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“Lucas!” she called after him, then snapped her mouth shut. She didn’t need the crew hearing anything she’d feel prompted to explain.
Dancing.
That was the only thing that came to mind when he said comfortable shoes. She might have rationalized riding, but he’d already confirmed it wasn’t going to be that. Her stomach sank. He wanted to take her out and spin her around a dance floor.
She’d been honest. She didn’t mind surprises. But this one wasn’t something she was thrilled about. She couldn’t see herself in Lucas’s arms in front of the whole town—people they’d grown up with—watching and judging her.
Palms sweating, she leaned against the barn again and shut her eyes tight against the anxiety that wanted to rear its ugly head. It wasn’t like she’d be able to convince him that he should reconsider. Lucas wouldn’t hear her out anyway. He’d just remind her that she didn’t have to worry and all that mattered was that they were spending time together.
She couldn’t deny he’d be making a good point. Hadn’t she told him how ridiculous it was to care about what other people thought? They had one life to live. She needed to do so to the fullest.
If Lucas wanted to take her dancing, she should just go with it and enjoy herself. Besides, it wasn’t like she’d be running into her old bullies. She’d been in town for weeks now and still hadn’t run into any of the people who made her younger years miserable.
Maybe going out with Lucas to the country club wouldn’t be so bad after all.
Ella ranher hands down her stomach and then her hips, feeling the soft fabric of the dress she’d chosen to wear. It was black, slimming, and one that she actually felt beautiful wearing. This dress had been something she’d fallen in love with the second she’d found it on the rack.
The fabric fell to her knees. She paired the dress with a pair of boots that came to her calves. The whole outfit made her feel like she actually belonged back in Copper Creek, and just seeing it come together made her smile.
The flutters in her stomach continued to twist and turn from the moment she’d figured out what Lucas had planned. She didn’t know what to expect tonight, but she’d do her best to let the world around her disappear and be present just for Lucas.
From the moment he picked her up to the moment they walked up the steps of the country club, she couldn’t stop her hands from trembling. It was easy to tell herself she had outgrown all these thoughts and feelings, but to act on those thoughts was much harder.
Lucas squeezed her hand, forcing her to slow down before they reached the entrance. “I can tell you’re nervous.”
Her chuckle was strained, sounding more like a dying animal. “What gave you that idea?”
“I haven’t seen you this upset since you arrived.”
“Oh, I’ve been upset—”
“Irritated, yes. Furious, definitely.” Lucas smiled. “But this is different.”
She took a deep breath and released it slowly. “I just don’t get it.”
He peered at her, studying her like he could read her thoughts, only she knew better. He tilted his head and then looked toward the building. “What don’t you get?”
Ella shifted. She could ask him what he saw in her. She could demand to know if he had ulterior motives. But after spending a month getting closer, she knew better than to ask judgmental questions like that. Lucas had proven himself over and over again. He was sweet and thoughtful. Shaking her head, she turned her gaze to where he held her hand, and then she smiled. “What makes you like dancing so much? I would have thought it was a little too… girly for you.”
His grin spread slowly across his face. “And I would have thought you’d fall all over yourself with excitement when you heard that you were going dancing tonight. So why do you look so nervous?”
“Have you considered the fact that not all women love dancing?” Ella gestured to herself. “Do I look like the kind of woman who can be led across the dance floor like an elegant swan?”
“This isn’t ballet. You don’t need any training. You just need a good partner.”
This time, Ella laughed out loud. “You can’t expect me to believe that!”
“Why not? Don’t you trust me?”
Ella opened her mouth but then snapped it shut. She knew better than to admit it wasn’t about trusting him, because really, it was about trusting herself. The last thing she wanted to do wasfall flat on her face. “You know what? Let’s do it. But let me say just one thing. If I fall, you’re coming with me.”
“Deal.” Lucas’s hand tightened on hers and he pulled her through the door with a group of young twenty-somethings.
Immediately the atmosphere changed. From the outside, the country club didn’t look different from any business or restaurant in town. Once inside, she realized what she’d been missing out on since her return to town. The country club wasn’t just a place to go dancing or to hold a reception. It had been turned into a hot spot for the area. There was a hostess standing behind the podium to the left, and several people were waiting to be seated. Off to the right, an area opened up to a dance floor.
Upon closer inspection, she could see several doors that led to what had to be a balcony. The doors were open and people were coming and going. Overhead, the ceiling rose high above and boasted several ornate lights.
Lucas tugged on her hand, leading her toward the restaurant side. “I hope you’re hungry. This place serves the best food.”
