Chapter Thirteen
E m hadn’t signed up for dance classes to become the ballroom equivalent of Misty Copeland. But the owner of the dance studio, Idelle Willis, was a grand dame of modern ballroom dance and had been a contemporary of many incredible, groundbreaking Black dancers. So she took the lessons quite seriously.
“You think Ms. Idelle will notice if we sneak out the back?” Nick whispered in Em’s ear while the older woman lectured another couple on holding proper position.
Em snorted, followed by a giggle she hadn’t been able to hold in. She quickly straightened her expression and stood tall with her chin tipped when Ms. Idelle’s attention snapped to her.
“Ms. Roberts…” Ms. Idelle walked toward them, her elaborate, bejeweled cane striking the floor of the dance studio with each step. “Perhaps you and Mr. Washington would like to demonstrate the proper hammerlock position.”
“The hammer what?” Nick whispered in a slight panic.
“Of course,” Em said without hesitation. She took her position while subtly nudging Nick into his, facing the opposite direction, their hands connected behind her back and across the front of his body.
The older woman walked around them, her long white hair pulled up into a severe bun, as she carefully examined their positioning.
“Move to an open hold,” Ms. Idelle instructed, her expression unchanging.
Em could feel the tenseness and panic in her friend’s grip.
Nick was a perfectly good dancer at the club or a backyard barbecue. He could do the Wobble, the Cupid Shuffle, and the Cha Cha Slide with the best of them. But ballroom dancing required more structure. And while Nick had been a good sport for helping her tick another box off on the personal improvement part of her Soulmate Project, he’d been there to keep her company, not to learn to ballroom dance, and it showed. Em didn’t care because she enjoyed the lessons and the time that she and Nick got to spend together two nights a week. So she’d do her best to guide him through without making it look like she was.
“Music, please.” Ms. Idelle signaled to the instructors handling the music. She turned to them. “Let’s run through those turns again beginning your basic bachata steps, if you please. One… and two…”
Ms. Idelle tapped her cane on the floor in time to the music as she called out each turn, observing them carefully. Once they were done, she raised a hand, and the music halted.
“Well done, you two.” The older woman nodded approvingly. “Your progress is quite remarkable, Ms. Roberts. You’re proving to be an excellent follow. You’ve already learned the subtle art of prompting your lead with almost no one being able to tell.” The older woman winked, and the entire class laughed—including Nick.
Em was pretty sure it was the first time she’d seen the older woman smile. Ms. Idelle was in her seventies and still gorgeous. But Em had Googled her. When she’d been a world-famous dancer fighting to make her mark in the world of ballroom dance with her late husband, the two of them had been an incredibly handsome pair. And despite the bigotry they’d faced, in the videos she’d seen of the two of them, Ms. Idelle had always looked regal and refined. But she’d also looked truly happy—despite all of the barriers they’d had to surmount.
“All right, class. Ms. Roberts and Mr. Washington have shown us how to execute the hammerlock and a two-handed turn into a cuddle position. Now let’s see you do it. Open positions, please.”
Ms. Idelle walked the group of twenty students through a variety of bachata moves several times, until she seemed confident enough that the group had mastered the moves. Then she called for the music—a pop song covered by a Latin artist with a bachata flavor.
“Okay, I take back every jab I ever made about your dancing. You are an excellent dancer,” Nick noted as he led her through the basic combination of bachata sensual moves they’d learned that evening. He braced his hand lightly on her hip as she did a hip roll. “How did I not realize that before?”
“I don’t know.” Em shrugged as Nick lifted her arm over her head in preparation for a pretzel turn. “Maybe because you were too busy dancing with whomever you planned on sleeping with next.”
She could feel the heightened tension in Nick’s body with her shoulder leaning into his chest. He faltered slightly before leading her into a body roll.
“I’m not judging,” Em said. “But you asked, and I answered.”
“Fair.” Nick seemed to recover as they unwound from their closed position and resumed the basic steps.
“Up next… shadow position with a hip pendulum followed by social position with chest and hip isolations and ending with that gorgeous slide,” Ms. Idelle called out.
