Dancing Shoes and Honky-Tonk Blues (23 page)

I unscrew my orange/pineapple juice and take a cold swig before answering. “I dunno.”

“Tell me about it,” Julia prompts while tugging open a bag of Baked Lay’s.

I hesitate but then say, “You’ll keep this on the down-low, right?” Now that there isn’t any wine influencing me I’m a bit more cautious. I feel like I can trust her now that we’re friends and all, but still . . .

“Of course,” Julia says and then munches on a potato chip although I hesitate to call anything
baked
a potato chip. Just doesn’t seem right. “I’m not gonna have to cross my heart and all that, am I?”

“No,” I tell her with a grin. After taking a deep breath I say, “Try as I might I can’t seem to keep my feelings for Rio at bay.”

“Then don’t.” As she unwraps the plastic cover from her sandwich she says, “Take it from me. You don’t want to miss the chance of being with the man you love. Don’t let it pass you by, Abby. You’ll regret it later.”

I mull this over while I unwrap my own sandwich and peek between the slices of wheat bread to make sure it’s edible and I’m relieved to see that it’s turkey, lettuce, and tomato . . . good. I open the packet of mayo with my teeth, something that my mama would not approve of, and as I’m squirting it on my turkey slices I say, “Yeah, but I’m here to try and win this competition for Mama and Jesse. If chasing after Rio jeopardizes that I’ll regret
that
as well. I feel like I’m between a rock and a hard place, ya know?”

Julia swallows a bite of sandwich and then leans toward me. “I’m of the opinion that you can have both. You know, Danny’s football coach used to give them the whole speech about self-control and not having sex before a game but believe me . . . that was a bunch of hogwash.”

“So you don’t think that having a relationship with Rio would mess up my chances of winning?”

She chews thoughtfully for a minute and I’m glad that she’s thinking this whole thing through so as to give me sound advice. “Well, unless of course things go south. Then it could seriously mess with your head.”

“So then, you think I’m better off keeping things businesslike?”

“I might say yes to that except that you’re already past that, Abby. So why not go after the whole enchilada instead of just the refried beans?”

I feel my face heat up.

“Oh, mercy, you’ve already had the whole enchilada?”

Now my face is surely flaming.

“I bet he was just amazing . . . my, my . . .
my.
” Julia fans her face and I should do the same since it feels ready to burst into flames and start a forest fire.

“I didn’t say that we . . .” I lean over and whisper even though I don’t think there are any cameras in the woods. “Do
you know
!”

“You didn’t have to, but your secret is safe with me.”

I start to deny it but her look says not to even go there, so I don’t. “So you think I should go after him instead of sticking to the resistance rule that I agreed to?”

“Well, hell
yeah.
”

I take a spoonful of my fresh fruit cup. “Wow, there’s watermelon in here,” I comment and then ask, “How would I go about goin’ after him?”

“You’re dancing the rumba this week, right?”

“Yes . . . God, and those figure-eight hip rolls are hard to do.”

Julia wags her eyebrows. “Well then, make smokin’-hot Rio sweat.”

“He almost never sweats and I do think his hips are double-jointed if you ask me.”

“I don’t mean from exertion, although that hopefully will come later. I mean from . . . wantin’ you. Oh, Abby, you can seduce him with the dance, girl. Easy as pie. He’ll just think you’re workin’ it for the competition when you’re really tryin’ to get his boots . . . or make that his
dancin’ shoes
. . . under your bed.” She swallows a sip of her cranberry juice. “But actually you’d be killin’ two birds with one stone if you think about it. Abby, you’re not between a rock and a hard place, girl. You’re in a win-win situation.”

“You think?” I’m not so nearly convinced that this is a good plan or that I can pull it off. “Julia, I don’t know . . .”

She shrugs. “It’s up to you. Just don’t let that Angelina chick have him, okay?”

“If you don’t let her have Danny!”

A cloud of sadness passes over her face.

“Oh, don’t give me that. You’ve got more fight in you than that, Julia. We can’t let this woman come in here and take over like she owns the place, now, can we?”

“No damn way!” Julia says, sloshing a bit of juice. “Misty Creek is our turf.” We tap our juice bottles together in a silent toast.

“Did we just bond again, Julia?”

