“Back by the left,” the next call comes. And then, “Allemande left.” A few moves and kicks and then a smiling and laughing Elizabeth is in front of me.
“Howdy, lovely lady.”
She snorts, covering her mouth with her hand.
“See saw pretty little taw, folks!”
I don’t know what’s up with these names, and if it wasn’t for watching everyone around us, I’d be messing up more than I have. Our intro was only thirty minutes. I did not retain everything. Following the lead of the crowd, I go to the right of Elizabeth and move around her.
“Waist swing!”
Facing one another with our right hips together, we shuffle forward.
“This is great,” Elizabeth tells me. “I didn’t know square dancing was fun.”
“Me either.”
“I officially trust you to plan future dates.”
And just like that, my entire fucking year has been made. It only took until the last month to happen with a week or so left to go, but it’s happened. Year. Made. Elizabeth has been a game changer. She’s been the best unexpected play made on the fly of the year. This day, this girl, is going to be on the highlight reel of my life for years to come.
Elizabeth has us dancing all the way until the end. She leans against me, sipping from the bottle of water the organizers handed out. “That was exhausting, but worth it. Thank you.”
“Welcome.”
“But my legs hurt, and I think I may fall out right now.”
I laugh. “I didn’t know you were a dramatic person, Elizabeth. Want to jump onto my back and I’ll carry you out?”
Her eyes light up. “Yes!”
I turn so my back is facing her.
“You don’t honestly expect me to jump, do you? You’re too tall, I’m too short, an
d my legs could give at any second.”
Laughing, I bend my knees as she puts the lid on her bottle of water. She wraps her arms around my neck and I hook my arms under her knees. The temperature has dropped since we were last outside. Elizabeth drops one of her arms, leans to the side, and digs into my pocket to retrieve my keys. She smacks a loud kiss to my neck.
“I think I lied to Sylvia,” she says softly.
“About what?” I knew she saw Sylvia last week, but she never said what happened during their conversation.
“You have changed me.”
We’ve reached my truck, so I swing her around to my front and lean her back against my truck. I can’t truly read her expression, but I don’t need to. Her words spoke loud and clear for me. She doesn’t give me a chance to kiss her because she grabs my face and pulls me to her first. Her lips are firm against mine for a few long seconds. And then she opens her mouth, causing mine to do the same. When was the last time I kissed her? Because it feels like it’s been forever.
Elizabeth pulls away. Apparently, only a tiny taste is all she needed. “Take me home, Marc.”
“Say that you like me.”
With a laugh, she rolls her eyes. “I like you.” I grin. “But it’s only a teeny, tiny, itty, bitty, little bit.”
“I’ll take it.”
She laughs again. “You’re okay with that? Really?”
“Yep. That’s all I need.”