"Do you really want to know?"
"Isn't that what I said?" I snapped.
"Okay, it's Jay-Jay, Uncle Desmond, Uncle Marcus, Auntie Agnes, Grandpa?—"
My hand shot up. "Stop."
How humiliating. Maybe I wasn't the best dancer and didn't know the steps to every single line dance that came out every single year—there were so many of them!—butRhythmless Nation? That was plain cruel.
Blossom sat on my lap.
I ignored her.
She looped her hands together behind my neck. "I love you, Mommy."
"Not gonna work," I said, looking past her.
"Mom."
I sighed and finally met her gaze.
"Don't be upset. Look at this as an opportunity to prove everyone wrong. The lessons start the week after next, and all you have to do is take the four classes with Mr. Harris—two the first week and two the week after. You'll be learning the waltz."
"You've already signed us up?"
Embarrassed, color filled her cheeks. "The lessons were Manuel's idea. He was paying for the classes for his dad, and then I mentioned you might kinda need classes too, so we added your name. Couples receive a discount."
"We're not a couple," I said, warmth flooding my torso at being referred to as a couple with Jamison. At having todancewith him.
"You only have to go for four nights. We don't want you guys to be embarrassed when you have to bust a move at the wedding."
"What you mean is, you don't want us to embarrass you."
"Maybe," she said in a low voice, looking sheepish. "Please, Mom. Do this for me." She batted her lashes and gave me thepuppy dog eyes that used to melt me and her father when she was a kid. Unbelievably, the trick still worked.
"Fine," I muttered.
"Yay! Thank you!"
She hugged my neck and pressed her cheek against mine, and I hugged her back. The things we do for our kids.
"Now get up off me. You're heavy." I playfully shoved her, and she hopped off my lap. "I'm going to change out of these clothes."
"By the time you come back, dinner should be ready. I have garlic bread in the oven too. Oh, and I'll show you some of my ideas for the wedding. Manuel and I have been arguing about the menu."
"I have some ideas for you too." I picked up my satchel as I stood. "I thought you had already decided on the menu."
"We did, but I had a different idea that could save money. A food truck!" She made the announcement with excitement, her eyes bright.
"A food truck?"
She nodded vigorously. "It's common practice now."
"So I've heard. What's the problem? You want the truck but Manuel doesn't?"
"No, he wants a pizza truck, but I think tacos will be better."
"Quite the dilemma," I said with a laugh. "Give me a few minutes. I definitely want to hear more about this, and you need to come to a decision. You don't have a lot of time."