Em drew in a quiet breath, her heartbeat quickening as Nick went into his break forward motion, rotating her into shadow position so that her back was toward him. He wrapped his arm around her waist from behind, and they rocked their hips in a slow, sensual pendulum motion.
Em tried to focus on the gentle sway of their hips rather than how their close proximity made her heart race and her tummy flutter. She tried to ignore his breath warm on her neck and the way his subtle, delicious scent tickled her nose. To pretend that her skin didn’t feel as if it might burst into flames in the wake of his gentle caress of her arm.
That she wasn’t still madly in love with her best friend.
“It’s not like we’ve never danced together,” Nick noted.
Em snorted, and she could hear her mother’s voice in her head, reminding her how unladylike the sound was. She cleared her throat as they hit the isolation movements. “Middle school doesn’t count. Nor does whatever that was Sinclair had us doing at Dexter and Dakota’s wedding reception.”
“Actually, I was thinking about when we danced together our final night in Mexico.” Nick sounded nostalgic. “It was just us and like one other couple in this dinky little dive restaurant. That was a great night.”
“It was,” Em agreed.
It was the night Nick had almost kissed her. The night she’d first realized that she had feelings for her best friend.
Nick’s knee glided between her thighs, and she resisted the urge to clamp her thighs around his as they made the isolation movements together: chest, hip, hip, chest. Then he used the gentle pressure of his knee to lift the leg not holding her weight as they ended with a slide.
“Give yourselves a round of applause, ladies and gentlemen.” Ms. Idelle nodded approvingly. “That was much better. You’re all improving quite nicely.”
Em had been relieved when Nick had volunteered to take the sampler dance class with a mix of salsa, bachata sensual, and other styles of dance. Taking a dance class had been something she’d always wanted to do… as a couple. But she just hadn’t ever found herself in a relationship where it felt right. Or she’d asked and had been turned down by whomever she was dating. She’d never considered asking Nick. But she’d enjoyed the time they spent together the past few weeks.
Em was proud of the progress she’d made. She learned to relax, trust her instincts, and let go of her inhibitions. The lessons they learned in class were like metaphors she could easily apply to her own life.
She looked forward to dance class so much that she’d been spending less time focused on the dating part of the Soulmate Project. Dancing salsa and bachata sensual with Nick was fun and exciting. Scrolling through pages of strangers who could either be “the one,” nice but not quite right, or a complete jerk was more anxiety-inducing.
“Before we end our lesson this evening, I’d like to try a little experiment.” Ms. Idelle’s eyes twinkled with mischief as she scanned their faces. “Mr. Clark, I’d like for you to try that routine again, this time with Eboni.” She nodded toward her granddaughter, who was one of the dance instructors. “Ms. Roberts, I’d like for you to try it with Carlos this time.” She gestured for Em to leave Nick’s side and join the other dance instructor in the center of the floor.
Em turned to Nick in a slight panic, but he placed a gentle hand on her back and whispered, “You’ve got this.”
She nodded and released a slow breath, the tension easing.
Em joined Carlos on the floor, giving him a polite nod as they assumed a closed position.
“The Jacksons, the Tanakas, and the Kellys will round out our little group.” Ms. Idelle walked over to the sound system, then nodded for her assistant to start the music again.
Em drew in a deep breath, her heart fluttering as she prepared to take on another challenge.
Nick gritted his teeth, his jaw tense, even as he forced a big smile for Emerie whenever she glanced his way.
Em was clearly nervous about being a part of Ms. Idelle’s impromptu exhibition. So he needed to reassure her that she was more than capable of nailing this routine with the Jeffrey Dean Morgan–looking dude holding her in his arms. Half the women in the room were swooning over the man—including the women there with their partners.
“Lucky girl,” one of the other dance students whispered loudly to her friend.
“You realize I’m right here, right?” her husband grumbled. “And so is her boyfriend.”
“He’s not her boyfriend. They’re just childhood friends.” The woman—who clearly had no idea how whispering worked—waved a dismissive hand.
What the woman had said was true. So why did it bother him so much?
The woman’s husband glanced over at him, but Nick kept his attention on Em moving in time with the music as Carlos held her in his arms.
