the dancers at each song, and the team who predicts correctly who will dance to what songs will win a prize from the bar.”
“Piece of cake,” Charlie assured them all.
The list of dances included many that Catherine was sure their younger group members had never heard of.
“‘Shout’?” asked Sophie, raising both eyebrows.
“That’s a great one,” said Charlie. “Otis Day and the Knights.” He began to sing, doing a rather impressive shimmy and stamping his feet, and Denise joined him.
Denise sure knew how to work a shimmy. It helped that she still had such a great figure, Catherine thought, just the teensiest bit jealous. Until she reminded herself that Denise worked hard to keep that figure. Catherine had once had a pretty nice figure herself, and she could again if she’d lay off the carbs.
“Sounds like a top dance number,” Trevor said.
“But so is this,” said Denise, pointing to “Stand by Me.” “One of the best slow dance songs ever written.”
One of the best songs ever written, period, if you asked Catherine. She loved the message of the lyrics. No need to be afraid during the dark times when someone was with you. She couldn’t help looking in Rudy’s direction. He was looking at her, as well, and the expression on his face made it clear that he liked what he saw. Oh, my. It was suddenly feeling warm here in the lounge.
“Every couple in the room will get on the dance floor for that,” Charlie was saying.
“‘Country Girl (Shake It for Me),’ I know that one,” Trevor said. He smiled at Sophie. “Will you get up and shake it to that?”
“Maybe,” she said, her cheeks turning pink.
“‘Thriller,’ that should go somewhere near the top,” said Denise.
“I know what the number one song will be,” Catherine said.
“What?” asked Kurt.
“‘YMCA.’”
“Even I know that one,” Kurt said.
“The song that won’t die,” said Denise. “You’re right, Catherine, everybody will get up for it. Put it down as number one,” she said to Arnold, who had rejoined them and was acting as team secretary.
“How about the ‘Electric Boogie’ as number three?” Charlie suggested. “Everyone knows that.”
“I don’t,” Sophie said.
“You’ll pick it up,” Denise assured her. “It’s easy.”
“I think ‘Thriller’ will top it,” Kurt said. “That’s still a monster flash mob favorite at Halloween.”
“No pun intended?” Charlie said to him, and Kurt shook his head and groaned.
“Okay, ‘Thriller’ before the ‘Electric Boogie,’” Arnold said.
“And, guys,” Denise said to everyone, “we have to get up and dance on the dances we picked if we want to win.”
“I’m up for the slow dances,” Trevor said, and winked at Sophie.
“Me, too,” said Rudy, smiling at Catherine.
“We have to dance to all of them,” Denise said sternly.
“I don’t know about the fast ones,” Sophie fretted. “My ankle.”
“I think you’ll be fine. The swelling’s gone and you’re still wrapping it,” Trevor said easily.
Sophie turned to Rudy. “What do you think, Rudy?”
“I think you’ll be fine as long as you don’t get too carried away,” Rudy said.
“You just get up there and the rest of us will do the getting carried away,” Denise said to her. “Oh, put the ‘Chicken Dance’ as number two. Everyone will get up for that.”
“Denise’s theme song should go near the top,” said Charlie.
“What’s that?” she asked.
“‘Pretty Woman,’” he replied, and Denise actually blushed. “Everybody loves a pretty woman,” he added.
“They sure do,” said Arnold, not to be outdone in the flattery department. Although, after watching his behavior at dinner, Catherine suspected that Arnold had no problem liking more than one pretty woman at a time.
They finally had their list compiled and Charlie ordered more champagne for everyone to enjoy while they waited for the other teams to finish their lists.
“I’ll take another 7UP,” Sophie said to the server.
“On the wagon, huh?” Charlie cracked.
“Forever,” she said fervently.
Elsa announced it was time to begin and Jacques played a fast rock song that brought several people to the dance floor. Sophie started up but Denise reached over and pulled her back down. “That’s not on our list. We don’t want to swell the numbers.”
But they did all get up to swell the numbers when it came time for the “Electric Boogie,” Denise leading them all, teaching them the steps as they went. Plenty of other people joined them, as well, which had her chortling and claiming success as they returned to their seats.
Kurt was right about “Thriller,” which packed the dance floor pretty well, but nothing like the “Chicken Dance.” Catherine felt both silly and lighthearted as she bounced