Yeah, I do. I feel the same and probably more. “You already know I will.”
“Thanks. There’s no one else I’d trust more to look out for her.”
“You sure about that? She might fall in love with me.” I wiggle my eyebrows.
Charlie punches me in the arm, and thankfully it’s half-assed. “If you pull any of your player shenanigans on my little sister, we will not be friends anymore. You hear me? I will kill you.”
“Hey, we could actually fall in love someday.” My tone is lighthearted, but inside there’s still that tiny fiber of hope. I haven’t been able to shake the feeling I get when I’m around her, even all these years later.
“Yeah, right. You let me know when that happens because I want to see the pigs flying.” Charlie grins, slapping me on the back.
Hearing those words are like a dagger to the heart. Charlie is the only person in my friendship circle who knows about my dad’s gambling addiction or the drinking and abuse that followed when bets didn’t go his way. Charlie is also the only one who knows I blame myself for not standing up for my mom in those dark times. He’s always insisted I’m too hard on myself, that it shouldn’t have been my responsibility to protect my mom from my dad when I was only fifteen.
His words used to provide me with at least some comfort. Now, hearing him imply I’m not enough for his sister to love only goes to show that his words have been nothing more than empty platitudes. Even my best friend knows I’d never be good enough for Lauren, or anyone else for that matter.
“Jax!” Callie’s cheery voice brings me out of my head. Lauren and Olivia trail behind her, each of them clad in jeans and cowgirl boots.
I plaster on a smile. “Can I get you ladies anything to drink before your lesson?”
“Am I chopped liver?” Rhett murmurs as he joins the women.
“Ignore him. He just doesn’t like dancing much, but I needed a partner.” Olivia presses her hands on his arm and leans into him, a goofy grin on her face.
“We don’t need drinks. We’re sober tonight,” Callie says, exchanging a meaningful look with Lauren.
“All right, then I guess I’m useless to you. I’m going to go help Jorge get the rest of the bar prepped.”
Before I can swivel around, Lauren’s hazel eyes snag my gaze. I give her a gentle grin before barreling off, the memory of Charlie basically telling me evenhewouldn’t trust me with his sister enough to keep me away.
People continue gathering on the dance floor, making the bar feel more vibrant. The overhead lights dim, but all the neon signs come to life. Betsy Hogan, a Roots local in her mid-sixties who’s been teaching these dance lessons since she was in her mid-twenties, mics up and takes her spot at the front of the dance floor.
“Okay, everyone. The first step to swing dancing is finding a good partner. The best dancers use a partner they’re familiar with. In fact, some of the best I know are siblings.”
Despite trying to focus on my duties, my eyes keep drawing up to Lauren. She’s looking at Callie, scrunching her nose in disgust at Betsy’s last comment.
“If you don’t have a partner you’re familiar with, don’t worry. We will find you one. Anyone who isn’t partnered up, raise your hand.”
Lauren and Callie grab on to each other, but two other unfamiliar men raise their hands. They’re in Wranglers, boots, and hats, but they don’t have the kind of build that suggests they’re familiar with ranch work. Their clothes are too clean, and their boots aren’t even the slightest bit scuffed. I dislike them immediately.
Callie wiggles her brows at Lauren suggestively, and my stomach lurches. I don’t like them evenmorenow.
Betsy moves quickly, pulling Lauren and Callie apart and pairing them off with the men. “You two can’t betogether.”
“Come on, Mrs. Hogan. You know I can lead and follow for just about any dance you have to teach,” Callie says.
“I know, honey, but these gentlemen need someone to dance with.”
One of the fake cowboys approaches Lauren with a lopsided grin, and it takes all of my restraint not to step in and take his place.
I’m working. It’s not my place to interfere. I don’t need to get further tangled up with Lauren.I start my mantra, repeating it over and over again while I grind my teeth together.
I don’t move from my spot at the bar while Betsy rattles off detailed instructions. From here I have a clear view of Lauren as Fake Cowboy #1 leans in, whispering something in her ear. She pulls back, blushing and grinning at him. When she turns to Olivia next to her, Olivia gives her a big thumbs-up in between her attempts at following the steps with Rhett.
This is torture. I should’ve requested the night off. I don’t want to watch Lauren dance with someone else. That should be me holding her close and making her smile.
One of our regulars comes in, and I take the opportunity to distract myself as Betsy demonstrates the next move. While I mix up Benny’s Manhattan, my eyes are drawn back to the dance floor. Everyone is following the steps Betsy demonstrated except for Fake Cowboy #1, who decides to improvise a little as he finishes the sequence with Lauren. This time, she doesn’t just smile when she pulls away. She tilts her head back and laughs.No. No. No.
I clench my jaw, white-knuckling the stir stick in my hand.
