I shrugged. If I wanted sex that badly, I could always go to a girl’s place and get it. That sounded cocky, but it was true.
Honestly, I’d been okay going without. But maybe my short hiatus was why I was more eager than I should be to help Ava. I couldn’t offer her forever, but I could certainly make sure she never settled for less again.
EIGHT
Dancing had always been my passion, but I wasn’t competitive enough to make it a career. I didn’t have that level of drive. It was just something that made me feel free and grounded and whole. So when the owner of the local dance studio where I’d been taking classes on the side asked if I wanted to be an instructor, I jumped on the chance.
The class I was teaching tonight was my favorite group. They were all a bunch of women in their seventies who had zero filters and were a hoot and a half. But my favorite part was that dancing was fun for them. They weren’t doing it to get extra skills or put in more time in the studio. They were doing it to stay loose and limber, and to socialize with friends.
Normally, I could dial in on their energy and just have fun too, but tonight I was having a hard time focusing because I couldn’t stop replaying Liam’s voice in my head.
I’ll do it.
He hadn’t even hesitated. He’d offered up his services as if I was asking him to help me wash my car, not make me come.
And this was Liam of all people!
I mean, Liam was the guy who didn’t even do the same girl twice. He was the quintessential fuckboy. It shouldn’t have thrilled me at the thought of him being dedicated to me for the length of this list. But it did a little.
Although if we were going to do this, I would definitely have to make sure he was not fucking anybody else at the same time. I had enough hang-ups after being cheated on, and even though we weren’t going to be a couple, I still didn’t want to have to worry about him hooking up with other people while he was hooking up with me.
“Somebody’s got their head in the clouds today,” Patty said with a laugh. I focused on her reflection in the mirror.
“What?”
“Girl, you’ve been distracted for the last twenty minutes,” Barb responded, joining Patty.
“What’s got that pretty head all up in a tizzy?”
I lifted my chin. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Patty and Barb both smiled.
Patty opened her mouth to say something else, but just then the door opened and the UPS guy walked in with a box that was likely the new decorations that the owner, Shannon, had just ordered for the studio. The women stared in rapt attention at the newcomer and I rolled my eyes.
Michael was probably in his late twenties, and had a sharp jaw and fit body that had no business making an ugly brown uniform look hot. He was definitely attractive, I’d give him that, but not my type. He had more of a boxy fit about him, whereas I’d always been more partial to toned and fit athletes.
But oh, did the ladies love watching him, especiallywhen he would walk out because those brown pants hugged his butt like nobody’s business. And this man had an ass that Captain America would be jealous of.
“Ava, you should be flirting with that guy,” Linda whispered.
“He’s about your age,” Patty noted.
I shook my head. We had the same conversation anytime Michael dropped off a package while it was their dance time.
“Michael is not my type, Linda. We’ve been over this before.”
“Honey, that man is everyone’s type,” said Deb.
“You women are incorrigible.”
“Ava, dear, life is too short to not do the crazy thing. To not take the chance. Take the leap. Do the thing that scares you. Take it from us, sweetheart. Go out and do it. You only live once.”
“And what’s the harm that happens? He turns you down. Oh well, you move on and find somebody else.”
“I think we should focus on the dance.”
Linda shook her head. “You’re no fun tonight.”