The fact that Carlos was a much better dancer than Nick came as no surprise. After all, dancing was the man’s livelihood. But what did surprise Nick was how incredibly graceful Em looked floating on the dance floor in Carlos’s arms.
Had she been holding back before because she was afraid of making him look bad?
Nick was mesmerized by Em’s sensual, fluid movements. He couldn’t pull his gaze away from the slow rock of Em’s hips in those navy leggings. A laser-cut design down the sides showed flashes of her brown skin from her hips to her ankles. The long-sleeve top knotted at her back showed hints of her back and belly as she moved.
Carlos’s fingertips grazed Em’s exposed skin, and Nick clenched his hands into involuntary fists, his short fingernails digging into his palms. He gritted his teeth, his nostrils flaring. Heat enveloped his neck and his cheeks.
“You sure they’re just friends?” the man whispered.
Nick sucked in a slow breath and exhaled quietly. He forced himself to relax, so that when Carlos turned Em into pretzel position and she was facing him again, he could give her a big smile.
Em seemed to relax, and her stiff expression softened into a more natural one as Carlos walked her toward him before he turned her again and they retreated in the other direction.
“She’s quite good, isn’t she, Mr. Washington?”
For a woman with a cane that struck the floor loudly, Ms. Idelle could move with the stealthiness and grace of a cat whenever she chose to. The older woman was standing right beside Nick, and he hadn’t seen or heard her coming.
“She’s fantastic. I had no idea she was such a good dancer.” Nick returned his attention to Emerie and Carlos on the dance floor.
“And you’re sure that the two of you are just friends?” Ms. Idelle said the words as if she seriously doubted their veracity.
“Yes, ma’am.” Nick didn’t take his eyes off of Em. She was relaxed now, having fun, and the competitor in her was really going for it as she turned it up a notch, hitting every move a bit harder. More sass, more sexiness, while still maintaining her precision.
He was proud of her, even if he wanted to chin check that Carlos guy because he seemed to be enjoying it a little too much.
“We’ve known each other since we were kids.”
“And the two of you aren’t romantically involved?”
Ms. Idelle turned to him expectantly.
Telling the woman it was none of her business didn’t seem like an option. She’d probably swat him on the behind with that blinged-out cane of hers.
“No, ma’am.” Because the erotic fantasies he’d had about Em didn’t count.
“Then you won’t mind if I ask her to partner with Carlos in the dance exhibition I’m planning?”
Ms. Idelle cocked one of her thinly drawn eyebrows, as if daring him to object.
Another project that would put distance between them? Great . But what was he going to do? Beat his chest like some caveman and declare that she was his?
“Of course not. Not if that’s what Em wants,” Nick added, hoping she didn’t.
“Oh, she will. I’m certain of it. Look at the fire in her eyes when she dances.” The woman tipped her chin toward Emerie, swirling on the dance floor to the music. “She enjoys the battle. It’ll serve her well in every facet of her life.”
The entire room oohed, aahed, and whooped in response to Carlos and Em’s hip pendulum which looked a thousand percent sexier than the one he and Em had done earlier.
Nick sighed quietly, his face pinching with an involuntary frown as he looked on at his best friend. There was no way in hell that Em would turn down the chance to be a star on the dance floor. And since she was so excited about dancing, he wanted that for her, too.
After all, what kind of friend would he be if he didn’t want to see Em happy?
There was more cheering in response to Em and Carlos’s chest and hip isolations, followed by loud applause for the entire group of dancers.
But as Nick watched Carlos and Em embrace in celebration of their flawless performance, his gut knotted.
Either you want to be the only man in Em’s life or you’re willing to set your ego aside and be the friend she needs as she searches for the man who wants to be.
Dexter’s advice echoed in Nick’s head, and his shoulders tensed. He’d made his choice. Now he needed to get his shit together and follow through with supporting his best friend in her decision to find a life partner. Just as he’d supported her through every other area of her life for the past two decades.
“Oh my God, can you believe that? I felt like a professional out there.” Em was standing in front of him, bouncing on her heels.