“Yep, it’s official now. The other night wasn’t a fluke induced by the wine.” She narrows her eyes at me. “You’re gonna do this, right? Not wuss out on me?”

“Ye’re damned tootin’,” I say so loud that a squirrel scurries up a nearby tree. Of course I’m not really as confident as I let on. And I’m still wondering what the scene with Angelina was all about. “This is crazy, isn’t it?”

“You mean leaving our regular jobs and doing this thing?”

While chewing on a bite of turkey sandwich I nod. “Do ya think sometimes you might just wake up and be cutting hair?”

“Yeah. And I keep wondering how it’s all gonna turn out, don’t you?”

Still chewing, I nod. The sandwich is pretty good.

Julia brushes the crumbs off her jeans and then polishes off her juice. “Well, I’d better get back. I’m doing the Viennese waltz.”

“How pretty!”

Julia wrinkles her nose. “It’s almost as boring as the fox-trot. And we’re dancing to ‘Chim-Chim Cheree’ from
Mary Poppins
. James, my dance partner, is insisting that we dress up like Mary and Bert.” She rolls her eyes. “Now, how corny is that?”

I shrug. “I think it will be cute.”

“Maybe. I pitched a fit but he would have none of it. He pitched a fit right back. Every time I stomped my foot he stomped harder. It’s a wonder we can dance at all.”

“You like him, though, don’t you?”

“Oh, he’s amazing, so yeah.”

“I think it’ll be supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.”

With a giggle Julia stands up and gives my shoulder a playful shove. “Hope you’re right. Well, see you later.”

I nod but opt to sit there for a while longer since I don’t have to be back to rehearse for over an hour. I think about how different Julia is than what I always imagined. Then my thoughts shift to Mama and Jesse. I wonder if Mama is seeing Mitchell and I think about how her life has changed too. And how about Jesse having this hidden comedy writing talent? Who knew? I shake my head, thinking that none of us will ever be able to go back to who we were before this whole thing got started.

After a few minutes I realize that I had better get up to my room to study. After all, how am I going to seduce Rio with the rumba if I can’t even do the darned dance?

I realize too that I’m coming to like ballroom dancing and that I’ll really miss it once the show is over. It’s really funny that something that I never even considered is now so important to me. Life sure is strange.

A Whole New Spin on Things

As I’m sitting here waiting my turn to get fitted for my costume for the dress rehearsal tonight I’m glumly realizing that my plans of seduction have fallen flat. No amount of sexy hip rolls, heated looks, pouting lips, near kisses, or lingering touches has gotten Rio into my bed. The best I’ve gotten is a pat on the back for dancing a hellava rumba. While that’s nice and all I’m still not any closer to my goal.

I was lamenting this whole thing last night with Julia and she made me pinky-swear that I wouldn’t give up. I’m wondering, though, just what else I can do without being totally obvious. Not that she has any room to talk since she isn’t any closer to getting Danny’s boots under her bed either. And he’s been seen everywhere with Angelina. Julia says they’re doing the tango this week. She knows this because she admits to peeking in on their rehearsals even though it’s written in the packet that spying on other dancers is against the rules. She also said that Danny and Angelina are damned good.

I’m so deep in thought that I don’t even hear Jackie the makeup and wardrobe chickie call my name until she shouts it very close to me, making me jump out of my seat. I would have gotten a bit peeved but the costumes arrived a day late so she’s scrambling to get us all fitted and under a bit of stress. I follow her into the fitting room that’s crammed full of racks of colorful stuff. Her assistants are buzzing around in a state of near hysteria . . . pinning, sewing, gluing like mad. I spot what looks like a Mary Poppins hat and grin.

“Maggie, bring me Abby Harper’s costume,” Jackie shouts.

Maggie tries to shout something back but she has straight pins between her lips so it sounds like she’s humming. I think she said that she’s coming but there might have been a hummed curse word or two in there. I really wish she would take the pins out before she swallows them or something. I’m about to give her that advice but my jaw drops when she comes over to me with my costume. “Wha . . .” is all that will come out of my mouth when I blink at the mere slip of purple sparkles and fringe.

“Let’s try it on,” Jackie says, obviously not seeing my distress over my costume or lack thereof.

