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He broke, and he shook his head as he chuckled. “I’m happy you’re happy,” he said. “If you wait, I’ll come around.” With that, he slipped from the truck and came around to her side to open her door. He offered her his arm, and Tam happily laced her hand through his elbow.
She felt like a queen as they approached the mingling area. Everyone was watching as she arrived on the arm of the most handsome man in Kentucky, and she smiled around at the other people who’d gathered there.
No one was really watching her, but magic still flowed through her system because of the warmth of Blaine’s body next to hers. She didn’t think she’d see him, but she looked for Hayes anyway. She wanted him to see her glowing in the arms of another man. She wanted him to know he had not broken her. She wanted him to know she was ten times happier with someone else.
The barn hadn’t opened yet, but there was food and fans, and Tam’s hair blew lightly as she reached for one of the Southwestern rolls she’d had here before.
Blaine sang along with the song he knew and took a cup of soda from one of the waiters walking around. He relaxed more and more with every passing second, and when he put his cup down, Tam led him out onto the dance floor, where a few other couples had started to sway to the western ballad that had come on.
“You can do this,” she said. “It’s just swaying back and forth.”
He could do it, all right. She fit right inside the circle of his arms, and Tam marveled that neither of them had realized it before. Her crushes had always remained a secret, and she hadn’t really known how she’d feel with his hands on her waist, and his head right next to hers. He had to bend his neck to do it, but he did as if it was natural for him to want to be as close to her as he could.
Tam breathed in and closed her eyes, letting herself get caught up in the fantasy of a future with Blaine Chappell. The next few decades flowed through her mind in only seconds, and she was so blissfully happy.
A few minutes later, someone came over a speaker system and said, “Welcome to The Old Red Barn. The doors are now open, and our line dancing lessons will begin in five minutes.”
Tam opened her eyes and together, she and Blaine moved with the crowd toward the large doors that had been slid to either side of the entrance.
More lights and more magic waited inside, where a real, hardwood dance floor had been lain. Couples could get married at The Old Red Barn, and Tam could admit she had the venue on her list of possibilities for her own wedding.
Blaine hesitated to get near the front, and Tam allowed him to stay in the middle of the crowd. She sent up a prayer that there wouldn’t be so many people there that Hayes wouldn’t see her. She would pretend not to see him watching her, and she drew in another breath, ready to put on the performance of her life.
He came out onto the stage, and Tam tensed. “Welcome,” he said in his smooth voice. “I’m Hayes Powell, and I’m going to be your caller tonight.”
Blaine put his hand on Tam’s hip, his arm draped along her lower back comforting and perfect for the show Tam wanted to give Hayes. She leaned into Blaine’s chest, but he was rock solid and tight, his eyes trained on Hayes.
He demonstrated the dance they’d be doing with a brunette who Tam had seen at the barn before, and then the music started.
Tam grinned at Blaine as they moved a few feet apart. This line dance required a partner for a few counts, and she hoped Blaine could get the steps right. She honestly didn’t care if he did or not. She just wanted him to take her into his arms as she tipped her head back and pealed laughter toward the rafters. She’d hold onto his shoulders with such joy as they laughed together, and Hayes would see how happy she was without him in her life.
She performed the steps easily, especially when she watched the woman on the stage. They went through the steps four or five times at half the speed, one by one. Blaine got the moves right, and he was already exactly where he was supposed to be when she turned around to take her into his arms and dip her.
She giggled and looked up to the stage as Hayes said, “Okay, Brit. Let’s get the real thing going.” He grinned at her, and Tam knew the power in that smile. Hers faltered as she watched him trail his fingers along the woman’s waist, and the two of them smiled at each other.
She moved away from Blaine, and the music began for real. She kept up easily, but when she spun this time, Blaine wasn’t there. He arrived a beat too late, and Tam laughed as she grabbed onto him, the scene in her mind exactly what she wanted Hayes to see.
Blaine wasn’t overjoyed though, and he said, “Sorry,” as he finally dipped her.
“It’s fine,” she said. “Loosen up, Blaine. It’s just for fun.” She turned away from him and took a deep breath, looking up to the stage to see if Hayes was watching her. He didn’t seem to be; he hadn’t even seen her.
They went through the dance again, and this time, Blaine was on time. He did smile then, and Tam pealed out that laughter again.
“You’re in a good mood tonight,” Blaine said, eyeing her.
She didn’t know what to say, so she said nothing. They progressed through the dance, learning it in sections. Hayes didn’t look in her direction once, and after about forty-five minutes, Tam was feeling more tired and sweaty than like the picture-perfect woman in love with her new boyfriend.
Blaine looked like he might commit murder if he had to do this much longer, and Tam knew whose it would be: hers.
“One more time,” Hayes said. “From the top, all the way through.”
Tam could do it, but she seriously doubted Blaine could. He hadn’t yet, at least. The music started, and Tam tapped her heel, and put her hands on her hips. She spun, and she got dipped. She held Blaine’s hand and did the grapevine, kicking and laughing like this was absolutely the best thing in her life.
If it was, no wonder she wasn’t impressing Hayes.
At the end of the dance, Blaine was supposed to spin her, and then they’d separate and do the last step before everyone clapped.
Tam missed a step and turned toward Blaine in a stumble. He caught her, but he got knocked sideways too from her momentum. He grunted as he tried to stop them, but Tam’s foot caught on the back of his leg as she tried to tame her movement into a spin.
