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"What the hell do you think you’re doing?" she asked, eyes lit with fire

I glanced around the room

Shit What had I done? Everyone stared at us, like ere the star attraction in some weird freak show Someone I didn’t even know elbowed the person beside hi

"I’ for ain It’d destroy me, but I’d do it "Let me walk you to your car"

"I’o ahead and say what you wanted to"

She blew a strand of hair out of her eyes and I shoved my hands in my pockets Wouldn’t do to reach out and tuck the strand behind her ear She’d probably slap me

This would have been so much easier if I’d been able to talk to her earlier Then she’d looked amiable Now she looked pissed

I took a deep breath "There’s a sentlemen," the deejay said "The best !"

Jackson

I recognized the song from my first, and only, dance with Abby Jackson would have known that song, re

Which meant I was supposed to dance with Abby

"Ah, hell," I said, wondering just how long he’d been planning this

I’d kill him with ry

Maybe she wouldn’t turn me down in front of all these people Of course, if she did, I deserved it

I held outher to answer What if she said no?

But, miracles of miracles, she put her hand on my arm

My stoe, pretended it was no big deal she’d just taken ht Jackson and Felicia kissing out of the corner of my eye Then we made it to the middle of the floor and I had eyes only for Abby

I stood and let her make the first move

She reached out and put a hand onto decide how this could be ," I said, because out of all the scenarios I’d i to Abby in the middle of a crowded dance floor had never been on my list of possibilities

I placed ination, but I thought she took a step closer to me

"I blame you completely," she said "If you had just let me leave, this wouldn’t have happened"

But then she would have left--didn’t she see that?

"I went about it all wrong," I said again, being coht, I’d never have forgiven ly about it, thenme sometime in the last month"

"I wasn’t at the place I needed to be, Abby"

"And you are now?"

"No, but I’ closer"

I took a deep breath, and her scent worked its way into ht I’d have that scent around ain, that I’d forever have this ht was not the time to talk The important part had been accomplished--I’d talked to her, she’d listened and not run away Maybe, if I was honest with her, she’d agree to meet ht" We were still in the er I stopped dancing and she didn’t drop her arree and I’ll understand if you won’t" Give her an out, I heard Paul’s voice say in my head "But will you meet me tomorrow afternoon? To talk? So I can explain?"

I braced h at me

"Okay"

"You will?" I asked, unable to contain my surprise "Really?"

She smiled "Yes"

She smiled at me My heart raced "Should I pick you up? Or would you feelme somewhere? Whatever you prefer" Her choice Her decision Her way

"The coffee shop on West Broadway?"

Perfect "Yes One o’clock to ended and I had no other reason to hold her, so I led her off to the side "Thank you, Abby Thank you for the dance and thank you for agreeing toier Felicia went over to her shortly after the dance ended and they talked, quite aniht add, for a fewher I smiled

Flowers I should send her flowers

I wondered briefly where to find an open florist It was New York; soain Elaina joined the group and hugged her Probably asked why she hadn’t kicked my balls

She needed more than flowers

My eyes fell on the caterer discreetly checking the hors d’oeuvres

She needed cans

Cans because she’d been the one to show ht We could be so ht

My feet nearly flew over the floor inout room I wonder if I could bother you for a small favor"

Once the box of label-less cans was safe in ht about the labels

Nathaniel