“I . . . I.” I swallow hard and finally manage, “Can’t wear that.”

“You can and will,” she says without batting an eye. “Come on, Abby, I’m busy.”

“No, really. I can’t wear that in front of
my mama
and
the town.
And
mercy
, the
whole world.
”

Jackie taps her foot. “You’re dancing the rumba, right?”

I nod.

“Then this is your costume.” She thrusts it into my hands.

“But can’t I be Mary Poppins?” Oh, wait, that’s been taken. “Oh, how about Snow White? Rio can be the dashing prince. Whaddya think?”

Jackie takes a deep breath and gives me a long stare that doesn’t seem to hold any sympathy whatsoever. “If you were dancing the waltz, then maybe. Abby, you’re dancing the rumba, the sexiest of all the dances. This fits the bill. Go and put it on. Now.”

I hold it up, thinking that maybe it’s more substantial that way but, holy cow, it’s cut out on the sides. Mama is going to have a fit.

“Abby, now!” Jackie says and I jump again. I would have glared at her this time, stress or not, but my eyes are too bugged out to narrow into a proper glare. Jackie shakes her head. “I don’t know what you’re wigging out about. You’re going to look amazing in that costume. Your endless legs will stop traffic, Abby. Let’s face it, you and Rio already sizzle on the dance floor. You should own this dance. Now go put on the skimpy outfit and have fun with it. I know I would.”

I stand up, clutching the sparkly fabric to my chest. “So you think Rio will like it?”

“Seeing you in that costume is going to knock any guy for a loop, Abby. I’m sure that Rio won’t be an exception. So you’ve fallen for him, huh?”

“No!” I lie, but not very well.

She arches a knowing eyebrow. Why can everybody arch an eyebrow but me? “Can’t say as I blame you. That costume should catch his attention. You can thank me later.”

Oh. Now, this puts a whole new spin on things. I’m just going to have to suck it up and wear the darned thing. Once it’s on it might not be so bad . . . With that thought in mind I head over to the makeshift dressing room constructed from long red curtains hung from the ceiling on the other side of the room.

After slipping off my jeans and sweater I wiggle into the costume. It’s tight and clingy but not terribly uncomfortable, and stretchy so as to dance in. Carefully avoiding the mirror I raise my hands to clasp the jeweled collar behind my neck and then slowly turn around.

Wow. I look . . . wow . . . sexy? Me? The sparkly purple material covers my chest but bares my arms halter-top style. From there it covers my breasts but has two cutouts on the sides revealing a generous slice of my torso. There is a cute little skirt cut up higher on one side and filled with layers of gold fringe. With a smile I give my hips a little Cuban motion. Sweet. The fringe sways with my hip action and I can picture how amazing it will look sparkling and swishing beneath the spotlight on the dance floor. I gasp when I take a peek at the back . . . or of my bare back. The gold fringe starts low on my spine at the top curve of my butt. With my hand over my mouth I give my butt a little shake and then giggle.

“Abby, let’s see,” Jackie shouts.

Holy cow. “Okay. Just a minute.” Telling myself that there are bathing suits more revealing than this, I take a deep breath and then slowly come from behind the curtain. “What do you think?” I ask, trying to sound casual, but Rio’s standing there and my voice trails off as I gauge his face for a reaction. I just know my face is flaming.

Jackie turns to Rio. “What do you think?”

My heart pounds while his gaze takes me in from head to toe.

“Sexy enough for the rumba?” Jackie asks but then her cell phone rings. She puts a finger up and turns away from us to take the call, leaving me feeling a bit awkward with Rio fully clothed and me in my skimpy outfit. I stand there wishing I had the nerve to ask him how I look and wishing he would say
amazing.

“You look amazing, Abby.”

Wait, did I just think that or did he just say it? “Really?”

“Didn’t I tell you never to say that to me again?”

“I don’t mind well.”

He chuckles. “That costume is going to make some eyes pop open.”

“My mama’s gonna have a cow.”

At the blank look on his face I’m about to explain but he holds up a hand. “No, wait, that means she is going to be upset, right?”

“You’re catchin’ on.”

He grins. “Yes, I am, aren’t I?” He runs his fingers through his loose hair that looks a bit damp as if he just showered. I lick my dry lips and he clears his throat.