Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 94687 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 379(@250wpm)___ 316(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94687 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 379(@250wpm)___ 316(@300wpm)
I was sitting at my desk when a text from Tyler came in around quarter to eight. I’m bored.
Smiling, I messaged him back. Why?
Tyler: I’m done eating. Now I’m just listening to people I don’t know make speeches and eyeballing the door.
Me: I’d be bored too.
Tyler: I’d rather be with you.
I was still thinking about how to respond when another text from him came in.
Tyler: Can I still come by?
Me: Sure. I have some song suggestions for you.
Tyler: Okay. I’m either going to make a run for it when no one is looking or fake appendicitis here in a minute.
Me: Haha. Good luck. The outside door of the wedding barn is locked, so text me when you get here, okay?
Tyler: Okay. See you soon.
I set my phone aside and put both hands over my fluttering stomach.
About twenty minutes later, he messaged me that he was outside, and I went to open the door. My heart raced at the sight of him.
“Hey,” I said, catching the scent of his cologne as he came in. “You escaped.”
“I escaped.”
I locked the door behind him. “So which was it? Did you ghost or fake an illness?”
“I ghosted. But I texted Sadie what I was doing so she wouldn’t get mad.”
“Ah. Smart.”
“What have you been up to?”
“Working. Come with me. I have some songs to play for you, then once you choose we can work on some steps.” I led him into the dimly lit reception room, where I’d cued up the sound system. Plugging my phone into it, I invited him to sit with me on the band platform and listen to a little of each song. He ended up choosing “Isn’t She Lovely?” by Stevie Wonder, because he said their dad had been a fan.
“She’ll love that,” I said, happy with his selection. “And it’s a nice mid-tempo song that will make everyone smile, not cry.”
“They might cry when they see my moves,” he said.
I laughed and slapped his shoulder. “Will you please trust me? This is not going to be difficult. I’m going to edit this to be a short version, two minutes max. And I’ll make sure it’s the version the deejay has.”
“Good.”
I put the song on repeat and stood up, offering my hands. “Okay, now come here.”
He rose to his feet and took my hands, letting me pull him forward onto the empty dance floor. Just one overhead chandelier was lit, and I’d turned it down low. “Dark in here,” he said.
“I thought it might make you less self-conscious.”
He glanced around. “Are you sure we’re alone? I don’t want anyone to see this.”
“Yes. Okay now, you put your right hand on my back, and keep your left in mine.” I placed my left hand on his shoulder, leaving plenty of space between us.
“Got it.”
“Now just step to the rhythm of the song.”
He swayed me side to side, pretty stiffly, but on the beat, at least.
“Good.”
“We have now reached the top of my skill level.”
I laughed. “Now you’re going to turn me. Raise your left hand, and gently push me under the arch with your right. Keep my hand in yours.”
“That sounds complicated.”
“It’s not. And it will be nice and smooth because you’re so tall. I’ll be able to get under the arch without even ducking, and so will Sadie.”
He did as I asked. “Now what? You’re way out there.”
“Now bring me back.”
“How?”
“Raise the arch again, and turn your wrist a little.” I showed him what I meant. “That tells me where you want me to go.” A couple seconds later, I was back in his arms. “Perfect. See? It’s easy.”
“I don’t think I did that,” he said skeptically. “I think that was all you.”
“So you do it this time. Three motions—lift the arch, push me through, bring me back.”
He did it a few more times, each time a little more smoothly. “Hey, I think I’ve got it.”
“Congratulations. Now one more step.”
He groaned. “Don’t push it, Sawyer. One step might be all I can handle.”
“Listen, if you can strike out nineteen batters in a row, you can learn two dance steps.”
He stopped moving. “You remember that day?”
“Of course I remember that day. I’m pretty sure I cried when they gave you the standing ovation.”
“Did you really?” His arms slid further around my back, pulling me closer to him.
“Yes.” I swallowed hard. We were now hip to hip. “And later that night, we went to a party, and you kissed Jenna Holmes.”
“I did?”
I nodded, my palm moving from the shoulder of his jacket up the back of his neck. “I was so jealous.”
“You never showed it.”
“I couldn’t. I didn’t want to be just another girl to you.”
“You were never just another girl to me, April.”
“Because I never let on that I wanted you to kiss me.”
His head dipped lower, until his lips were just inches from mine. “I don’t even remember Jenna Jones.”