Dance Like Nobody's Watching (Summer Lake 3) (4 page)

She took a deep breath then let it out slowly.
“I'm fine.”

“You don't look it. Let's get you back
inside.” He took her arm and led her back into the kitchen. She
collapsed into a chair. “Did you see them?”

“Who?”

“That truck that just pulled out was Dan and
Jack.”

“Oh, shit! And they saw me leaving your
house first thing in the morning?”

“Dan sure did.”

“Oh, shit! That's not going to do you any
favors, is it?”

Missy blew out an exasperated sigh. “It
doesn't make any difference. So, I have a little crush on him. So
what? It's not like anything's going to happen.”

“Michael looked at her. “Then how come
you're still white and shaking, critter?”

“Because I wish it could. But now, on top of
the fact that he has a girlfriend and the fact that I would never
risk jeopardizing his friendship with Scotty, now he thinks I'm
screwing my old buddy, too!”

Michael waggled his eyebrows. “If he thinks
it anyway, want to prove him right?”

She looked up at him. “You are the world's
biggest flirt, you know.”

He grinned. “I know. It usually works pretty
well for me too. You always were a tough nut to crack.”

“Michael, honey. You are adorable. I'm sure
I'm the only woman around here who doesn't adore you, at least not
like that.”

“So you do adore me in some way then?”

“Of course I do, and you know it. You're
still one of my dearest friends, and I'm so glad you're back. I hope
you're back for good, but you and me? We're never going to get
together, it would never work.”

Michael laughed. “Who said anything about
getting together? I was just talking about screwing your old buddy.”

Missy laughed with him. “You are such a
whore!”

“Am not. Just wanted to make you laugh. See
you've got some color back in your cheeks.”

“Thanks, but I need to get going. I've
squeezed a couple of extra jobs in today while Scot's gone.”

“Shouldn't you be getting some rest? Ben
said you've been working your ass off all season.”

“I have, but I have to.” She checked
her watch. “And I really need to move. How about I call you
when I know what time Scotty will be back and we'll see about getting
him and Ethan together?”

“Sounds good.”

She closed the door behind them and locked it. She
looked around, wondering who else might see them and make assumptions
about Michael leaving her house on a Saturday morning.

“Don't worry about it, critter,” said
Michael. “There's no-one around. It might do your man some good
to think I did more than spend the night here. The way he left last
night, I'd say he's got it bad. This might make him wake up and give
the girlfriend the flick.” He walked her to the minivan. “Call
me later then?”

“Will do, and good luck today. I hope you
get some good news.”

“Thanks, me too.”

Missy got in the van and started it up. She
watched Michael walk back towards town and shook her head. So much
for her night home alone!

She'd managed to keep a lid on her attraction to
Dan for the last few months. At first she'd been so excited at such a
sweet and handsome guy becoming a part of her life. Then as she'd
watched how close he and Scot were becoming, she'd become
apprehensive about getting involved with him herself. She was scared
that an ending between the two of them would mean an ending between
Scot and Dan too. When they'd been paired together in Emma and Jack's
wedding, they got along so well she'd started to think that he was a
risk worth taking. Then he'd dropped the bombshell about his
girlfriend, Olivia. She had no idea what kind of relationship they
had, he'd been up here every weekend for months. She did know though
that Olivia was involved in his business, his software development
company in San Jose.

Once the van had stopped making its morning
noises, she pulled out and set off for the East Shore. She had two
huge rental houses to clean out there today. It would be good money.
Hopefully she'd get back in time to put her feet up for a while
before Scot returned. This time, if she got chance, she really would
just stay home and hide. Last night's events had proven that was her
wisest move. Thinking of Dan, bare-chested in her kitchen,
remembering the feel of his arms around her, made her want what she
couldn't have. And then Michael showing up like that. He had a whole
mess on his plate. She was glad to have been there for him to talk
to, but damn! The timing couldn't have been worse—last night,
or this morning.

***

Dan's phone buzzed in his pocket. He smiled when
he pulled it out and checked the display. “Hey, champ! How’s
it going?”

