It felt right.
She noticed that sure enough, Clancy and Penny were onopposite sides of the dance floor, glaring at each other.They got marriedafter high school but still liked to pretend they were in a teen drama.
Everyone on that dance floor had their own problems.Everysingle one of them.They all had choices to make.
What were the pros when it came to Garrett and Keane?
Too many to list.
And the cons?She still didn’t know whatever secret Keanewas keeping, but she was starting to think she had an inkling.He joked aboutprison a lot.
If he spent time in jail, he’d learned his lesson.He wasforthright and kind.She found him talking to a hand who’d completely screwedup.Keane had been patient with him, teaching him.
She was content if he never wanted to tell her.
So the cons were mostly about her.About the potential forfailure and everyone watching her lose again.
Her mother would tell her the only way to lose was to nevertry again.She could hear her mother’s voice clear as a bell.
“Is this seat taken?”
She looked up and sighed.Scott was here.
She really should have danced.
* * * *
Garrett moved in before Gabe could pounce.Sureenough, the cowboy Gigi was dancing with did have his hand pretty close to herbackside, but they did not need another run-in with the sheriff.That’s what theywould get if Gabe had his way.
“Can I cut in?”he asked, holding a hand out to her.
“Hey, I’m dancing here,” the cowboy protested.
“Yes, you’ve had her for a while now.It’s time to share herwith the rest of us.”He hoped he didn’t have to get mean, but he couldn’tleave her with this guy.
The cowboy frowned his way, but Gigi took the out he wasoffering her.She put her hand in his and let him lead.
“Thanks so much,” she said, looking up at him with a smile.“He was starting to get a little aggressive.Which is sad because that guy candance.”
Garrett was well aware he wasn’t the best dancer.He spenthis college years studying and working three jobs to get by.Any free time hehad he spent driving down to Huntsville to see Keane.He hadn’t had the samecollege experience many people his age had so he didn’t know all the moves, buthe did know how to two-step.If he counted in his head.
“Well, I came to save you so Gabe didn’t,” he admitted.Hesaw over her shoulder that Gabe had found them, but he held back now that shewas with Garrett.
Hopefully he didn’t stalk after the cowboy.
Gigi frowned.“Of course he was mad.If I have the slightestbit of fun, he comes in to stop it.He’s like the big brother I never wanted.My actual brothers are cool.I think it’s because they’re afraid of our mom.”
Gigi’s family sounded fun.He’d come to realize that thegrounded, smart young woman who seemed so down to earth was from a wealthy,influential family.Most women in her place would have either worked for thefamily firm or been content with playing the socialite, but Gigi had gone tonursing school and worked long hours because it was her passion, and she wasextraordinary at it.
Of course there were women from wealthy families who foundtheir passion in the companies their parents built.Olivia, for all her stressabout it at the moment, loved her job.She wouldn’t want to do anything else.
It was good to be around people who knew who they were andwhat they wanted.
Except Gabe.Well, Gabe knew he wanted Gigi.But he didn’tthink he deserved her.Or he was waiting for something.
Did Gigi know how he felt about her?Because Garrett wascertain Gabe did not see her as a sister.“You grew up with him?”
“Our families were close, and unlike Livie and her brothers,they live super close to us so we spent a lot of time together.My cousin Greereven dated his brother John for a couple of years, but they’re friends now.”
