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Maisie Campbell.It didn’t sound half bad.
The fact it didn’t was Drew’s cue to get out of her head and onto the dance floor. “Shall we?”
Finding a spot on the edge of the crowd, Drew placed her right hand under Maisie’s left arm, holding the shoulder blade. Drew settled Maisie’s left hand onto Drew’s bicep, which she tightened while flashing Maisie a devious grin.
Maisie rolled her eyes. “Show off.”
Drew took Maisie’s right hand with her left and brought them to shoulder level.
“Okay, I’m going to take a step forward with my left leg, and you step back with your right.”
“I have to go backward?”
Drew laughed. “Haven’t you ever heard the old saying about women doing everything a man does but backward and wearing high heels? That was Ginger Rogers they were talking about.”
“Ginger Rogers? How are you such a secret nerd?”
“Watch it,” Drew scolded in a teasing tone. “Some things are sacred. Now, let’s get you dancing. Ready? It’s gonna be quick, quick, slow, slow.”
“What?”
“Two quick steps back, then two slow. Got it?”
Maisie nodded, not looking convinced.
Drew moved, and Maisie went the wrong way, stomping her foot with a force that brought tears to Drew’s eyes.
“Your other right leg.” Drew took several short breaths, hoping to ease the pain.
“Sorry!”
“I’m kind of regretting wearing my going out boots tonight,” Drew joked. “I should have gone with the steel toe.”
“I did warn you,” Maisie said, but Drew could sense the increased determination on her face and suspected the same mistake would not be made again. Different mistakes, maybe, but one thing Drew had learned about this woman was that failure was never an option.
Drew moved Maisie back two steps, fast, and then slowed down two steps, then sped up again for two, followed by slow. “There you go. Doing great.”
At the hint of a compliment, Maisie’s legs became tangled up in Drew’s, nearly sending them both tumbling onto the beer-splattered floor.
“Oh no!” Maisie blushed. “Sorry!”
“It’s okay, Maisie,” Drew soothed, drawing the woman’s body closer. Maisie’s fingers dug into Drew’s, as if desperate for support. Drew tightened her grip in silent reassurance that she wouldn’t let her fall.
After righting them, Drew restarted. Quick, quick, slow, slow. Over and over, going counterclockwise, around the group of line dancers. This time, Maisie lasted much longer before they became entangled again.
Maisie let out a defeated sigh. “I’m not sure this is my dance.”
“Nonsense,” Drew whispered in her ear. “You just need to stop fighting me.”
Wouldn’t it be nice if we both could stop fighting each other?Drew thought. She didn’t have time to ponder what she meant by it, though, because the next moment, a young man from one of the neighboring ranches came up to them, looking freshly scrubbed and very nervous.
“Hi, Drew.”
“Hey, Todd.” Drew had a feeling she knew where this was going, and while she might’ve been annoyed under other circumstances, he was a kid, and a nice one from the little she knew. “Maisie, this is Todd.”
“Nice to meet you.” Maisie looked relieved that they’d stopped dancing to talk.
Todd tugged at the collar of his plaid shirt. “Mind if I cut in?”
