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Wren leaned closer to Jessica. “How are things with Connor going since you’re on your own?”
“Really good.” Jessica broke into a shy smile. Her gaze flicked from Wren to Elizabeth. “He was going to come with us tonight but switched shifts with another nurse to get a long weekend. He’s taking me to meet his family. I hope they like me.”
“Just be yourself. Introducing you to his family is a promising sign,” Elizabeth reassured her.
She wished she’d had the foresight to at least meet Adam’s family before they eloped, but she’d believed him when he said it didn’t matter what his kids or siblings would say about their age difference and didn’t need their approval. It wasn’t as if she wanted to introduce him to her parents—not that they’d necessarily have disapproved or cared. It was only after they were married that she realized Adam was afraid his control issues might somehow come up. She’d been too naïve to recognize the attention he’d lavished on her and him getting jealous over silly things, like cuddling the dog, as red flags. Instead, she’d learned the hard way. As had Jessica with her controlling ex-husband. It was great to see her happy and moving on.
Brooke’s gaze lingered on John. Elizabeth shook off the niggle that rose as the women chatted. It wasn’t any of her business if the two connected. Brooke wasn’t living at The Oasis anymore, where it might create awkward situations or problems, and John wasn’t a monk.
Darrin summoned them to the dance floor. Everyone quickly got to their feet. The nearly three dozen dancers formed four lines on the small dance floor.
A veteran wearing a red hat emblazoned with USMC in bright yellow letters waved a hand at the women around John. “Is your plan to hoard all the pretty ladies and not share with us old timers?”
“My only plan is to hide here in the back where no one sees me stumble over my combat boots,” John said.
“There’s no hiding on my dance floor.” Darrin donned his headset. “We’ll have you dancing like a semi-pro by the end of the night.”
“I’m in a wedding in a few weeks, and I don’t want to embarrass myself. At least more than usual.”
“If your sense of rhythm is anything like your ability to carry a tune, you’ll need more than one lesson,” Wren said from her spot next to John. “Just listen and watch Darrin, or me. We got your back.”
Elizabeth ended up in the middle row, over one spot from John and between the Marine and Buck.
Darrin started his lineup, walking them through “Boot Scootin’ Boogie” as a warm-up. By the end of the song, John was singing along. Then Darrin played “Copperhead Road.”
“No. Just in front with this song.”
Elizabeth resisted the urge to look when Wren corrected John. When they did a quarter of a turn, Elizabeth watched him out of the corner of her eye. Her early attempts had been full of missteps too. That John wore the same easy-going smile, even when Wren corrected him again, was an unexpected, but pleasant, surprise. Adam had absolutely hated being corrected in front of others. She’d learned that lesson all too well.
Darrin rolled through another country song, then gave them a break. When everyone returned to the floor, he changed things up with hip-hop and the easy “Cupid Shuffle.”
“I thought you didn’t know these songs and dances,” Wren grimaced, ducking John’s arm.
“I said I wasn’t good. I don’t live under a rock—totally. Mostly in the desert.”
Wren rolled her eyes and took a step further away.
Next, Darrin played another crowd favorite, the “Cha Cha Slide.” Dancing to those songs reminded Elizabeth of the happy, nearly carefree days when she and Jennifer had lived with friends, out of their father’s reach, and before she’d met Adam. She moved in step, only to find herself knocked off-balance by John. His arm slipped around her and pulled her to his side to keep her from crashing to the floor.
“Sorry, sorry, sorry. The reverse got me.” He righted and released her nearly as quickly as he had rescued her.
His sudden touch triggered memories of Adam’s fingers digging into her and left her fighting for breath. Even as non-threatening as John’s actions were, the normalcy of seconds ago had completely dissipated.
She joined in the dance again, determined not to let her past control her. It took several moments to match her steps to the music while she acknowledged the feelings and let them pass. The past was the past. It couldn’t be changed.Focus on now.That was the only thing she could control. Would she ever move on? Not withdraw and shut down at a man’s touch?
She made it through the rest of the song and the next. Darrin gave them another short break.
John grabbed a cup of lemonade and two cookies off the snack table.
Buck picked up a cookie. “Nice catch back there. I was afraid Elizabeth was going to land on the floor.”
“You and me both. I might have ended up homeless—again.” John grinned and handed her the cup of lemonade, then got another for himself.
“Wait. She said you weren’t—together. And . . .” Buck looked from one to the other.
Elizabeth shot John a semi-mock glare. “He and his dog are living in one of my tiny homes.”
“Wait,” Buck hooted. “You’reliving in a tiny home?” He chuckled between each word and ended up nearly doubled over.
