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“Only if you don’t stray too far from where I can see her. On second thought, I’ll come dance too. Luna, how about a waltz with your granddad.”
“Oui, papy.” Luna agreed. She reached up to Sam and pecked his cheek before leaving with Robert, Dora and Zimmerman.
The dreamy music playing by the orchestra seemed to have lured a lot of couples to the dance area. It even persuaded Joe to extend an inviting hand to Stella.
“May I have this dance, Ms Stella?” Joe looked back at a surprised and stern-looking Sam. “I promise we won’t stray too far either.”
Stella’s hand slipped into Joe’s. “Thought you’d never ask.” Then she kissed Sam’s cheek, same as her sister. “The next one is with you,papa.”
I knew those girls were Sam’s daughters, but was it weird that I felt a tiny pang of jealousy that they could kiss him whenever they wanted to? They just couldn’t resist showering him with adoration. And me, I couldn’t do anything with Sam. Not even look into his eyes because he still refused to meet my gaze. There we stood, him and I alone, unflinching like mummified. And maybe I imagined it, but when Sam shifted his weight on his other leg, he stepped a small distance further away from me.
“How was Iceland?” I decided to break the ice.
“Cold.”
One word answer. Okay, I’ll take that. Good progress.
“Did you get to see the Northern Lights? I hear they’re breathtaking.” I attempted again.
“I did. Not the most beautiful light I’ve ever seen.”
Oh.
“Do you want to dance?” Sam asked a little too rushed.
And despite being a terrible dancer, I didn’t dare hesitate to accept his hand.
We moved to the dancefloor. This time, Sam couldn’t escape meeting my eyes. I looked up at his height, trying my best not to let his proximity or the feel of his skin on my hand send my heart into cardiac arrest. Our joined hands raised up, elbows in the air. His free hand came under my shoulder blade and my own hand settled on his shoulder. Our best interpretation of the classic ballroom dance position. Sam took the lead and we began to sway. A slow sway with only our feet moving just barely.
It was right there when I realized the extent of how much I had hurt this man. His eyes were dull as they locked with mine. His face was wrinkled with sadness. And it was all my fault. I did this to him. I broke his heart. And I was sad too. I was miserable that we couldn’t have a proper dance. One where I could hold him closer and I’d laugh at what he’d whispered in my ear and then kiss him until my lungs would protest for air. But this dance was far from that. And I got the confirmation of that when I noticed Sam peeking at his daughter dancing with his best friend. Sam had only asked me to dance to gain a vantage point over his precious girl. Not because he wanted to dance with me at all. Still, I pushed that thought aside and embraced the one moment I had with him. It was going to end very soon, I knew it.
His hand clasped around mine began to tremble. I saw his face contorting lightly and I remembered about his shoulder. It must still be hurting him. Sam could have ended our dance and shake off his pain, yet he didn’t. Neither did I. Instead, I lowered our adjoined hands between our bodies to prevent him from raising his arm too high and exerting his shoulder. I shifted my other hand from his shoulder to snake around his waist. Sam stiffened in my arm but I daren’t surrender now. Not when he was allowing me to be this close to him. So I let my head lean on his hard chest. That finally made him give in and he let his hand slide down my back below my waist. Our bodies were now closely welded together.
We may be hopeless dancers but this was undoubtedly one unforgettable dance.
I relished in that bliss of feeling him in my arms, of touching him. But only temporarily. Only until I saw his mother nearby watching at us. Her hand was over her mouth, concealing her smile of delight. Definitely getting the wrong idea of what she was witnessing. Oh, mother. It was just a meaningless dance. A dance I didn’t want to end still. So I closed my eyes and ignored everything except for Sam’s warm body against mine.
When the song finished, Sam took the first step back but his hand remained in mine. He met my gaze and held it for long seconds – or maybe it was just one second that felt very long. Then he let go.
Sam strode to Stella and Joe to cut in and steal his daughter for the next dance.
Joe came beside me. “You okay?”
“I need a strong drink.” And I grabbed Joe’s hand and tugged him with me to the bar.
Joe beckoned a server and took my cue to order. “Two tequila shots. Each.” He side glanced at me. “You need to loosen up and I need to feel less like a crushing teenager.”
With a sigh, Joe leaned back to the bar and surveilled his new crush Stella. The girl was twisting and turning on the dancefloor with her father.
Look at Sam. Look how happy he was. And wow, did he have reason to. He was so fortunate to have that beautiful family.
“Hey, Luc.” Joe began. “Please don’t be mad that I didn’t tell you he’d be here. If you knew, you would have taken the coward’s path and declined your RSVP.”
“Maybe. Maybe not.”
The waiter set our four shot glasses before us.
Joe picked one up. “Come on, let’s toast. To everything you and I achieved together and to everything else in the future.”
