Chapter Forty-Three
Kaylee
So now you’re going to the dance with Rick?
” Josie asked, sitting on Kaylee’s bed. It was Saturday, and the two of them were getting ready for the Christmas dance together.
She hadn’t told Josie about Rick asking her, enjoying the little secret they shared.
When she’d teased him about convincing her, he’d gone above and beyond doing so, and Kaylee was actually giddy with anticipation.
“Yes, I’m going to the dance with Rick.”
“Rick Diaz?” Josie prodded, and Kaylee rolled her eyes.
“Yes.”
“Who we no longer hate?”
“I didn’t hate him. I was angry with him.”
“You’re angry looks a lot like hate.”
Kaylee turned away from the mirror where she had been putting on mascara and gave Josie an eye roll. “Rick and I have an understanding, and we are now going to the dance together.”
“I was just double-checking because two days ago, you couldn’t stand the guy and were going out with someone else, and now here you are getting ready for a date with him.”
Kaylee hadn’t told Josie all the details about her date with Benny or what happened with Rick after.
Just thinking about all the sweaty, naked shenanigans made her body tingle.
However, she wasn’t quite ready to talk about it yet and possibly jinx it.
She wanted to see how things unfolded before she told Josie, or her friend might try to force her to confront her feelings.
To admit to herself that this could be something more than attraction, and that was terrifying.
Because if something did happen to her, Rick wouldn’t forgive himself.
Kaylee knew him well enough to know that, so she was just going to have to stay alive because she was not going to be the reason that Enrique Diaz lost faith in all humanity.
“Are you going to go with Colin?” Kaylee asked.
Josie snorted. “Colin doesn’t like dances, and even if he did, we are friends. I remember the time that I couldn’t make it to a bathroom on a trip to Yellowstone, and he had to look out so I could relieve myself behind a bush.”
“Oh my God!”
“Yeah, that’s how good a friend he is, and that is why when you even suggest anything more, I find it ridiculous.”
“All right, no Colin. Then is there anybody else who’s struck your fancy?”
“No, it’s fine. I’m not looking for anything.
I don’t need any complications,” Josie said, leaning back on her hands.
I have my career, my friends. I don’t need an insecure man mucking up my life.
What about a secure man? I don’t think they make those, at least none that are enough to handle what I do. ”
“You make it sound like you’re doing something wrong, and you’re not.”
“That is because everyone in my life has made me feel like I’ve been doing something wrong, sweetie.
Why do you think I don’t talk to my family?
” Kaylee’s face fell, but Josie smiled sardonically.
“It’s fine. You don’t have to feel bad for me.
Tonight is gonna be a blast for you, me, and your date. ”
Kaylee laughed. “He could be our date. We could share him.”
“No, thank you. I already feel like a third wheel. I do not need to actually be one.”
There was a knock at the door, and Josie danced out of the room. “I think your gentleman caller is here.”
“Please don’t call him that.”
Josie disappeared from the bedroom, and Kaylee heard the front door open and the two of them exchanging pleasantries. Pumpkin immediately started chattering, and there was another click of the door closing.
“Shut up, rat,” Rick said.
Kaylee finished up her eyes and slipped on her heels, stepping out of the bedroom in a formfitting red dress with black shoes. She wore her hair down, and when she caught the look on Rick’s face, she knew she had made the right choice.
“Hi,” she said.
“You’re gorgeous.”
“I wish you would go back to fighting,” Josie sighed.
Kaylee gave Josie a stern look. “You said you wanted us to stop fighting.”
“I’ve changed my mind. You two being nice to each other is just gross.”
“Then you better turn your head, Josie, because this might really make you gag,” he said, crossing the room and cradling Kaylee’s face, giving her a soft, slow kiss.
“I’m gonna ruin your lipstick,” he murmured.
“You can’t; it’s smudge-proof.”
“Well, that’s no fun.”
Josie started making noises as if she were hurling. “So gross.”
Kaylee walked over to her friend, who was wearing a tight green dress with a puffy skirt, and smacked her bum.
“Did you just spank me?”
“Spanking is what happens to brats,” Kaylee said.
“If this is some kind of weird sex game that you just brought me into, please leave me out of it.”
Kaylee shook her head. “I can’t with her.” Kaylee looked toward the door. “No Colin with you?”
“No, I couldn’t convince him to go.”
“See, I told you Colin wouldn’t go to a dance,” Josie said, grabbing her jacket off the back of the couch. “He didn’t even go to any of the dances in high school.”
