Three.

As I pulled up to to the address Ethan had given me I couldn’t help but smile to myself. As it turns out, they daycare I had set up for Daniel was Casey’s mother’s daycare. Her home made me feel secure about leaving Daniel for the first time. It was a large white victorian style home with a beautifully manicured lawn and a wide wrap around porch. When his little sister, Amanda, gave my a quick tour of the property I was impressed. The entire downstairs was dedicated to her daycare, with different rooms for different age groups. The backyard was a fenced in play area and large oak trees. 

I left the home with guarantees that I would be back by 11 to pick him up. It was almost eight now, I doubted I could even leave him that long. I made my way through the town and over to the local bar Ethan had said they would be meeting at. It really was a beautiful down. The trees formed canopies over some of the roads, bursting with the yellows and oranges of fall. Dusk was setting in and families were turning their lights on, creating a warm glow on either side of the street. I felt one of those moments of happiness, the moments that feel like everything is right with the world. Tonight was going to be fun! I realize how excited I am to meet some more of the staff, people who might potentially be good friends. 

The bar looked old, but it was right on the river and Ethan had said it have great live music. I adjusted my summer dress and checked my hair. Sometimes my waves made it seem uncontrollable in any sort of humidity, but so far Texas air had proved to be cooperatively dry. “Here goes nothing,” I muttered under my breath. I made my way through the already dense crowd, straining my neck to find Ethan. I see a hand shoot up and a friendly smile towards the back of he bar. I smile back at Ethan and motion that I’m going to grab a drink at the bar and then I’ll head over. 

No sooner do I set my elbows on the bar, do I feel a hand on my lower back. I turn with a start to see Tommy Henderson smiling at my side. 

“Fancy seeing you here.”

“You can’t be serious, talking like that.”

“All the yankees love it,” he says with that wicked smile that instantly makes my heart beat so loud in my chest that I swear he’s going to hear it.

“Yeah, I bet they do, but I’m a special breed.” I throw a smile back his way as if to tell him I’m not intimidated. 

“Oh yeah? What breed is that, Miss Anderson?”

“The kind that learned to stay away from your type a long time ago..” I challenge him. “I’ll have a glass of wine!” I yell to the bartender when . 

“That’s a little soon to judge don’t you think?”

“I can spot you guys from a mile away; you just smile and wink and pass out a ‘sweetheart’ here and there.” I take a sip of the wine the bartender placed in front of me. 

“Thank you.”

“Don’t forget we change tires too,” Tommy carried on. 

Ouch, he got me there.

“Oh, about that..” I ask with a little bit of guilt, “what are you drinking?”

“Ladies don’t buy men drinks in this town.”

“Like we’ve so clearly established, not only am I not from around here, but I’m a different type of breed.”

“Well, you’re still in my town.” 

Tommy put his arm around my waist and handed Eli some bills. “Thank man,” and before I new it he was directing me towards the dance floor. I noticed them lock eyes and swear I could literally see Eli take a step back. I smiled at Tommy’s need to claim his bid, men these days. 

“Ohhh, noooo” I explained, “I’m not dancing with you. I’m actually meeting a friend here.” 

His arm drops and he gives me disappointed look. 

“Who?” 

“Not that it’s any of your business.. but I’m meeting Ethan McCray.”

“Ethan? Hmm I didn’t see him as your type.”

“He’s not my ‘type’” I exaggerate the word, “he’s just a friend. He’s going to introduce me to some of the other school staff.”

Somehow he had managed to get his face inches away from mine, again. 

“Just save me a dance, sweetheart.” 

OOO

“So, Tommy Henderson huh?” Ethan whispered to me when the rest of the crowd was taking their fourth round of shots. I had quit drinking after two glasses of wine, knowing I was going to have to drive and pick up Daniel. 

“For a slow moving town, word sure moves fast round here! Why do you even say that?”

“I saw you two when he walked in!”

“Ugh, there is no ‘us two.’ Not by his choice though, he’s a pretty persistent guy.”

“Tommy?”

“Yeah.. who else?”

“I just.. “ he pauses.. “Hmm..” 

“What?” I squeal.

“Tommy just seems too busy to have ever had much time for dating. I mean he acts all playboy but I never really see him out with anyone.”

My eyebrows furl up at my confusion, “Really? I got the ideal that he’s a serial dater.”

“Don’t get me wrong, back in High School he was. He just burnt through them all before he even left for college. I really don’t think he’s bothered much since he’s been home. I assumed maybe he had a girlfriend still back at college but no ones ever showed up.”

I smiled at this new piece of information. Maybe I had judged him wrong. 

“He wanted to dance, but I definitely do not know how to do that. I looked up at the dance floor where couples were moving in a big circle, moving together like they’d been born to do so.

“You can’t two step? Where they hell are you from Dorothy? Can’t be Kansas, even they can two-step!”

“Teach me?” I look at Ethan with my best puppy face. 

“Oh, how can I pass up the face of a five year old?” He jokes and grabs my hand. “Come on Dorothy.”

He placed my right hand in his left, my left hand on his should, and his other hand on my lower back. “Alright, just copy my feet. If I move my foot, follow it with yours.”

He takes two small steps backwards, and one step forwards. Over and over again until, after a few trips around the dance floor and ten or twelve apologies from me, I seem to be picking it up. Being around Ethan feels comfortable, like I’ve found a long lost friend. There is no tension or nervousness like some girl-boy relationships tend to always have.  

“Okay Faye, now, turn around and do the same exact thing backwards

...work in progress.

Reviews

[luv2dream]

You got me hooked! I love this book. One thing though, you barely mentioned the other people

[MrsHardin12]

I spend a while today re-writing it form a different point of view.. it is going to allow me to give more from the other characters. Thank you so much for your review, I haven't really had any.. so it's incredibly encouraging! I appreciate your input, I will develop my other characters more!