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“We argue about things from far in the past not to convince the other of our stance, but to work our memories,” Muriel tells me.

I grin. “Uh huh.”

“Seriously. Remembering details from that far back has staved off dementia so far.”

“It’s true,” Patty says, moving next to her sister. “We try to always argue about things at least a decade old.” She looks at Muriel. “Pulling out something from sixty years ago was risky, though.”

“Well, don’t get me wrong,” Muriel tells her. “I really am still miffed about that trophy.”

Sutton steps forward. “This is probably a good time to actually start dancing,” she says.

“Hell yeah, it is,” Hudson says.

Everyone has gathered close to observe the Coffelt sisters’ show.

I love that there are so many people here because in just a moment I’m going to have to break the news that I have to leave.

George really is happy that this barn is being used this way. He is even looking forward to coming to the barn party himself.

But part of the deal is that I would help him finish fixing up one final car for sale. The guy is coming to look at it tomorrow, and I have a little more work to do. I’m meeting George at my garage in twenty minutes.

“Since there are so many people here and it is going to be a barn party, I was thinking that I should teach you all the Virginia Reel,” Sutton says, grinning at everyone.

“I know what the Virginia Reel is,” Harley says.

He’s standing next to his husband, Bruce, the owner of Perks and Rec, who actually stepped outside of the coffee shop/diner for a rare outing.

Again, this is just a dance practice in an old barn on the outskirts of town, and yet it’s causing me to like all of these people even more than I already did.

When Sutton saw that Bruce was here, along with Declan O’Grady, who seems the least likely to dance of anyone in town, and that Zeke Landry, who drives in from Autre, brought his wife, Jill, I thought she was on the verge of tears.

Sutton focuses her sunny smile on Harley. “Do you?”

“Sure. We stand in two lines facing each other and then there’s a bunch of steps that get called out.”

“Like a square dance?” Teddy asks.

Sutton shakes her head, but Wes pipes up. “You have to be in a square for that, right? Not two lines.” He turns to Teddy. “So a square is like a box.” He starts to draw a square in the air with his fingers.

“Fuck off,” Teddy says, shoving him back.

“A square dance would be fun though,” Patty says. “Very appropriate for a barn.”

“The Virginia Reel is very barn appropriate,” Harley says. He looks at Bruce. “Do you remember that time we went to that historic pioneer village? They were doing a bunch of different dances. It was the one with that big, long line.” He stands next to Bruce and then positions Teddy and Wes across from them. “You dance with your partner, and then you crisscross and dance with the next person.”

“Is it like the dances they do on Bridgerton?” Everly asks.

A few people chuckle, and she looks around. “What? They line up and dance like that at their big balls.”

Suddenly, Beckett bellows, “Oh my God! Shut up!”

Everyone stops and turns to face him.

He’s shaking his head. “Jesus, you people are crazy. If you’d just shut up for a second, Sutton will tell you what it’s like.” He looks at his sister, lowering his voice again. “You were saying?”

I look at Sutton. She’s staring at Beckett with wide eyes.

I have to admit I’m equally shocked.