AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Why can’t you make it?” Aiden had finally started to help them unload the vinyl planks from the boxes.
“I’m not big on dancing.” That wasn’t exactly true. He didn’t mind dancing when he had someone to dance with. Someone who wanted to dance with him. At this point in time, exactly zero other single women—around his age—intrigued him in Star Valley. “I’ve got other stuff to do tonight.”
Silas snorted. “Now you’re just lying.”
“You asked us to have a beer but now you’re suddenly busy?” Aiden shot him an interrogating gaze. “What’re you so busy with lately anyway?”
Thatch shared a look with Silas and gave his friend a slight shake of the head. He’d tell Aiden about his bronc riding soon. He already knew the revelation wouldn’t earn his friend’s approval. Aiden didn’t exactly like taking risks anymore. Since he’d married Kyra, he’d become a grounded family man.
Silas, however, understood Thatch’s quest. Last year, Silas had considered going back to work in the Middle East, but that was before he and Tess had acknowledged their feelings for each other.
“I’ve been working on the house,” he decided to say. “You know that.”
“Yeah, and you’ve already replaced pretty mucheverything,” Aiden countered. “What work is there left to do?”
He didn’t have an answer to that question. Last week, he’d put the finishing touches on his remodeled bathroom—the last project in his house. “Fine. I’ll stop by the café for a while.” But he wouldn’t stay long.
And he wouldn’t dance.
An hour later, Thatch was questioning his decision. Country-western night always drew a huge crowd at the café. Most of the tables had been stacked and pushed to the corners of the dining room so Louie and Minnie could set up a dance floor right in the center of the space. Some people sat at the bar along the back wall, but the majority were out getting their boot-scootin’ boogie on.
So far, Thatch hadn’t had a beer with his friends because they’d been too busy dancing with their wives. Shocker.
“Hey, Louie.” Thatch signaled the bartender. “I’ll take a beer.” Looked like he’d be enjoying an ale on his own tonight.
“You got it.” The older man set a frosty mug in front of him.
“Hi.” Lyric slid onto the stool next to him.
He startled but tried not to show it. Usually, he was aware when she walked into a room. “Hey.” Something happened to him whenever the woman got this close. He couldn’t even really describe it. His senses heightened. She brought more vibrance to his vision, to sounds. And he always caught her intoxicating scent—something that reminded him of his mom’s prized lilacs blooming in the spring. Thatch cleared his throat. “How’s it going?”
“Pretty good. How come you’re not out there?” She tipped her head toward the dance floor.
“I’ve never mastered the art of line dancing.” He’d grown up in farm country. Some of this cowboy stuff was new to him. Though he’d already embraced the boots and the hats and the riding. “I’d rather watch everyone else and point out Silas and Aiden’s screwups.”
Lyric’s laugh had the best melody.
“Come on, man,” Silas called, moving his feet as he and Tess shuffled past. “Ask Lyric to dance.”
No one excelled in the art of beating a dead horse more than Silas Beck. “I probably shouldn’t.” Thatch should’ve told his friends that the woman had flat-out rejected him so they’d lay off. Being turned down privately had been bad enough. He’d rather not put himself out there again in public.
“Hey, Lyric, why don’t you dance with Thatch here?” Tess stopped two-stepping and marched over to them. “He’s bored.”
“Oh. Uh.”Spookedwas the only way to describe Lyric’s wide-eyed expression. “Well—”
“That’s okay,” he interrupted. “I’m not a great dancer.”
“Lyric can teach you! She’s anamazingdancer.” Tess nudged her closer to him. “Come on. You two are literally the only people in here who aren’t dancing.”
“Okay. Yeah. We should dance.” Lyric’s smile faltered, but he was probably the only one who noticed. He doubted anyone studied her face the way he did.
“Sure.” Thatch stood and abandoned his beer. Everyone else would get suspicious if it became too obvious they were avoiding each other. They couldn’t avoid each other much longer anyway. He’d better get used to being around her one-on-one seeing as how he’d be doing yoga with her on a regular basis. The key would be to act likeeverything was normal between them. Like he’d never asked her out in the first place. He’d never been good at pretending, but he could learn.
Thankfully, Minnie put on a fast song, and they fell into an easy two-step with a little extra distance between their bodies.
He couldn’t help but notice how soft her hand felt in his, though.
“I called the school and told the guidance counselor I’d heard great things about Franco’s work ethic and wondered if he would have any interest in being an intern,” Thatch said before things could get awkward.
