Olivia let out a little yelp.
Jared looked down at their feet. “Are you okay?”
Kingston was also checking out her foot. She tapped the toe of her simple, low-heeled black pump. “I’m fine.”
“I’m hopeless at this.” Jared’s shoulders slumped.
Their predicament had finally gained his mother’s notice. “No one’s hopeless at dancing.” She let go of Kingston’s hand and reached for Jared’s. “I’ll show you what you’re doing wrong. King, dance with Olivia.”
Kingston met Olivia’s petrified gaze.
“Thank you, Mrs.Bedford.” Jared turned to Olivia. “Do you mind? I’m afraid I’ll break one of your toes if I keep going this way.”
She nodded but didn’t say anything.
Jared and Kingston changed places, and Kingston stood across from Olivia. There was nothing he could do but hold out his arms. She hesitated, then moved closer to him and slipped her hand into his, barely holding it.
Having Olivia this close should be bliss—if she wasn’t as stiff as a brand-new pencil.
Sunny passed by them, unfazed by the partner switch. “Relax, Olivia,” she said, lightly touching her shoulder. “This is supposed to be fun.”
“Yeah,” Olivia mumbled. “Fun.”
“Now that you all have the basics down, I’ll put on the music,” Sunny called out, walking over to a small table that held a Bluetooth speaker. “Remember to count. One, two, three, four.” She clicked a thin silver remote, and the room filled with a slow, romantic number that Kingston remembered from an old Tom Cruise movie.
“One, two, three, four,” Senior counted above the music.
“Perfect, Senior!” Sunny took her position in front of a very pleased-looking Bubba.
“Kingston,” his mother hissed, already dancing a decent rumba with Jared. “The music’s started.”
He looked down at Olivia, who was staring straight at his chest. As the male, he was supposed to lead. “Ready?”
She barely nodded, and he started to move. Somehow, she managed to follow him without bending an inch. It was like dancing with a broom handle.
After a few minutes of this, he bent down. “Sunny’s right—you need to relax,” he whispered.
Her head jerked up. “Don’t tell me what to do,” she shot back.
“I’m not. I’m trying to be helpful.”
She glared at him. “I don’t need your help.” She pressed her foot firmly on his toe.
Pain shot through his shoe. He bit his bottom lip. “Feel better now?” he snipped.
“No.” She moved to stomp on his foot again, but he jumped out of the way.
“This is pretty fun,” he heard Jared saying to his mom. “Thanks for helping me.”
His mother was now in her element. “See? Anyone can dance.”
At Olivia’s third attempt to take her anger out on his feet, Kingston tugged her close to him so she couldn’t see her target. She squirmed, but he held firm.
“Let me go,” she said.
“Not until you promise to keep your feet to yourself.”
“What do you know about promises?”