“You were an absolute star, kid. Way to go.” Nick hugged Em tight, lifting her off her feet momentarily, which made her laugh.
“It was no surprise to me. You have incredible potential, Ms. Roberts. In fact, I’m banking on it.” Ms. Idelle nodded approvingly. “We’re putting on an exhibition at The Foxhole. I’d like for you and Carlos to do a routine together. What do you say? Ready to show Holly Grove Island what a talented dancer you are?”
“Just me?” Em pressed a hand to her chest. She turned to Nick, her brows furrowed. “I don’t know if—”
“You should do it, Em. Don’t worry about me. This will require lots of additional practice. With work and the band, I wouldn’t be able to squeeze in extra practice anyway,” Nick said. “Besides, you took this class to challenge yourself by doing something outside of your comfort zone. This is the perfect way to do that.”
Em’s frown softened. “You won’t feel slighted?”
He definitely did. Before this class, he’d actually believed he was the better dancer. But Nick was thrilled to see how Em was blossoming as she executed the steps of her Soulmate Project.
“What I’m going to be is your biggest cheerleader. Now c’mon. You know you want to do this. Say yes, already.”
“Okay, I’ll do it.” Em bounced up and down excitedly. “Thank you for believing in me, Ms. Idelle.”
“You just need to believe in yourself as much as your friend and I do.” Ms. Idelle perched both hands on her glittery cane. “Now go ahead and work out a practice schedule with Carlos.”
Em hugged Nick again before running off to talk to the dance instructor who would be her partner for the exhibition.
“I don’t know how much I believe that your sole interest in Ms. Roberts is friendship.” Ms Idelle eyed him cautiously. “But you are a good friend indeed, Mr. Washington.” The older woman’s voice softened. “Now… before next class, work on making those steps a bit smaller and not flapping your arms. We aren’t stepping over potholes or trying to land a plane, are we?” Her eyes danced with quiet amusement. “I’ll see you next week.”
He couldn’t help chuckling as the grand dame hobbled toward another couple.
Nick caught a glimpse of Carlos’s wide grin as he stared at Emerie, and he gritted his teeth.
What in the hell is going on with me lately?
He and Em had been friends through her high school and college boyfriends. Through the handful of relationships she’d had in her twenties, including the few she’d had since he’d realized that he was attracted to Em. They were friends. He needed to let go of whatever romantic feelings he might have for her. So why had it suddenly become so hard to ignore them? And why was he suddenly resentful of every guy who looked Em’s way?
Emerie’s admission on the beach that night had tugged at the thread that had kept his feelings for her safely tucked away. Buried down deep where they wouldn’t make a mess of the friendship he valued so deeply. In the past, whenever those feelings would resurface, he’d simply reminded himself of what a mess he’d made of past friendships when he’d tried to turn them into something more. And of how whatever fire or passion might’ve existed between his parents—who’d been best friends before marrying in college—had evaporated long ago. That wasn’t an eventuality he wanted for himself and Em, either.
“Nick, right?” One of the other students—a curvy brunette with a huge smile—approached.
“Right.” Nick forced himself to tear his gaze away from Emerie. “And you’re…”
“Bethany,” she volunteered quickly, tucking her hair behind her ear. “Is it true that you and your partner are just friends? Because I always assumed you two were a couple. You’re definitely giving established couple energy.”
“We’ve known each other a really long time.” Nick tried not to seem rude or impatient. He cast another glance at Carlos, who’d casually draped his long arm over Em’s shoulder.
He clenched his fists, forced a smile, and returned his attention to Bethany.
“So then you’re both single, right?” Bethany’s brown eyes danced, and her grin widened.
“Right,” Nick said, preparing himself to let the woman down easily. She was pretty and seemed nice enough, but between work and everything that’d been going on with Em, Nick had been too busy and distracted to bother with dating.
“Awesome.” Bethany tossed her dark hair over one shoulder. “I was considering asking her out. Do you think she’d be interested?”
“Oh.” Wow. He’d definitely read the room wrong. Bethany was interested in Em—not him. “She’s currently on a quest to find Mr. Right, so…”
“Got it.” Bethany stared across the room longingly at Em.
