How did she know?
Whatever. Sighing, I sat straighter. I hated weddings. They brought up both old and new awkward situations to fall into…like now, when everyone was getting onto the dance floor at the end of the speeches.
“Mother, would you like to dance?” Logan extended his arm, stealing my idea before I could act. He gave me a wink, and of course our mother accepted.
“Yep, this is going to be my last wedding for a while,” Guinevere whispered.
“The only other one I plan to attend is my brother’s.” I glanced to them on the dance floor. “And that might take a while.”
She snickered. “I don’t know, your brother would be a catch.”
“For whom?”
“Oh, come on. He’s young, attractive—”
“Are you asking me to set you up with my brother?”
“God, no. He’s like my little brother; I’m just saying he has charm. Just wait, some girl is going to have him falling hard, faster than you can blink. That’s how love works.”
“You still believe in all that love stuff?” I'd hoped she would be more cynical toward the whole thing. Like I am.
She pointed to Nathaniel and Stephanie on the dance floor. “Of course. I was unlucky. People are sometimes unlucky in love, but I'd rather be unlucky a dozen more times than close myself off and never have the chance to have that with someone.”
“I blame your books,” I replied.
She grinned. “I know, a woman who reads. Gosh. Ha, but, if you want to borrow any—”
“No, thank you.”
“Shame. I find guys who read sexy.”
“So you're saying you want me to fit your idea of sexy?”
She froze and looked directly at me. “That came out wrong.”
“You sure sounded pretty clear to me. What book would you start me off with?”
“You want me to see you as sexy?” She looked confused.
“If everyone woman within my presence does not find me worth drooling over, I’ve failed as a man.”
She pretended to gag.
“Cute,” I replied.
She just drank, looking back at the crowd on the dance floor.
“Please don’t tell me you want to dance.”
“I don’t,” she lied.
Sighing, I stood up, taking her hand.
“No, seriously, I don’t—”
I spun her toward me. “When will you realize I can tell when you’re lying to me? You have to dance at least once at a wedding. Do you know how waltz?” I asked her when the music changed.
“Don’t underestimate me, Dr. Davenport. I took ballroom dancing 101 and 102 in college, and I passed with an A+.”
“I’m so intimidated right now,” I mocked. “Just keep up.”
“Do your worst,” she said, and immediately lifted my arm into the right place.
She always had to challenge me. We started off slowly, her feet following my lead as we moved first right to left, then left back to right.
“How am I doing?” She smirked at me.
“This is basic,” I replied, speeding my footwork with the music.
She never lost her footing or even stepped on my toes, she just followed perfectly. Spinning her out, her dress came up slightly before she came back in. “Still basic?”
Again we sped our moves, and it was like the music was following along with us as we kept going, spinning around the floor. I did notice she was a lot closer to me than she generally should have been, but neither of us was focused on that. I watched her, trying to see if she at any point couldn’t keep up, but her big brown eyes stayed focused on me, a small grin on her lips. She kept up with me in every way, even when I tilted her back unexpectedly. Her face was so close I almost lost my concentration.
She looks beautiful. Dear God, what am I thinking?
Finally, when the music slowly came to a stop, we did as well…to a welling round of applause.
Both of us glanced around to see the whole floor had been cleared, and now everyone stood on the outside, even Nathaniel and Stephanie.
“How do we escape?” she whispered, nodding to them.
“Just keep walking,” I replied, helping her off the dance floor.
We didn’t go back to the table, instead ending up walking until we were out the double doors and in the main hall of the hotel. Holding on to me, she stepped out of her shoes.
“Oh, thank God.” She sighed happily. “I have flats back in the dressing rooms. I’ll be right back.”
Why did I care? “I won’t be waiting.”
“Whatever,” she said, holding her dress up as she ran.
When I was alone, I took a deep breath. What was this? Why did I feel like this?
“You looked happy.”
I froze at her voice. I knew this day was going to come, but why now? “Hello, Hannah.”
I turned to the woman wearing the light pink gown. “You look nice.”
“Wow. Even now, you’re always the gentleman.” She smiled sadly. “And here I thought you were avoiding me.”