“I think we need some more tables.” John and Callum grabbed more tables and chairs, and everyone sat down to listen to the band. It was a Beatles cover band, belting out a great rendition of Twist and Shout. Juniper tapped her foot to the beat of the music as she watched people on the dance floor.
“You want to dance?”
She turned to William with a smile. “Sure.” Rising to her feet, she checked with Nora. “You right with Billy?” He was sitting on her lap, wriggling his hips and clapping in time to the music.
“Of course. Off you go.”
William took her hand, and they wended their way through the tables to the dance floor. They moved onto the floor just as the song finished and William turned her into him. She placed one hand on his shoulder, allowing him to take her other hand in his as he wrapped his arm around her waist. When the drumbeat dropped, the singer yelled the first line of “Can’t Buy Me Love” into the microphone. Juniper felt William’s grip tighten around her fingers, the slight pressure from his hand in the small of her back, she let her let instinct take over, shifting her weight to her right foot, then back to her left, dropping her right foot back as he stepped forward. She felt the flow immediately, the smooth way his hand pressed into her back, turning her where he wanted her to go.
“You can dance!”
He laughed. “So can you.”
She surrendered to the beat and his hands, turning exactly as he wanted her to, spinning out and back in, then behind him, back around the front, back out again. He held her hand high above her head and she spun around twice before being pulled tight against him. She grinned up at him, recognizing the enjoyment in his eyes before he whirled her away again. Here was pure joy and shereveled in it. The song wound down, the singer crooning the last line of the song and on the final drumbeat, she wrapped her arm around William’s neck as he dipped her. She laughed as he pulled her upright, hearing the crowd applauding.
“Give it up for Fred and Ginger, everyone.”
She looked around, realizing the other dancers had formed a circle around them as they danced, and that the applause was for them. Laughing and breathless, she dropped a little curtsy as William bowed and grinned before taking her hand, and pulling her off the dance floor, through the crowd, back to their table.
“Wow, that was amazing!” Nora said enthusiastically, handing over a glass of chilled wine.
“Thank you.” Juniper was still trying to catch her breath. It had been a very long time since she had danced like that, but God, she’d loved every second of it. She sat down, putting one arm around Billy as he climbed into her lap, holding her wine glass high so he didn’t knock it.
Mikayla leaned over and whispered in her ear, “You know what they say about guys who can dance?”
She was almost too afraid to ask. “No, what?”
“They’re amazing in bed.”
She glanced at William, leaning back casually in his chair talking to Rafe and looking outrageously handsome.
“Hmm,” was all she said.
Mikayla grinned, giving her arm a poke. “That’s the way.”
She watched him a moment longer, his long fingers wrapped around the neck of the beer bottle, laughing at something Rafe was saying. He glanced her way, their eyes met, she felt a little thrill,warm and enticing. Yes, there was definitely something worth exploring there, but she needed to dig under the slick first, just to be sure, before she dived in.
They spent the next few hours listening to the music, dancing every now and then, snacking and drinking from Nora and John’s picnic basket.
As the sun faded from the day, pulling out all the warmth with it, Juniper reached into her backpack for a jumper for Billy and a cardigan for herself.
At that moment, Mikayla reached over and slapping Callum on the shoulder, gestured to the stage, saying, “You gonna get up there and give it a go?”
Juniper turned to him with a smile. She loved hearing him sing. She always turned the radio up when one of his songs came on, but there was no mistaking the shadow that passed over his face as he said, “Nah.”
“What? Why not? It’s free mic night after this next set. I haven’t heard you play live in ages.”
He shifted in his chair uncomfortably and shrugged his shoulders. “I’m not in the mood.”
“Since when?” Mikayla snorted.
“Since now.”
Mikayla stared at him for a long moment before shrugging and turning away, saying in a loud aside to Rafe, “No idea what’s crawled up his ass.”
“Mikky, leave it,” John intoned, leaving Mikayla to slump grumpily in her chair.
Juniper watched Callum, staring down at his beer bottle, peeling at the label with frustration. The exchange left an awkward vibe in the air, broken by Nora’s suggestion that they head to the beach for the fireworks. Billy’s excited response had everyone laughing and went some way to relieving the tension.