Join the club, sis.
“Can’t blame a girl for trying, right?”
“Not at all.” Nick flashed her a sympathetic smile. “In fact, I’m sure Em would be flattered that you were interested in her. Good night, Bethany.”
“Good night, Nick,” Bethany called over her shoulder.
“She’s very pretty.” Em approached him with a teasing lilt to her voice.
“She thinks you are, too. In fact, she asked if I thought you’d be interested in going out with her. But don’t worry. I let Bethany down easy. I told her you’re currently on the quest for ‘the one.’”
“Aww. That’s sweet.” Em flipped her hair. “I’ll have to tell Sin that her makeover game is even stronger than we thought.”
“I think it’s that effervescent personality, that contagious smile, and those heart-stopping bachata hips that had just about everyone in this room hyp notized.” He emphasized the first part of the word. “Get it? Hyp notized? See what I did there?”
“I get it, all right.” Em did a hip pendulum followed by a couple of hip isolations and a head roll. Nick was sure his heart went into overdrive. He clutched at his chest like Fred Sanford threatening to join Elizabeth in heaven, which made Em laugh.
She finished off her impromptu performance with a spin.
“Very nice.” Nick clapped, surveying his friend. “I have to admit that those little dance outfits of yours don’t hurt, either.”
“This?” Em glanced down, as if she needed to remind herself of what she was wearing. “It’s just a pair of leggings and a T-shirt. The same thing I’ve been wearing for about a decade now.”
Now it was Nick’s turn to scoff. “I’m pretty sure you know just how fucking hot you look in that outfit. Yes, it might technically be just a pair of leggings and a T-shirt. But laser cutouts and an off-the-shoulder, belly-baring top are a definite upgrade from what you used to wear.” Nick rubbed his chin as he studied her body. “You look… incredible , and you’ve got the moves. Is it really any wonder why Ms. Idelle selected you? Or why Bethany and a handful of other people—including Carlos—can’t keep their eyes off you?”
Nick was chief among the folks mesmerized by Emerie, despite trying hard not to be.
A soft smile lit his friend’s eyes as her gaze met his, neither of them speaking for a few moments.
“Thanks, Nicky,” Em said finally.
Nick grabbed Em’s coat from the rack, holding it up as she slid it on. Then he put on his own coat, and they headed to the parking lot.
“Wanna grab something to eat, maybe play a couple games of pool?” Nick asked.
“Sorry. I’m meeting Carlos at The Foxhole. He thought it would be good if we had a chance to see the space. Plus, we can grab a meal and get to know each other a little bit so we can begin putting together our plan for the exhibition.”
Why did it feel like he was beginning to develop a tick in his jaw every time Em mentioned Carlos’s name? “Be careful with that guy, Em.”
“What do you mean?” Em lowered her voice to a whisper.
“He’s been doing this a long time, and he’s definitely into you. Just feels like this get-to-know-you date is part of his MO.”
“First: it’s not a date. Second: is this the part where you pull out your six-shooter at high noon and declare that this town isn’t big enough for two fuckboys? Especially when one is a silver fox with Zaddy vibes?” Em’s raised eyebrow vibrated with well-deserved condemnation.
“This isn’t about me,” Nick assured her. Though it sounded like a load of bullshit, even to his ears. “But we always look out for each other. And that’s what I’m trying to do here.”
“Well, it sounds a tad bit hyp ocritical.” Em emphasized the first part of the word. “ Hypocritical ? Get it? See what I did there?” She imitated his voice, then burst into laughter.
“Not funny, and I do not sound like that.” Still, he couldn’t help chuckling.
“Whatever, dude. I’m just saying take it down a little and relax. I’ll be fine.”
“You’re right.” Nick held up his hands. “I’m gonna chill out and let you handle your business.”
“Good.” Em’s broad smile was contagious.
His scowl softened, and his heart seemed to expand in his chest. He was proud of Em. She was focused and determined. She was investing in herself and expanding her business. Things she’d been hesitant to do before. His friend had never lacked confidence in sports—where she often excelled. She’d been less assertive in other areas of her life—like her relationships, career, and business. Nick loved seeing Em’s growth, her assertiveness, and confidence. It made his friend—who’d always been beautiful and sexy—infinitely more so.