“Awesome! We got through the second round
and we're in the semis tonight.”

“Tonight? I thought you were coming back
tonight.”

“We were, but they had to delay some of the
rounds, so now it's semis tonight and finals tomorrow. Hold on....”

Dan smiled to himself as he heard Scot talking to
someone, sounded like he was telling them how to reprogram a circuit.
It was good to hear him sound so animated and confident when he
spoke. “Dan, you still there?”

“Sure am.”

“I gotta go. Will you tell mom for me?”

“I think
you
should call her, bud.”
Dan thought it best for Scot to call Missy himself, for many
reasons.”

“I will. But later. I forgot last night. If
you call her first, she might not chew my ass...me out so bad.”

Dan chuckled. For a kid who was supposed to
struggle socially, he had a pretty good handle on how people
worked—and how to manage them to his own advantage.

“Say you will? I really gotta go.”

“Okay, but only if you promise you'll call
her later. She misses you.”

“I know. I will. Thanks, Dan. Bye.”

Dan's smile faded as he hung up. With Scot gone
another night, would Missy spend it with Michael again? When he'd
finally admitted what was bothering him this morning, Jack had tried
to convince him that Michael was just her friend. But why had he
needed to stay at her house?

Jack came out onto the front deck where he was
sitting. “That was Em on the phone. They got done with their
meetings early, I'm sending Smoke to fly her up, so she'll be back
later.”

“That's good.” He liked Emma. “It'll
be good to see her.”

“Yeah, you sound thrilled. What's wrong?”

“Scot just called. They made semis and he's
staying another night.”

“That's great, isn't it?”

“It is,
but
he asked
me
to let
his mom know.”

Jack smiled. “I told you about the time Em
spent the night at Ben's?”

Dan nodded.

“I know how easy it is to think the worst,
but that doesn't make it true.”

Dan hoped so.

“Why don't you call her now? Get it over
with and ask her to come out tonight. Em wants to go listen to the
band when she gets back.”

Dan dialed Missy's number from memory. He had it
stored in his phone, but he liked to tap out the numbers each time,
so he wouldn't forget it.

“Hello?”

“Hi. It's me.”

“Hi.”

His mind froze as the silence lengthened.

“Can you hear me, Dan?”

“Yes. Sorry.”

“Do you want me?”

He bit his lip so he wouldn't tell her just how
much he wanted her. “Yes. Sorry. Scot called.”

“Great! How's he doing?”

The eagerness in her voice made him smile, despite
his nervousness. At least they shared one simple and straightforward
thing, they both loved the kid. “He's great, they made semis
and he's supervising repairs on the ’bot.”

“I'm so proud of him.”

“Me too. Thing is though, semis aren't ’til
tonight now, so they're staying. If they make finals I doubt they'll
be back ’til tomorrow night.”

“Oh, it's running over then?”

“Yeah. He asked me to let you know. He said
he'll call you later.”

She laughed. “Just like last night?”

“Hopefully tonight will work out better than
last night.”

She didn't say anything.

“Emma's getting back tonight and we're all
going to the Boathouse. Please will you come, Miss?”

“Dan, honey. I'm exhausted. I need a rest.”

“Please come?”

“Just for an hour. And, Dan?”

“Yes?”

“That wasn't what it looked like this
morning.”

“Good. I'm glad.”

“Okay. Well. I'll see you tonight then. And
thanks for letting me know about Scotty.”

“You're welcome. I'll see you later.”

***

Missy put her phone back in her pocket. What had
happened to her resolve to stay home and get some rest? Dan's voice.
That's what had happened.
Please come?
How could she say no?
She folded her cloths and started lugging the vacuum towards the
door. One house down, one to go. Maybe she'd have time for a quick
nap when she got home.

***

“Can you drop me off at the RV?”

They were on their way to collect Emma from the
airport. Jack grinned, “You mean, at Missy's?”

Dan nodded, a slow smile spreading across his
face. “I do.”

“Sure thing. We'll see you guys in the bar.”

“Thanks.”

