“I thought this was a party, let’s dance!” Denver yells, entering the room with a red-faced Cleo.
I dislodge from Jason and cross my arms. You’ve got to kidding me.
“Who is that?” Jason asks.
“Um…”
“Denver Bailey, you do not enter a ballroom like that,” Mrs. Johnson says.
“It’s from Footloose.” He waits for her to show any recognition of the famous final line, but it never comes.
“I do not care. This is a ballroom.” She takes his hand and leads him to the middle of the dance floor. “It is not to be knee in crotch and grinding.”
Everyone laughs. I think she has her movies mixed up.
“All you had to do was ask, Mrs. Johnson.” Denver brings her close and acts as if he’s going to grind her.
She hits him but looks at Cleo, who’s standing near the wall. “How are you ever going to marry this guy?”
“I guess I’m special because it takes a special girl to see his beauty.” Cleo walks over and smacks him playfully, before taking the spot of Mrs. Johnson. Now Denver really does put his leg between her legs and grinds.
“Your cousin?” Jason asks.
I twist my lips into an apologetic expression. “Brother.”
“Another one?”
“Yeah, but the last one you’d have to meet would be Austin and he’s super chill.”
“Just to be safe, let’s dance on the other side of the room.”
I laugh, thinking he’s joking, but Jason really does spin me until we’re in the opposite corner.
“Juno!” Denver yells, somehow dancing toward me.
“What on Earth are you two doing here?” I ask.
“Dance lessons for our wedding. Gotta start early. Plus, we needed to get out of the house. Everyone’s babies are ruining our social life.” Cleo laughs.
“I’ll put a baby in you,” Denver says. “Let’s ditch this class and go home and try until we’re successful.”
Cleo smacks him on the shoulder. “One hour. You promised.”
Denver acts like a scorned puppy but his smirk is anything but.
“Let’s switch partners. You have to be able to adapt when you dance. Allow the leader to lead you, then we’ll start in on some steps.” Mrs. Johnson comes around and pushes the couples apart.
I end up with Denver. Great. Colton is with Cleo, and Brigette and Jason are together. Immediately there’s a visible difference in dancing capabilities between the couples. Jason and Brigette whizz around the dance floor as though they should be the instructors of the class, Brigette’s skirt whooshing around her thin legs. I share a look with Colton. Yeah, we’re the losers here.
“I didn’t sign up to dance with my sister,” Denver tells Mrs. Johnson, grabbing Cleo’s hand and twirling her into his arms. “Sorry, sis.”
That leaves me with Colton. We gravitate to the window, watching the other couples. The two other middle-aged couples seem comfortable swapping, which makes me wonder if they swap partners for more than just dancing.
“Oh no, you don’t.” Mrs. Johnson comes over and positions Colton and me into the classic dancing position. She puts his hand on my hip and locks our other hands together. “We’re going to make you two dancers yet.”
“It’s just one dance. I can make it work,” Colton argues, and she slaps his arm. “Firm. Strong.” His eyes gravitate to Brigette and Jason, who are floating across the room.
“We’re obviously the misfits of the group,” I say.
“Not misfits. Just get out of that head of yours.” Mrs. Johnson taps her finger to my temple. “Listen to the beat of the music. Let it be your guide. Get lost in your partner. It’s not always about the perfect steps.” She puts one hand on Colton’s back and one on my mine, pushing us closer. “It’s about enjoyment and passion. And whatever other emotions it pulls from you.”
She leaves us to check on another couple. Colton steps much like Jason did but not nearly as smoothly. But I’m fine with that because I don’t care as much if I step on Colton’s toes.
“We’ve done this before,” Colton softly says.
“What? Prom? We only danced to fast songs,” I say.
I’m not sure he touched me that entire night. He went with Monica Lloyd and I went with Pete Segrum. It was the first school event we went to separately, but later that night, we met up. I’m not sure if that’s what he’s talking about or what.
“That night by the lake before I went to college,” he says.
“That was a long time ago and we didn’t have witnesses.” I play off his comment as if that night is like any other one of our memories. Ones that don’t pierce my heart because once again I’m losing him.
“Juno?” Colton has a specific tone he uses when he’s obsessing over something. “We need to talk.”
Our eyes lock. We can’t cross that line now. We can’t have the conversation I think he wants to have now.
I shake my head. “Later.”
“I’ll come by tomorrow at lunch,” he says.
I nod although every cell in my body is screaming no, he’s getting married.
“And switch!” Mrs. Johnson claps.
One of the middle-aged women slides between Colton and me while her partner puts his arms around me. But my eyes don’t stray from Colton’s and his don’t leave mine.
All I can remember is that night before he left for Colorado State.
Thirteen
Juno
Seventeen years old
“Come on.” I pull Colton down the pathway of our house toward the lake on our property.
“Why are we going to the lake? I thought we were going to watch The Hangover?”
I slide my arm through his and lean my head on his upper arm. He’s grown so much through high school. The other day I noticed the way even his forearms are corded with muscles. He’s going to forget me when he goes away to college.
“We will, but I want to give you a goodbye present.”
“We wouldn’t be saying goodbye if you would’ve come with me.”
I look up at him and smile softly. Going to college together was the plan when we were young. But when my parents died, my plans changed. I can’t leave Austin here alone to raise the twins.
We all get money for college or a business from my parents’ inheritance, so I need to spend as little as possible so I have enough to start my matchmaking business. It just makes more sense for me to go to college here in Alaska.
“You’ll be back. Lake Starlight is your home.”
He nods. “Eventually, but if I don’t end up going to vet school here, then we’re talking eight years.”
I shake my head. “Can we not talk about it right now?”
We arrive at the lake, the moonlight reflecting along the surface of the dark water. Small lanterns I put around a blanket at the edge of the water glow in the dark. My heart races as his footsteps fall to a stop and he looks at me.
“What’s going on?”
I take his hand and lead him to the blanket. “I didn’t want to just watch a movie in my basement where Kingston or the twins could come in and join us. I wanted to be alone with you.”