the direction of the club, and we followed. The guys looked funny in their highwater cloth pants, but oh well.
McKale stared around, his head swiveling back and forth with quick movements to take in every strange sight. He and Rock kept trying to stop and examine things like neon lights and pubs with overhead speakers that filtered live music to the street. We tugged them along, promising we’d plan a day trip soon.
McKale and Rock’s pants earned them a couple of odd looks from people on the street so we made them glamour, and we got into the club without a hitch. A clock above the bar told us it was one o’clock in the morning. Earlier than I thought. I didn’t recognize the song blaring overhead, however some things in life were universally understood. Like a techno beat.
“Let’s dance!” Cassidy grabbed Rock’s hand and tried to pull him, but he was planted in that spot like a stone. Both guys peered around the darkened room with their jaws dangling in fascination.
“Let’s get a table and have a drink first,” I suggested.
We found a table with people preparing to leave and made ourselves at home, ordering three pints and a soda for me.
I leaned close to McKale. “Is this okay?”
“Aye, yes. It’s just… everyone is so…”
“Tall?” I guessed. He nodded, seeming almost frightened. I tapped his glass with mine. “Cheers.”
He let out a stress-relieving lungful of air and lifted his glass to mine. The four of us clinked our glasses together and drank. It was easy to fall into the carefree atmosphere of the small club. We talked for a while, until Cassidy began to stare longingly at the sunken dance floor, crowded with gyrating bodies.
“Are you guys ready to dance yet?” she asked. The guys looked at the dance floor, then at each other. They weren’t budging.
“’Tis no’ proper dancing,” McKale said. “Not one of ‘em are doing the same steps.”
“There aren’t any steps,” Cass explained. “That’s the fun of it! You just move your body to the beat of the music.”
“Ye’re sayin’ there’s no way to bung it up, then?” Rock asked.
Cass and I shrugged at each other. We’d definitely seen some bad dancing in our time. But that was the least of our concerns tonight.
“How about this,” she said. “You two have another drink, loosen up, and watch while Robyn and I dance. And then if you want to come down, you can come. No pressure.”
They agreed, and before I had a chance to take one last sip of my drink, Cass yanked me from the stool and dragged me to the dance floor. The moment we were nestled in the midst of moving bodies, we let go, arms in the air. It felt awesome.
As the song changed to something grittier, Cass put her face close to mine, shouting to be heard.
“McKale has been watching you the whole time!” I tried not to smile. I didn’t look over at him, afraid I’d ruin the moment by tripping and going down like someone on a treadmill who’d lost their concentration.
After a few minutes Cassidy signaled to Rock, curling her finger to lure him. She bit her bottom lip and then turned back to me, never losing the beat.
“They’re coming!” she said.
My heart sped up. “Both of them?” I hollered.
She nodded, cool and nonchalant.
Suddenly I was nervous. McKale, my sweet fiddle player, was making an effort even though he was way out of his comfort zone. What if he ended up hating this whole dance experience? What if it was just awkward?
My pulse went into rocket-launch mode when Rock’s curly head found Cassidy, and she turned to him, bouncing. And then I felt McKale behind me, timid. He was being bumped into me, and his chest touched my back. I turned my head just enough to show him an easy smile as I reached back for his hands and led them to my hips. His touch was gentle. I kept my hands pressed over top of his until his grip became firmer. I was so nervous. I wanted this nearness, and I didn’t want to screw it up.
More people joined the already crowded dance floor, forcing everyone closer. It was now or never. Time to be bold. I leaned back into him, just as a hip-hop song began, bass thumping. His reaction surprised me. With the slightest hesitance, he pulled my hips until our bodies matched up, aligned.