“You can thank my mom for that. She made us practice each week until we had the steps sorted.”
“She sounds like a woman after my own heart.”
“Or a desperate mom trying to instill a little culture in her hyperactive children.”
Becky lifted her head off his shoulder and looked around the room.
“If you’re looking for Mary, she’s still with Catherine and Toby.” He nodded toward a table on the far side of the barn. “She’s happy.”
“Did she tell you she’s getting a kitten?”
Sean smiled. “She did. I heard about the baby option, too.”
Becky stumbled. “’Tis a wicked man who would bring that up when we’re dancing.”
“From my perspective, it’s perfect. It’s hard for either of us to evade tough questions when we’re standing so close to each other.”
“I told Mary having a baby is a big decision.”
“It is.”
“And one I’m not ready to make.”
Sean nodded. “That’s understandable.”
Becky frowned. “I was expecting a different response.”
“You thought I’d try to convince you to have ten children, a guinea pig, and three llamas?”
“You forgot about the kitten.”
“I didn’t want to overwhelm you with the pitter-patter of too many feet.”
Becky sighed. “You could never overwhelm me.”
That sounded promising. Because, despite what she thought, he did have an ulterior motive when he’d asked her to dance. “Are you able to come to the family barbecue tomorrow?”
“I didn’t know I was invited.”
“I thought you knew about it?”
Becky lifted her hand to his jaw and ran her fingertips along his skin. “I do, but it’s nice to be asked if I want to go. Have I told you how nice you smell?”
Sean laughed. “I’ll tell Matthew. I borrowed his aftershave.”
“He has good taste.”
“Ashley chose it for him.” The tight feeling in his chest became worse. Breathing deeply, he pushed his sense of loss aside. Matthew would eventually return to the ranch. He’d live beside Sean’s new home, for goodness’ sake. You couldn’t get much better than that.
“I’m pleased to see you’re trying to see the bright side in all of this.”
“I have to keep reminding myself I’ve gained a sister-in-law, not lost my twin.”
The song they were dancing to came to an end and Becky sighed. “That’s the way of the world. Nothing is ever lost, just different.”
A new song started and Sean was grateful it was a slow ballad. “How has Mary been?”
“Much better. She’s learning how to live without Jamie and Sophia, but it will take time.”