He loved that for her. And he loved her .
The playful look in Em’s dark eyes as they sparkled… it did things to him. And all the head games he’d employed to ignore his attraction to his best friend just didn’t work anymore.
Nick stared down at Emerie, his heart beating faster and his pulse racing. Em was so damn beautiful standing beneath the moonlight on a chilly February night. His eyes were drawn to her full lips. And he couldn’t help wanting to step closer, slide his hands beneath her coat, rest them on those mesmerizing hips, and capture those sensual lips in a greedy kiss.
She gazed up at him, nibbling on her lower lip. Everything around them had gone quiet. The moments felt like minutes.
Nick sucked in a breath and stepped closer to Em. But he was startled by a man’s voice.
“See you at the restaurant?” Carlos called to Em as he eyed Nick.
Nick glared at him.
Right back at you, playa.
“I’ll be there in ten minutes,” Em said.
Carlos climbed into his banana-yellow Corvette with a smug look on his face.
Is that my future?
A middle-aged man with nothing to show for his life but a list of conquests and a neon-colored sports car that screamed midlife crisis?
“Nick, are you all right? You’ve been kind of weird tonight.”
“I’m good. Just text me when you get home. I won’t be able to sleep until I know you’re okay.”
“I will. I promise.” Emerie’s expression softened. “And I really do appreciate you looking out for me.”
“Same, kid,” Nick said, meaning it.
Meeting Emerie had changed his life, Nick was sure of it. The resentment and anger he’d harbored as a lonely kid had been a recipe for disaster. He’d been on a bad path—despite having parents who loved him and neighbors who cared. But the concern and genuine friendship Em had shown him had pulled him out of a dark place.
His parents loved him. He never once doubted that. But neither of them was particularly demonstrative of their affection for him or each other. It was his friendship with Emerie and his relationship with Dakota and her family that taught him to be a more open, loving human being. His parents taught him how to be focused, organized, and disciplined. How to excel at one’s chosen craft. They’d taught him the importance of knowing one’s history and of giving back to one’s community. And he would always be grateful to them for that. But it was Emerie, Dakota, and their families who showed him the beauty of unconditional love.
They’d helped make him the man he was today as much as his parents had.
“Stop worrying so much. Go home and get some sleep. You have a big meeting in the morning.” Em lifted onto her toes and kissed his cheek.
“Right.” Nick massaged the tension in the back of his neck. The dance class had gotten him out of his head for a couple of hours and made him forget his concerns about the work meeting. But now this date with Carlos that Em didn’t even realize was a date had given him something else to be uneasy about.
“Hey, there are a couple of good basketball games on Friday night. Want to meet at Blaze’s?” Nick opened Em’s door for her.
“Friday is Valentine’s Day, so Kassie and I are just gonna hang out.” Em slid into the front seat and started her car. “But if you don’t have plans, you’re welcome to join us.”
He’d forgotten about Valentine’s Day. Normally, he went out of his way to avoid scheduling a date on holidays and at weddings because those always felt significant, and he didn’t want to send mixed signals to someone he was trying to keep it casual with. But between work and being wrapped up in his best friend’s life more than he should, he hadn’t been out with anyone since before New Year’s Eve.
“Sounds great. What time should I come through?”
“Seven. Bring pizza and beer.” Em’s quirky smile reminded Nick of the one she’d flash when they were kids. That smile could get him to laugh, no matter how grumpy his mood.
Nick groaned quietly as Em drove away. Emerie Roberts was his person.
She knew him inside and out, understood him and loved him unconditionally, despite his faults. Em’s very existence made his world better and each day brighter whether they were in the same room or on opposite sides of the country.
Nick cherished that. And he had done his damnedest to be the same for her—no matter what that entailed. He should be grateful for Carlos’s interruption. Because he’d been seconds from leaning in and kissing Em and unraveling the beautifully complicated friendship they’d spent two decades weaving.
He needed to pull it together. Because more and more, he was flirting with the idea of crossing the line with his best friend.