“He’s such a sweet guy. I can imagine that.” She glanced around, suddenly feeling self-conscious. “And thanks for the dance, but I have a feeling your, uh, Victoria will be wanting to dance—”
“Vicki isn’t much into dancing tonight,” he told her. “I guess her fancy dress makes it difficult. So no worries.” The next song was starting, another peppy one, and he reached for her hand. “Go again?”
She shrugged. “Why not?”
So, for the second time, they swung and twirled, and every move he initiated, she finished, as if it had been choreographed. She couldn’t remember ever having this much fun on the dance floor. When the next song began, he was still holding her hand, insisting on “one more.” But this one was a slow dance. Still, he didn’t miss a beat as he took her in his arms, holding her close. As they moved gracefully together, she felt herself melting ... and falling ... not on the ground ... in love perhaps? No, of course not, she chided herself as she spotted Victoria nearby. The thought was ridiculous. Victoria was dancing with one of her friends, but she didn’t seem to be enjoying herself. Instead, she was staring daggers at Carol and Victor. But Carol just looked the other way.
When the song ended, Carol told Victor she needed a break. She felt quite flushed and warm but not from the dancing. She knew she could dance all night with him without complaining. Well, unless Victoria killed her. “I need something cool to drink,” she said.
“Me too.” He led her to the refreshment table where they got drinks and donuts and then he escorted her back to Maria and his parents, pulling out her chair before sitting down with them. As Victor made congenial conversation, Carol glanced toward Victoria, who was now standing with her girlfriendsand definitely simmering. Carol was tempted to remind Victor about his date but wasn’t quite sure how. After all, he was a grown man. If he wasn’t worried, why should she be?
“You two danced beautifully,” Antonia told them.
“Yes,” Maria agreed, “you should go out there again. It was a pleasure to watch you.” She pointed to Carol. “I knew Victor was an exceptional dancer, but I had no idea you were so talented.”
Carol confessed to having had lessons. “But it was ages ago. I didn’t even know that I remembered.”
“Well, you were a natural,” Antonia said.
“I always thought that was a good dancing dress,” Maria told her.
“And very pretty too,” Victor added with a twinkle in his eyes. “Want to go again?”
“Let me finish my punch,” she said. Then seeing a flash of pale blue moving toward her, she set down her drink and braced herself.
“Victor,” Victoria said primly. “I’ve been looking all over for you. I thought maybe you’d gone home.”
Carol bit her tongue, controlling herself from calling Victoria’s bluff. She’d just observed Victoria glaring at them.
“Just visiting with my folks here,” he told her casually. “Care to join us?”
“No, thank you.” She folded her arms in front of her. “Would you care to join me with my friends?”
He held up his drink and half-eaten donut. “Mind if I finish this first? I didn’t have dinner tonight and I’m—”
“You didn’t eat?” She arched her fair brows. “I offered you drinks and appetizers at my house, but you claimed you weren’t hungry and—”
“I wasn’t hungry at the time. But dancing must’ve—”
“You weren’t dancing with me.” She sounded indignant.
He stood now, facing her. “You said you didn’t care to dance.”
“Does that give you the right to run off and leave me like that? To dance with another girl? Don’t you think that’s very impolite?”
“Hey, it’s a dance, Vicki.” He held out his hands. “We always dance with other people. There are no rules about that.”
“There are rules of consideration.”
“Maybe we should take this conversation away from here.” He glanced at his tablemates. “No need to spoil their evening.”
“If anyone has spoiled anything, I would say that it’s you, Victor.” She jutted out her lower lip. “I went to a lot of trouble for this evening, and you’ve done everything you could to ruin it for me.”
Victor glanced at the onlookers at the table, then lowered his tone. “Look, I would rather keep this private ... for your sake, but since you refuse, I might as well call it what it is. I never intended to bring you to the cotillion. I tried to tell you as much the other day, but you kept claiming I said something about this ... probably months ago at the harvest party just because we danced a few times. But if you hadn’t pressured me, or taken me on your guilt trip, I never would’ve brought you.”
“I wish you hadn’t!” she yelled.
His eyes widened but he kept his voice even. “Would you like me to take you home?”
