Total pages in book: 122
Estimated words: 112884 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 564(@200wpm)___ 452(@250wpm)___ 376(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 112884 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 564(@200wpm)___ 452(@250wpm)___ 376(@300wpm)
“I find that very hard to believe,” he counters, putting his phone in his back pocket. “You seem to excel in everything you do.”
“Well, I’m here to say it’s just an illusion.” I fold my arms over my chest.
“I don’t know about that.” He looks around, his eyes dancing, knowing that his next words are going to make me do something I don’t want to do. “I dare you to prove me wrong.”
six
Kirby
I watch her eyes and see the guard she always has up slip away. In its place is a lightness I don’t think she knows is even there anymore. A lightness that was probably there a while ago but has been dimmed because of the piece of shit she’s married to. The type of man who needs to dim her light in order to shine.
“I don’t know about that.” I look around us to make sure no one else is listening and it could get back to her husband, hoping my next words aren’t going to push her back into the timid person she is around other people, but instead let her have fun. “I dare you to prove me wrong.”
She rolls her eyes. “Oh please, I dare you.” She shakes her head. “You sound like my brother or better yet one of my cousins.”
“Lexi,” David says her name. “I want you to come here and be my muse,” he adds, and she immediately shakes her head.
“Absolutely not,” she retorts, “you have professional dancers right there.” She points to the group of women off to the side who are standing around waiting for his instruction.
“Come, come, come.” He motions with his hand to her.
“Let’s see what you got, Petrov.” I use her maiden name and wait for her to correct me, but she just puts her shoulders back and takes a step toward David.
“David,” she says his name, looking around, and the guard is back in her eyes, “this is…” She looks at the guys, then looks back at David. “I have two left feet.”
“You do not,” he scoffs at her words. “Who told you that?”
I can answer right away who told her that, but instead, I stand here watching her be scared of doing something that should be fun. “Now,” David says, flicking his wrist and holding it up straight, “we waltz.”
“Waltz?” Darryl questions. “That sounds complicated.”
The guys laugh. “It’s simple,” David assures us as we watch him with Lexi. “Basic steps,” he lists, looking at the guys, “box step, closed step, and a natural turn.” He acts as if we understand. “We start with box step.” He grabs Lexi. “Man starts with the right foot forward.” He does the move and Lexi moves her right foot back. “Left foot slide to the side, right foot follows.”
“Okay, that doesn’t look too bad,” one of the guys states.
“It’s easy, now you do it backward,” David instructs, “left foot back, right foot slide, left foot close.” Lexi follows him elegantly. “We do it again. Ladies, grab a partner.” I look around, seeing we are one woman short, so I stand to the side, not telling anyone I already know how to dance the waltz. “One, two, three,” he counts, doing the first set. “One, two, three.” He does the other set, then looks at me. “Come here,” he urges me, calling me over and stepping out of Lexi’s arms. “You can take my place. I will put my hands on your hips and guide you.”
“Here we go,” I mumble as I step in front of Lexi and she rolls her lips.
“You put one hand here.” He takes my hand and places it right under her shoulder. “You put your hand here.” He places her hand on my shoulder. “Then hold hands,” he instructs us. “Perfect.” He leaves us to go and make sure the other couples are all paired properly.
“Do you know how to do the waltz?” I ask her and she nods her head. She looks around and waits for David to come back to us. “So why did you say you don’t know how?”
“Because I always end up messing up the steps,” she replies softly, “and then I’ll step on your foot because I have two left feet.”
“I bet you don’t,” I assure her and she looks up at me, the heat of her hand searing through my T-shirt.
“Okay and start,” David says.
“Ready?” I ask her and she shakes her head, making me laugh. “And go,” I urge, moving my foot and she moves hers. “See? Told you, you’re fine,” I joke with her as we do the series of steps four times. I see a couple of the guys calling David’s attention to them.
“Do you know this dance?” she asks me and I nod.
“I do,” I admit to her. “My stepfather used to attend these fundraisers for the bank he worked with. He used to take us with him and I got forced into it.” She smiles as we continue dancing. “How long have you lived in Phoenix?”