“Thanks.”
“You got it.” She smiles, gives me a little wave and goes back to studying her screen. “I’ll let you know.”
I walk out the door a little lighter than when I walked in.
Chapter 36
Skate For Something
Beau
I’veneverfeltmoreout of my depth than I do standing in the middle of the borrowed gym, watching JJ try to teach hockey players how to dance. I glance at my watch again, wondering where Celeste is.
He claps his hands and shouts, “Again! On beat this time! Remember, hips, not shoulders, Dev.”
In a twist that surprises nobody, Dev is doing neither. He’s standing with his arms crossed, shifting from one foot to the other.
Beth is filming with tears in her eyes, trying not to drop her phone from laughing. “This is going to break the internet in the worst way.”
“That’s the point,” I mutter, but I wipe my clammy palms on my track pants.
JJ spins toward me and bows with a flourish. “Beau, you’re not exempt. Get your pretty-boy ass over here and hit the chorus.” That boy is getting way too comfortable around me, his captain.
“He’s right, Beau. How are you ever going to make it up to my sister if you don’t step up your game?” Celeste finally saunters in, slinging her purple duffle bag on the floor. She tilts her head to the side to study the catastrophe that is my team.
“Weren’t you supposed to be here ten minutes ago?” I ask.
“Weren’t you supposed to not be an asshole? I seem to recall describing to you, in great detail, what I’d do to you if you hurt my sister.”
Fuck, she’s right. “I’m sorry. Thanks for coming, Celeste.”
“That’s better.” She claps her hands, turning to face the crooked lines of hapless hockey players. “Cut! This is all wrong. Way too complicated for your untalented asses. Here’s what we’re going to do.”
She fires off a list of instructions, then does a full-speed demonstration followed by one a sloth could keep up with. “That’s the plan. Now I’m going to go through it with you step by step. Hopefully, you can wrap your hockey-playing brains around it.” Hail opens his mouth as if he’s going to protest, but Cole shoves his shoulder into him, and he thinks better of it.
The routine is intentionally simplified. An artful remix of some trending dance mashed up with old-school choreography and some hockey moves that shouldn’t work but do. Celeste is unsurprisingly a genius at this.
Stumbling through the first run, I trip over JJ’s foot, and almost end up in Dev’s arms. But he saves me with a smirk and a hand on my elbow. It’s humbling.
“At least you’re better at this than cooking,” he offers.
“Not a high bar.” But maybe something I can work on while I’m embracing new skills.
We go again. This time, I sort of hit the beat. Cece would be proud. Or horrified. Probably both. I’ve never been one to put myself out there for intentional humiliation, but there’s nothing I wouldn’t do at this point to prove myself to Luna.
JJ lights up. “This is going to be iconic.”
We break around sunset. Everyone’s got sore limbs and flushed cheeks. We’re exhausted and sweaty, but also excited and hopeful.
I hang back to help clean up, folding chairs and collecting empty water bottles while JJ keeps practicing the steps. He’s going to show me up at the event, and there’s nothing I can do about it. Keep piling on the embarrassment.
Beth pauses on her way out, tossing me a Gatorade. “This was a good idea, Beau.”
Cool drops splash my face when I catch the bottle. “I don’t recall suggesting a dance routine. In fact, I’m pretty sure I vetoed it from the beginning.”
“Yes, but you resurrected the scrimmage. You charmed the rest of us into participating, and you did learn the dance. I thought you were going on my permanent shit list. But if you pull this off, and perfect your grovel, I might give you a second chance. You did something good here. And regardless of what happens between you and Luna, you should be proud of yourself.”
I don’t have a response to that. At least not a good one. I’m not great at receiving compliments. Don’t have too much experience.
