She’d suggested asking Julianna to help, but that would’ve been even more horrifying. At least this way, he’d be embarrassing himself in front of someone he didn’t know.
Cole had tried to get out of it, and had successfully postponed it twice, but Gemma wasn’t having it anymore. Why couldn’t they just stand and sway like most couples? Because he was marrying Gemma, that’s why.
“Our wedding has to be perfect, Cole,” she’d said. “And I really want to make our first dance one to remember.”
What she wanted was the kind of first dance that was shared on social media. Cole couldn’t have wanted that less.
But he loved her, and he wanted to make her happy, so he went along with it.
The drive to their first lesson gave Gemma the chance to grill him about the wedding.
“Did you get fitted for your tux yet?”
Cole took her hand. “Relax, it’s all under control.”
“Relax?” She pulled her hand away. “Cole, do you know how much work it is to put a wedding together this fast?”
Not really. Gemma wouldn’t let him help with any part of it. So far, she’d picked out the cake, the flowers, the colors—she’d even vetoed two of the groomsmen he wanted because they weren’t “tall enough to match my bridesmaids.”
The way Cole saw it, though, was that he didn’t care about the wedding as much as she did. He cared about their marriage, but the actual wedding? His take was—whatever makes her happy.
Didn’t he owe it to her? Everything he did was for her, and he planned for it to be that way until the day he died.
Funny how some plans just don’t work out.
The dance instructor was a man, which made the whole thing even more awkward and uncomfortable.
The lesson got off to a rocky start. Gemma had chosen Adele’s version of “Make You Feel My Love” for their first dance. Cole asked her why she chose it and not “I Won’t Give Up” by Jason Mraz, which was the song she’d claimed as “theirs.” Gemma shrugged it off with a flippant, “This one is easier to dance to.”
Apparently, she was less about sentiment and more about the way it all looked.
Cole listened to the teacher’s instructions and tried to follow along, but he wasn’t a natural, and by the end of the night, Gemma was dancing circles with the instructor while Cole sat in one of the chairs against the wall.
The whole experience had been a disaster, which was why Cole had no desire to attend a dance rehearsal now.
But he’d promised Amelia. And she was worth it.
Hildy and Steve met him on the sidewalk, where he stood staring at the door.
“You going in?” Steve asked.
Cole shot him a look.
“I get it, buddy, believe me,” Steve said. “We’re in this together.”
Hildy elbowed his arm. “This is pretty great what you’re doing, Cole. Julianna would be so proud.”
Cole swatted the compliment away, same way he’d swatted away Charlotte’s revelation that he was, in her words, “a big softy.” He was also the kind of guy who drove people away, and whatever his strengths were, he had plenty of flaws to counteract them.
Through the glass, Cole spotted Charlotte behind the front desk, talking with Julianna’s assistant, Brinely. Both wore the kind of clothes a person might dance in. He wore jeans and work boots.
“Let’s get this over with,” he mumbled as he pulled the door open and let the older couple pass through.
Charlotte looked up, made eye contact with him, then looked away. Maybe he’d imagined it.
“What was that about?” Hildy asked.
Or maybe not.
Cole shrugged.
“Did you make her mad?” Hildy pressed as they followed a few other people into a big dance studio and sat in the chairs set up around the perimeter of the room.
“I didn’t do anything,” Cole said, though he was pretty sure that wasn’t true. He’d done something, he just didn’t know what.
The three of them found their seats. Cole shifted, feeling out of place. Not only because he was dancing with a nine-year-old, but because he was dancing at all.
Thankfully, everybody seemed preoccupied with their phones.
A woman he recognized as the wife of one of the athletic boosters made eye contact with him from across the room. “Coach, did you see this?”
Oh no. What now?
“What is it?”
She walked over, holding the phone out in his direction. On the small screen, Charlotte and Amelia moved in unison. The little girl looked up at Charlotte, clear admiration in her eyes.
Hildy leaned in closer. “She got Amelia to dance.” There was awe in her voice. “Brinley called me this afternoon. She had no luck. I wonder when this was.”
Cole watched for a minute, admiring the care Charlotte took with his niece. Amelia had been through more than any kid her age should, and seeing someone who wasn’t even related to her treat her with such care turned his insides out.
Charlotte and Brinley walked in, each carrying a clipboard. Most of the chairs were filled, with only a few empty seats spread around the circle.
Cole met her eyes, the warmth of gratitude radiating through him. She’d done something nobody else had been able to do. And she really had nothing to gain by doing it.
She gave him a quizzical look, and he handed the phone back to the woman.
Did Charlotte know how amazing she was? Could he ever find a way to tell her?
Brinley clapped her hands together. “Ladies and gentlemen, thank you all so much for being here. We are so excited to move forward with our recital and turn it into a celebration of life for our dear Julianna. We all had a special connection to Jules, and—” A commotion in the hallway interrupted her.
Seconds later, a familiar face appeared in the doorway.
“Sorry we’re late.” Gemma strolled in—always making an entrance—with Max lolling behind like a lovesick puppy.
Cole felt pairs of eyes dart to him, and he wished he could swat them away like the annoying pests they were.
What was Gemma doing here?
“Oh, it’s fine,” Charlotte said. “We were just about to get started. Have a seat.” She motioned toward two empty chairs just a few seats away from Cole. He steeled his jaw. His knuckles whitened as he fisted his hands.
Hildy straightened at his side, and Cole bit back words that would surely cause a scene.
“Where was I?” Brinley asked rhetorically. He didn’t even know her, and even she seemed flustered by Gemma’s presence in that room. Only Charlotte was unfazed by the presence of his ex-wife.
And only because Charlotte had no idea who Gemma was. Surely she would agree that Gemma’s being here was inappropriate at best.
This was a celebration of life for his sister. Did Gemma’s selfishness ever end?
“I want to turn the meeting over to a very special friend of Julianna’s,” Brinley said now. She ran down a list of Charlotte’s awards and accolades before finally saying, “I’m excited to introduce Charlotte Page.”
Charlotte took a step forward and scanned the circle. “I’m really excited by this turn out,” she said. “You are the people Jules loved most, and for that reason, I think this is going to be really special.”