"I was promised snacks," I protest.
"Dancing first," Mia says. "Snacks later."
They drag me onto the dance floor.
Within seconds we’re laughing and yelling over the music. Mia spins Harper in a circle. Annabelle attempts a dramatic hair flip and nearly knocks over a guy carrying drinks.
"Sorry!" she shouts, then turns back to us. "Worth it."
Lila is the only one dancing with any rhythm at all.
"You guys are embarrassing," she says.
"That’s the point," Harper says.
It feels good to be out with my friends, laughing and carefree for a while.
Just dancing.
A few minutes later Annabelle grabs my arm and points toward the bar.
"Incoming hockey players."
Dex Miller strolls over first with Gregory Mills and Bobby McDermott behind him.
Dex spreads his arms. "Ladies." Then he immediately pushes into the middle of our dance circle and starts shamelessly shaking his ass like he just won the Stanley Cup. Mia howls with laughter. Annabelle nearly drops her drink. Gregory covers his face and Bobby loses it laughing as the two of them retreat toward the bar like they want no part of whatever spectacle Dex has decided to become.
Annabelle laughs and points at Dex now gyrating in the middle of our circle. "Dex Miller, what exactly is happening right now?"
"Public service," Dex says, exaggerating the move. "My dancing is for the benefit of all the ladies in attendance."
"By humiliating yourself in public?" Mia asks.
"You're welcome," Dex says, still gyrating. "The people deserve a show."
Annabelle shakes her head. "Okay, you can go now."
Dex stops dancing long enough to grin at us. "Rude. I came to say hello."
"Hello," Mia says sweetly. "You may now return to whatever bad decisions you were making before you came over here."
Dex points at me. "Natalie. Married life treating you okay?"
"Thriving," I say.
"Blink twice if you need help," Dex says.
"Goodbye Dex," Annabelle says.
"Have fun, ladies. We'll be over there," he says cheerfully. "We have puck bunnies to disappoint."
We all burst out laughing.
"He’s ridiculous," Lila says.
"He’s harmless," Mia says. "Mostly."
The music shifts again and we start dancing.
