you up today.”
“My car is going to be in the shop.”
I studied my grandpa, glanced over at the satisfied look on Joyce’s face, and then turned to Lori. “They’re playing us.”
Lori huffed. “Nice try, but we are not falling for it. You two are on your own.”
Grandma Joyce crossed her arms. “Fine.” She glanced at Grandpa Wayne. “Sorry, Wayne. The date’s off.”
Lori set her drink down a little too hard, causing the top to fly off and land on the table. “You can’t be serious.”
Her grandmother ignored her comment, her attention on her food.
Lori sighed. “You’re telling me if we don’t go, you won’t go.”
Joyce nodded. “Pretty much, yeah.”
I chuckled.
Lori glared at me. “What’s so funny?”
I pointed to our grandparents. “Can’t you see? They are trying to set us up!”
Grandma Joyce smiled proudly. “Two can play at that game, my sweet granddaughter.”
“Nice try, but Ben and I already agreed that we would just be friends,” Lori said.
“Is that true, Ben?”
I shrugged. “I wouldn’t necessarily say that we agreed.”
Grandpa Wayne finally chimed in. “Look, we need to make a decision right now. Are you two going ballroom dancing with us tomorrow? Or should I leave right now with a broken heart and go die a lonely man? The choice and the conscience is yours.”
Lori and I just stared at our grandparents.
I had no idea my grandpa had it in him.
Grandma Joyce reached across and placed her hand on top of my grandpa’s. “Okay, then. It looks like our grandchildren have made up their minds. It was such a pleasure to meet you.”
I chuckled. “Okay, okay. Enough with the melodramatics. We’ll join you for ballroom dancing.”
“Wonderful!” Grandma Joyce said.
“We will?” Lori said. “What happened to the friends thing?”
I grinned, but Lori definitely did not share my excitement. “We’re just two friends going out dancing with our grandparents. Besides, ballroom dancing is harmless since we’re barely even touching. Completely innocent.”
Grandma Joyce cleared her throat. “Have you ever done ballroom dancing, Ben?”
I shook my head. “No. Never. How hard can it be?”
“Well, if you have some decent coordination you may catch on quickly, but there will be plenty of touching, I guarantee you that much. I’m sure it’s easy to get distracted with a beautiful woman like my granddaughter in your arms.”
I grinned. “I can handle her.”
Lori placed her hands on her hips. “I’m right here, people!”
Grandpa Wayne chuckled. “Just keep your eye on the ball, Ben. You’ll be fine.”
Grandma Joyce smiled. “And don’t forget to dip her.”
I glanced over at Lori. “It’s just dancing, right?”
“You keep telling yourself that,” Lori replied.
Everything would be fine.
It was just dancing and nothing more.
As long as she didn’t wear that perfume.
Because if she did, all bets would be off.
Chapter Seventeen
LORI
Grandma Joyce and I arrived at the dance studio at the same time as Ben and his grandpa. We got out of our cars and everyone exchanged hugs, except for me and Ben. I had been fighting the urge to hug him, so I had come up with an alternative.
I’m embarrassed to say that I decided on a fist bump.
“Hey, partner.” I curled my fingers together into a fist and held out my hand.
Ben stared at my hand for a moment, chuckling. “Right.” He fist-bumped me and shook his head. “I feel so much closer to you after that intimate knuckle exchange.”
“Friends. Remember that.”
My words were lacking authority and that scared me.
“How can I forget? You’re like a broken record.” Ben grabbed the door handle to the dance studio and swung it open, waving us through.
I was surprised how many people were already there, and even more shocked that Ben and I appeared to be the only two people who weren’t seniors. We all signed in and stood behind the group of people, waiting for the instructor.
A few seconds later, woman in her thirties dressed in a black dress and black dance shoes practically floated on air toward the center of the room in front of the mirror that covered the entire wall.
“Welcome, one and all! My name is Eliza and I will be your instructor this afternoon. Now, I want to make sure you all know that this is a beginner class, just in case someone showed up at the wrong time, or if one of you is a dance expert or former contestant of Dancing with the Stars. If you are here by mistake, please raise your hand.”
There were a few laughs from around the room, but nobody responded or raised their hand.
“Good! We’ll be learning