Page 145 of Two-Step
Who would have thought I would have hungered for our dance lessons as much as I do?
With Beau’s touch, I’ve forgotten all about the feast in front of us, but Ramon hasn’t.
“What is all this?” He sounds like a man ready to fall to his knees.
“Crawfish fettuccine, smothered cabbage, garlic-butter French bread,” Lorraine rattles off with a lilt of pride, “and sweet potato pie for dessert.”
“It soundsdivine,”Sally coos. It also sounds heavy and decadent, but I ignore Moira’s voice in my head, screeching about calories and carbs. Beau’s aunt went to a lot of trouble, and I’m not about to insult her by not eating her food.
“Well, grab a plate and dig in. It won’t stay hot forever, and you won’t get anything like this in California.”
Ramon doesn’t waste any time, and Sally steps in behind him. But Lorraine’s mention of California triggers a gut clench. My eyes find Beau. His intent gaze is fixed on me, and I have the sudden certainty he’s thinking the same thing.
Our time is running out.
We stare into each other, neither of us moving or glancing away. For one unbroken moment, what I see in his eyes must mirror what’s in mine. Joy. Sorrow. Fear. Courage. Grief. Love.
I swallow against the tightness in my throat, and Beau’s focus sharpens—as if he recognizes I need rescuing.
“C’mon. You really should try this. I’ll make you a plate.” His words are for everyone else, but the cover they provide is for me.
I nod and let him serve both of us while I get myself together. It’s the first time today tears have threatened—it’s happening more and more often—but this is one time when I don’t want an audience.
When Beau hands me a plate of food, I let myself savor the rich aromas. We sit. We eat. And words cannot describe the wonders.Delicious. Delectable. Divine.They all fail to capture the experience.
I can’t remember the last time I ate fettuccine of any kind, but there’s just something wicked about a broad noodle swimming in a spicy, creamy, sauce. I’ve eaten crawfish before—on a salad in a California restaurant that claimed to be Cajun-fusion. They were tiny, flavorless things. But these? These are plump, sassy, and swirl up perfectly in a bite of pasta.
My friends and I can’t stop moaning and praising the food—even after I share my good news about Beau’s film debsut. His Aunt Lorraine teases him mercilessly. She’s a trip, and his uncle can’t take his eyes off her. Now that I’ve met her, I can see why their relationship has been off-and-on. She’s kind of a lot to take, but I like her.
And I can’t help but feel that this meal is a kind of welcome from his family. It’s something I never thought about wanting, but now that it’s being offered, I treasure it. I just wish I could enjoy it for longer.
When it’s clear that we’re all done, Beau collects everyone’s plates. I’m stuffed.
“I can’t even imagine dancing right now,” I groan, getting to my feet.
“Best way to work off a meal,” Lorraine says brightly.
Mr. Hebert stands and offers her his arm, his smile rueful. “I don’t have a busted elbow anymore. We could join them.”
Lorraine takes his arm and stands with a smirk. “Hmph. If you hadn’t had that busted elbow, we probably wouldn’t be talking.”
Beau returns from the sink. He leans in close and whispers in my ear, “Hear that? Looks like they have you to thank for bringing them back together.”
I pull a face but keep my voice low. “To thank orto blame?”
He smothers his laugh. I love making him laugh. I love making anyone laugh, but with Beau, it feels like I’ve really triumphed.
We move into the studio, and even though I feel like I’ve just had Thanksgiving dinner, our warm-up leaves me ready to go through the routines.
Beau starts the music—we’ve been practicing exclusively with the tracks from the movie the last two weeks—and then I’m in his arms. Right where I want to be.
I’m not ready for this to end.
The thought shreds me. The feeling is full body. And Beau doesn’t miss it.
“What’s wrong?” He moves me through a brush-off turn, and even though my heart is in my shoes, I don’t misstep or stumble. He’s made me so comfortable with this routine, I’ll probably never forget it.
At least that’s one thing I’ll get to keep.
