Darcy and her father return back to their old stomping grounds of New York City. With her, Darcy brings habits of being reclusive. She is perfectly content spending most of her time within the walls of her father's café and sees nothing wrong with t...
We've not talked much about his life before me, but I'd like to stop treating Evellyn and Gray as just precious memories that stay locked in a box. I want to live in their memory, not just after it. My plan is to learn the dance and perform it on his birthday and wedding anniversary. I think it'll be their forty-year mark, and I don't know what special color that is, but I thought it'd be a really nice surprise. So... will you help me?"
No pause. No hesitation. Just that same intoxicating grin that was beginning to have more of an effect on my heart every day. "You might as well start calling me Dancing King, because I'm going to out show you by the end of this. Of course, I'll do it."
Laughter escaped me. Relief flooded me. How fortunate was I that the universe brought me back here, back to him? Back to these stormy blue eyes, wonderful smile, and magical soothing touch? Everything about him was light and warmth, and I could stay here and bask in it for hours.
I plopped down next to him with an audible sigh of relief. "Thank you. I don't know what I would have done if you said no."
He nudged me with his elbow. "Oh, c'mon. I wouldn't have said no."
I smiled. "I had a feeling you wouldn't, but I'm grateful all the same." Now that I had his answer, I was riddled with more nerves. There's no turning back now.
My mind flashed back to the conversation Papa and I had. Try with courage he had said. Little does he know what I just got myself into. It was going to take a whole lot of damn courage to pull this off.
"So, do you have the VHS tape?"
"No, actually. Suzie has it — the one we lived with in California. Evellyn's sister." Up until this point, I didn't think about the fact that I was going to have to make that call. Suddenly, dread was masking the feel of my buzzing nerves. "I'll, uh, have to call her and ask her if she can find it and mail it over."
"Okay, no problem. And I think we could find some old tech at school that we can watch it on. We can record it on our phone so it's easier for us to look back to."
"Okay." I nodded and cupped my chin in my hands. "This may be the stupidest thing I've ever done. I don't... dance. Not even in my room! Well — "I paused "— maybe a little bit..."
"Well the four go-to dances you've seen me do, you caught on video for blackmail purposes and personal enjoyment, I'm sure. And one of them was just a fist pump in the air. I'm not the most experienced, either."
I snorted. "Great. We're the most qualified people in the world."
"Oh, don't fret just yet," Chris said in a silly, theatrical voice. He winked as my eyes narrowed. "Get that VHS tape and I'll take care of the rest."
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I wiped a sweaty palm across my jeans. All day I've been mentally preparing what I would say to Suzie when she answered the phone. First, there'd be the formal greeting. Then she would ask how Papa and I were doing, how the cafe was running, and maybe even how I'm doing in my new school. I'd ask her how she is and what movies she's seen lately (since showing her the ways of a smart T.V., she's been all about renting movies to watch in her bedroom). Then I'd hit her with the request to find the tape. But no matter how many responses I prepared in my head, I still couldn't hit the call button.
