Page 22 of Can We Skip to the Good Part?

When Max returned a short time later, she had a rhythm to her step that matched the country song twanging away on the sound system.

“This is called a Savannah Mule,” Max said, presenting the fizzy-looking drink.

Ella happily accepted the beverage and closed her eyes at the crispy ginger beer, vodka, and … “Is this some kind of citrus?”

“I believe the term melon was used.”

“God bless melon,” Ella said, taking another pull from the cute green straw. She decided she very much liked Sally Sue’s.

Max watched the dance floor and halfway joined the line dance in progress.

“You’re dying to get out there, aren’t you?” Ella asked.

“What gave me away?” She turned in place at the same time as the group on the dance floor and then grapevined to the right along with them. This time, Ella did allow herself to check out Max’s ass, which did not for one second disappoint.

“What is happening right now?” Ella asked.

“Come out there with me.”

“That would be an epic mistake.”

“Take another drink then.”

She did. She was four swallows in and feeling a little looser.

Maybe she could throw inhibition out the window and dance a little.

There were worse things people could witness like that boobs-to-chin woman hitting on Max.

She’d also been checking out Max’s ass while she danced, which only bolstered Ella’s determination to stay close.

“Ready now?”

“Fine, Max. I will shuffle around the dance floor. Happy?”

Max took her hand and gave her arm a tug. “Beyond.”

Uh-oh. The song changed as they landed on the dance floor. She quirked her head to the ceiling, listening. “Is this the ‘Boot Scootin’ Boogie’? My parents used to play this while they cooked chicken-fried chicken.”

“You’re going to have to educate me on what that is after this song. Ready?”

She didn’t have time to answer because the dancers were moving toward her as one, and she had no option but to move with them if she didn’t want to be flattened. “Oh, okay. We’re going this way. And now we’re turning. Sorry!” She told the woman with the braids and black cowboy hat. “I’m new.”

“Follow me,” Max said, executing the next turn around like a damn pro. How was she so calm? “Oh, it’s faster here. Get ready.”

But Ella wasn’t ready, and to save her, Max took her hand and gave her a pull in the right direction, keeping her from ruining the spacing for the whole row of dancers headed their way.

“This is terrifying!” Ella shouted, but she was also laughing, the four swallows of alcohol having settled in and spread. Max gave her a quick twirl and let go of her hand, a real shame.

“You’re killing it,” Max said. “We’re headed left. Lead with your left foot.”

By the time the song wound down, Ella was out of breath, laughing more than she had in months, and convinced she was the least coordinated human in ten miles. What she’d also noticed? Max touched her with a quiet confidence she found unendingly attractive.

“You held your own,” Max said, as they walked back to their friends. Ariana now stood next to Morgan, her arms crossed in front of her as they approached.

“You made it,” Ella said, arms out, still riding the adrenaline from the terrifying impromptu dance routine.

“Just in time to witness that dose of foreplay,” Ariana said in her ear as they hugged.

“Obvious?” She asked, still holding on.

“Probably just to me.”

“Good,” Ella said like the best kind of ventriloquist, releasing Ariana and remembering to keep her smile in full bloom. “Whatever happened to my drink?” she asked.

Stevie, who was now grinning happily, handed her the drink from the ledge along the wall. “I’m on my second,” she proclaimed. “Catch me.” She then did a little hip-shaking dance as she drank. Four women turned to watch. Yep, Stevie was going to do just fine.

Ella, who wasn’t someone who consumed more than one or two at a time, raised her glass. It was Stevie’s night, dammit. “Challenge accepted.”

The only problem was that Stevie had a much higher tolerance. An hour later, Ella held drink number three and sipped from it passively, realizing her sobriety was slipping through her fingers like sand through the hourglass.

“You okay?” Max asked, sliding a strand of dark hair behind her ear. What Ella wouldn’t give to run her fingers through it as she climbed on top.

“I’m actually having a really great time.”

“ Actually sounds like a qualifier. Actually means you didn’t expect to.”

“You are such a lawyer, aren’t you?” Ella said around her straw.

“You’ve got to stop looking like that,” she said with a playful grin and drifted away again.

Max, she was finding, never lingered too long.

She was approached by another woman, who seemed to be gesturing to the dance floor, and, aha, asking her to dance.

Max shook her head, seeming to decline the invite, which made warmth gather in the center of Ella’s chest.

“I had a great conversation with a woman.”

Ella turned to find Stevie staring at her with wide eyes.

“That’s great. Is this someone you’d like to talk to again?”

Stevie nodded. “If I sent over a drink, would that be, you know, cool?”

“It’d be very cool. You might even drop it off yourself, and see if there are any buying signs. If so, stick around for another chat.”

Stevie continued to nod. It seemed to be her crutch. “I’m going to do that. The others are great, but I think you get me, Ella.” She squeezed Ella’s hand, offered a here-we-go wince, took a hearty swallow of her margarita for fortification, and headed to the bar.

“Well done,” Max said, watching after Stevie. “I think you’ve been appointed coach.”

“How long have you been standing there?”

“I caught the tail end. She trusts you.”

“Good.” There were so many things she wanted to say to Max.

She wanted to tell her about all the feelings she had gathering and settling.

And how her brain wanted to know everything about Max.

How her body wanted to press into her and put an end to this torturous dance once and for all.

And in this moment, she couldn’t seem to cling to the very important reason why she shouldn’t any longer.

“What? What are you thinking?”

She met Max’s eyes and went up on her toes, her mouth close to Max’s ear. “I want to know you. Is that wild? I just do.”

When she went back down onto her heels, Max’s smile faded into what can only be described as sincerity.

“I want you to know me, too,” she said back.

The moment felt so simple, so easy, and so ridiculously clear.

Why didn’t she enjoy three drinks more often?

In fact, she planned to, because the stressors that hung on her like a lead vest were now gone.

She liked Max. Max liked her. They also happened to possess an intangible electricity that made her feel more alive than anything ever had.

That didn’t seem like something to be discounted.

“This is a good song. Let’s go.” Max grabbed her hand and tugged.

Before she knew it, Ella was on her way back to the dance floor, where her reputation as an uncoordinated sheep surely preceded her.

Only this time, she did move a little bit easier.

She’d loosened up, which was helpful. Also helpful was Max’s hand on the small of her back when she didn’t move fast enough to the left.

Which Ella made sure happened a whole hell of a lot.