A few minutes later, Jack pulled up in front of
the little cottage in town. “Later, bro.”

“Yeah, later.”

Dan walked up the path and knocked on the front
door. Perhaps he should have called first? Missy opened the door and
smiled.

“Well, hello! I thought I was meeting you
all there.”

“Yes. Sorry. I wanted to come see you
first.”

“Don't be sorry. I'm not. Come on in.”

She stepped back to let him pass. He'd wanted to
talk to her about Scot, and Michael, and Olivia, all the complicated
stuff, but his mind was freezing up again. She was so pretty. Her
hair was tied up in a ponytail, with wispy bits hanging around her
neck. She wore a white tank top which, from his height, gave him a
great view of her impressive cleavage. The top was tucked into a pair
of yoga pants that showed off a lusciously round backside and very
shapely legs. Little feet with shiny pink toenails peeked out the
bottom.

He brought his hand to his face. His fingers met
stubble. Damn! He'd forgotten again. “Sorry, I should have
shaved.”

She smiled up at him. “I like it.”

“You do?” Olivia always harassed him
when she saw him with anything more than five o'clock shadow. It
didn't look professional, apparently. He realized he was blocking
Missy's way in the hall, but he didn't move. “Miss, I need to
talk to you.”

“How about we take this in the kitchen and
get a glass of wine? I promise to try not to throw it on you this
time.”

He smiled and went through to the kitchen. “I
threw it over myself.”

“Yes, but it was my fault.”

“No, Miss, it was my fault, but I would like
to finish what we started.”

She spun around to face him, corkscrew in her
hand.

“I mean finish the conversation, not the
part where I....” He gave her a shy smile. “Though I
would like to finish that too, someday soon.”

To his relief, she smiled back at him. “I
was about to lay into you and you want to finish the conversation?”

He shrugged and took the corkscrew from her hand.
He opened the bottle and poured two glasses of wine while he spoke.
“I'm happy to skip that part and fast forward to the part where
I explain myself?”

“Okay. Let's try that. I think I'm too tired
to lay into you right now, anyway.”

She did look tired. As she had for weeks.

“You said you'd like it if I misbehaved.”

She sat down heavily in one of the chairs. “I
also said that we both know you won't.”

“Right, because of Olivia and Scot. You need
to know that I rarely see Olivia outside of work these days. You
already know I never see her on the weekends. I've asked her to meet
me tomorrow night when I go back so we can talk, and end it. We
should have done it months ago.”

“I don't want you to finish it with her
because of me, Dan.”

“I'm not.” Now she looked confused.
“Well, I am and I'm not. I'm doing it
now
because of
you. But even if you say no, I needed to end it anyway.”

“Say no to what?”

“To going out on a date with me, and if you
like it, to keep doing it?”

She rested her chin on her hand and looked at him
across the table. “But I have to think of Scot.” She was
wrinkling her nose at him. He thought that was a good sign. Maybe?
Good or bad, it was so damned cute!

“I have to think of Scot too, you know. I
didn’t understand what you meant last night. I didn't
understand, because it never occurred to me that anything that
happened between you and me could affect him and me. I wouldn't let
it. Miss, you have to know how important he's become to me? Even if
you ended up hating me, and throwing things at me, and never wanting
to see me again, I need you to understand that I'd sneak around
behind your back to keep my friendship with him going.”

She looked shocked. Oops! “You'd sneak
around behind my back?”

He smiled. “I said that to make a point.
Even if you hated me, I don't think I'd have to sneak around. We both
know I'm good for him.”

Her face relaxed. “You are. You'd have to
make me a solemn promise, though, that no matter what happened, you
wouldn't let anything change what you and Scot have.”

“And you'd have to make me the same promise.
That you wouldn't keep him away from me, or me from him.”

She looked even more shocked. “I would never
do that! Whatever is best for him is all that matters to me.”

“Can you understand that's how I feel too?
That's why I couldn't understand what you meant last night.”

“Really?”

“Yes, really. I'm sure we'd work it out.
Divorced people manage it all the time, even when they hate each
other.”