Starlee's Hope (The Wayward Sons 4)

I’m watching them watch me. It’s like a moment in a movie. Where the girl sees the guy she’s head over heels for, but instead of one guy it’s four guys and my heart thunders in proportion. Like, it’s drumming, loud and echoing in my ears. I feel a tug on my sleeve and pull away. I want them. They want me. And we’re going to meet under that disco ball and dance the night away.

“Starlee!”

“Huh?”

The pounding sound grow louder and I realize it’s not in my chest. It’s against the hardwood floor and created not by my heart but children’s footsteps as they stampeded into the room.

“You may want to get out of the way,” Claire says, giving me a weird look. “And I think Margaret needs some help by the door.”

I blink and see the boys scattering. Charlie goes straight to the stage to mess with the music and the other guys doing whatever it is Margaret told them to.

Once everyone has entered and the music is playing and punch is in cups and cupcakes are consumed, the most typical of all typical things happen.

The boys head to one side of the gym and the girls to the other.

“We’ve got to do something,” Margaret says, eyeing the kids. They look adorable. Dressed in their finest, even if that means jeans and a clean T-shirt. Most of the girls went all-out, wearing sparkly dresses and shiny shoes. They stand in clumps and the flashbacks to my own sixth grade dance are intense.

“We could play a game?” Jasper suggests.

“No!” Margaret says. “This is a dance—we need to dance.”

“Well,” he says, looking Margaret over, “let’s dance.”

He offers her hand and she stares at it warily. I nudge her with my elbow. “Go for it. I don’t think he bites.”

“Fine,” she says, slipping her hand in his, “but you all better get out there too.”

Then there’s that awkward moment where you have to pick which one of your boyfriends to dance with. Luckily, they make the decision for me. Jake gives me a sweet smile but walks over to Claire. “Wanna dance?”

“Sure,” she replies, looking a little relieved.

George walks in Christina’s direction. She’s still watching Jake and Claire with narrowed eyes, but looks a little horrified at the twin walking her way. Abruptly he shifts and looks at the girl next to her. “How about it?”

The girl, I think her name is Miranda, shrugs. “Sure, whatever.”

He winks at Christina and grins at me, walking Miranda toward the center of the gym.

That leaves me, Christina, and Dexter. He’s standing before me, handsome in black pants and a gray shirt. The only time I see him dressed up is going to court, and it’s nice to see him shed the flannel for one afternoon. He doesn’t even look at Christina, whose arms are now crossed looking fairly humiliated, just offers his hand and I take it, feeling the warm heat of his fingers.

I hesitate before walking away.

“Something wrong?” he asks.

“As much as I want to dance with you, maybe now’s a good time to thank Christina for saving our asses on New Year’s.”

His eyebrows raise. “Really?”

“Yeah, really.”

“What about you?”

I look over his shoulder, toward the stage. “I think I’ll manage.”

Passing the kids, who are definitely watching the big “kids” in the middle of the gym, I climb the steps to the stage. Charlie, dressed in khakis and light blue button-down, sees me and smiles. “What’s going on?”

I nod down to the floor. “Being a good example.” I hold out my hand. “Want to be my partner?”

His expression turns apprehensive. “I don’t know how to dance.”