“Are you ready to go?” Kaylee asked Rick.
“Absolutely.” He took her hand, leading her toward the door. “Come on, Josie.”
“Don’t call me like I’m a dog, Enrique.”
Kaylee was all grins on the drive over, listening to Josie and Rick squabble like they’d been friends for years. For the first time in a long time, Kaylee was completely happy when Rick reached for her hand and brought it to his lip. Her stomach fluttered just like how she had read about in books.
“We’re gonna have fun tonight,” he said.
“I don’t have a doubt in my mind,” she said.
The parking lot was nearly full when they arrived, and Rick parked three rows back in the community center parking lot.
Josie and Kaylee got out of the car, both nearly tipping over in their heels on the gravel.
Rick came around and held out an arm to each of them as they wobbled the whole way to the door.
“You would think that if they were going to have a Christmas dance with a bunch of women wearing heels, they would’ve picked a venue with a paved parking lot,” Kaylee said.
“The parking lot was supposed to be paved, but the company kept putting it off, and by the time that they finally could do it, the mayor said they were gonna have to wait until the spring.”
“Come on. Women have been walking in heels on unsteady terrain for hundreds of years. We got this,” Josie said.
Rick got the door for each of them, but his hand settled on Kaylee’s lower back as he led them inside.
Once they passed through the double doors of the community center, cheery holiday music blasted from several speakers, and twinkling white lights cast a heavenly glow over the dancing figures.
Along the edges of the dance floor were rows of chairs where groups of elderly people sat chitchatting.
And on the other side of the room, a long table covered in cakes, pies, cupcakes, and other sweet treats took up most of the wall.
The Christmas cookies Kaylee made for the event were spaced in rows on a festive Christmas platter, and Josie assured her they were perfect, even the smudged ones.
Near the stage were two bars in the corners, and Kaylee noticed people walking around with glasses and beers. There wasn’t a frown in the house.
Josie suddenly ducked behind Kaylee. “Oh God, it’s him!”
“Him who?”
“That grouchy asshole who moved across the street.”
Kaylee’s gaze followed hers to where Austin’s sun-kissed brown hair and tall frame towered over Mr. McNally, who was making a large, elaborate gesture with his hands.
Kaylee grinned. “If anyone could turn his frown upside down, it would be you.”
“I don’t want to turn his frown upside down. I just want to avoid him at all costs because he is a very unpleasant individual and I wanna have a good night.”
“Didn’t he just buy the Ferguson farm?” Kaylee asked, wondering how a forest ranger managed to afford two properties on a civil servant’s salary.
“I don’t know, but can we move to the other side of the room, away from the door?”
Rick took Kaylee’s hand, and they did what Josie asked.
They walked Josie over to a chair, and she sat down out of sight. “You guys don’t have to hang around me; you can go dance or eat cake or whatever.”
“Do you want something from the dessert table?” Kaylee asked.
“Yes, please, and some punch.”
Kaylee laughed, and she and Rick rounded the room and headed for the dessert table.
While she was dishing up Josie’s plate, she noticed Benny on the dance floor holding a short brunette close to his body.
Their eyes met, and she waved with a smile.
He returned her smile and then turned his attention back to his date.
“What was that about?” Rick asked.
“I was just saying hi to Benny.”
Rick wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed the side of her neck. “Do I need to be jealous?”
“No.”
“Good,” he said.
They brought the desserts back to Josie, and Rick took Kaylee’s hand, pulling her out onto the dance floor.
The speakers were playing “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” and he pulled her in close.
Rick surprised her by taking her hand and shuffling her around the dance floor in a flawless two step.
Well, he was flawless. She was so shocked she may have stepped on his toe a time or two.
“When did you learn to do this?”
“I watched a few videos, in case you gave me another chance to help out with your list.” He kissed her cheek, whispering, “How did I do?”
“Amazing. Thank you.”
They slowed down and swayed to the music, his arms looped around her waist and hers settled around his. She laid her face on the front of his black button-down and felt his lips brush the top of her head.
“This is fun,” he said.
“Yeah, it is.”
“Have you been to a lot of dances?”
“No, I went to my senior prom, and that was about it. I was pretty introverted in high school, a little awkward. What about you?”
“I went to most of my school dances, anything to get out of the house and go do something.”
“I liked staying home. I didn’t wanna go anywhere, except to play softball.”