of the nervousness disappearing when she looked into his eyes. He placed his hand on her thigh under the table, telling her without words that he was here if she needed him. Giving her the same silent support she’d always given him.
She smiled up at him and placed her hand over his. With a soft sigh, she whispered, “Be myself, right?”
He wanted to lean forward and rest his forehead on hers, kiss her, but he held back. Instead he mumbled, “You can do this.”
With one forceful nod, she made her decision.
Penn slapped her hand on the table, grabbed one of the shots that had been placed at her seat while they were dancing, then picked up his and downed that one, too.
She looked at her sister-in-law and gave a cocky smile. “Put on your skirt, Beth. It’s go time.”
His stomach was in knots for her, but there was no way she would falter. Penn did everything with flying colors. Dancing on stage would be no different. Plus, he already knew how good she could move.
This was her time to shine. To show her family just what she could do. And they would be proud of her. Embrace her with open arms.
Because that’s what family did.
Chapter Eleven
Penn must have blacked out.
One minute she was at the table with her siblings having a great time, the next she was waiting backstage in a stupid grass skirt and coconut bra.
“Come on out here.” The DJ beckoned them to center stage.
With a deep breath, she gathered all the courage she had, but she knew it wasn’t going to be enough.
The crowd roared when they walked out on stage, and fear gripped her insides when she took her spot beside Beth. The music had been turned down significantly, and now all she heard was the buzz of the crowd.
Just great. Now you can hear every individual voice when they boo you off this fucking stage.
The DJ circled, giving them the once-over. “These are some good looking ladies.”
He had his septum pierced, dark hair, and light brown skin, and he was dressed in a Hawaiian shirt. “These ladies are going to hula for us, and we get to pick the winner. I think we can do that, right people?”
The onlookers went nuts. Luckily, the blinding lights from the stage made it almost impossible to distinguish people in the crowd, but it wasn’t helping to keep down the two shots she’d just chugged before getting on stage.
“Cue the ukuleles.” The DJ circled a theatrical finger and pointed to the AV guy at the back of the stage.
The soothing sounds of Hawaiian music filled the club. A healthy difference from the bass that had pumped through the sound system from the moment they’d arrived.
“Come on, Penn!” She heard Christine scream from below the stage. “You can do this.”
She took three quick breaths, fisting her hands at her sides.
What the fuck was wrong with her? She could do this. She danced on tables for Christ’s sake, but stick her in front of her family and suddenly she wanted to hide inside the wallpaper.
Penn moved her bare feet, transferring her weight from one foot to the other, and fluttered her arms at her sides. The coconut bra was tight around her torso, since she hadn’t taken off her dress for fear of exposing her tattoo. The wood of the stage was slippery under her feet. It was probably her nervous sweat.
It took a few beats, but she finally got a rhythm. In her periphery, she noticed Beth dancing with the same soft movements. The noisy crowd urged her on, and she heard Cole shouting for her in the distance, anchoring her in the moment.
Then the lights dimmed, making it easier for her to see. Which made it infinitely worse. Now, with everyone’s eyes on her, she felt paralyzed. She found Cole in the crowd and locked eyes with his. Screw this.
She couldn’t do sexy. Not in front of her siblings.
But when she looked over at Beth, she had that look in her eye. She was looking to redeem herself.
Penn sighed. She had demanded that Cole put on his big boy pants if he wanted to play. She was going to have to listen to her own advice. Even if that advice meant shaking her groove thing and putting a small crack in the mold her family had squeezed her into.
Suddenly, the crowd erupted, and she turned. The blinding lights above returned, causing her to squint. But even with blurred vision,