Page 36

ISLA

A few weeks and a lot more sleepovers later–this time in my bed too–we all pile into two trucks and make our way down to the Lair. Wyatt comes along too with Birdie making him promise that nothing but soda and good food will pass his lips.

Lucky for us, Wyatt’s a good kid and never gives us any trouble. Even better for him, Margie has a soft spot for the kid and loves to spoil him with her cooking.

After parking outside the tavern, we all file out and follow Jude and Wyatt through the front doors.

Birdie kisses Will goodbye and waves to the rest of us, promising to send drinks our way as soon as she can.

Then she makes a beeline to the bar to clock in.

While she does that, the rest of us move over to the same corner we always claim near the pool tables.

“I swear this place is gettin’ more popular. We’ll be fightin’ for a table soon if this keeps up,” Jude says looking around the large and bustling room.

Will nudges Jude with his arm. “Wasn’t it you that said just yesterday that you love how quiet it is up the mountain?”

“I do. Doesn’t mean I don’t like lettin’ loose at Lair now and then,” he replies. “And more people means more chances to meet my One.”

“Here, here,” Sutton cheers. “Besides, it’s line dancin’ night. That means we get to impress the locals with all our moooves .”

Case steeples his hands between us as if begging me. “Please don’t let them change your mind.”

“About?”

“Me. Us. You bein’ the love of my life.”

A snort escapes me. “One, there ain’t nothin’ and no one that could ever change my mind, heart, or soul when it comes to you. And two , even if I wanted to, the mountain chose me for you and you for me. We’re stuck with each other until our end of days.”

Case’s gaze drops to my lips. He smells good and looks even better. My body heats, my skin tingles, and all I can think about is touching him again—as is always the way when I’m near him.

As if sensing the effect he’s having on me, he leans in and rubs his nose against mine. “OK, beautiful. Good point, well made and all that.”

I slide my hands over his shirt. “I’m glad you said that, curious. Because right now, I’m thinkin’ I’d like to get up on that dance floor with you and move real close like?—”

“We’re still here you know,” Jude whines. “Poor Wyatt will be corrupted in no time if he keeps findin’ himself surrounded by loved-up couples.”

“You corrupted yet, Wy,” Case asks, wrapping his arm around my shoulders and pulling me and my chair in close.

Wyatt scoffs, shaking his head as he does it. “This ain’t my first Call rodeo and it won’t be the last. Besides, who says I’m not already corrupted?”

That earns him heckles and jeers from everyone at our table as well as a barrage of items being thrown his way like balled-up napkins, and even a laminated bar snacks menu thanks to Jude.

Wyatt ducks and laughs, swatting away the projectiles. "Alright, alright! I surrender!" he says, holding his hands up in mock defeat. The laughter around the table is only just calming down when Birdie delivers our drinks.

"Here you go, guys," she says, distributing our drinks with a smile. "And for you, Wyatt, a special Shirley Temple." She winks as she sets the glass down before leaning against Will’s chair. “You know y’all are signed up for the line dancin’ lesson tonight, yeah?”

Every head at the table turns so fast I’m sure we do a 360 spin. Will’s eyes narrow on his fiancée. “I didn’t sign?—”

“Nope, you didn’t,” my best friend replies, popping the p while puffing out her chest. She looks like a cat that got the cream as she takes in our shocked expressions. “I did. Put all y’all’s names down.”

Birdie claps her hands together at our shocked expressions. A mischievous grin appears on her face. "Come on! It'll be fun! Think of it this way—it'll be good practice for the weddin’."

Will groans but I don’t miss the sparkle in his eye. "You just want to see us make fools of ourselves.”

Birdie laughs, leaning down to give him a quick kiss. "Maybe just a little. But mostly, I just wanted to dance with my man and have a good time with the family.”

Case squeezes my shoulder, pulling me closer. "What do you say, beautiful? Want to show them how it's done?"

I grin, my heart fluttering with excitement and nerves. "Only if you promise to catch me if I trip over my own feet."

He winks, his gaze full of affection and a little mischief. “As long as it’s my feet you’re trippin’ over, then that’s fine by me. I promise I’ll always catch you, the same way you caught my heart.”

“Oh god,” Jude groans. “Case, that was bad .”

“So bad,” Sutton adds.

Wyatt smirks. “Even I have better lines than that , and I’m not even tryin’ to date right now.”

I giggle, but at least I do it with my face buried against Case’s shoulder. His arm tightens around me as he laughs too.

“Hey, I can’t help it that I’m in love.”

“We will soon though,” Jude says, swapping looks with Sutton. “One of us is next remember.”

“Heaven help the women of Timber Falls,” Will teases.

“To be fair, the next soulmate may not be from town. They could be passin’ through. Or movin’ here. No one Call is the same,” Wyatt tells us. “Not from what I’ve seen, anyway.”

“But the outcome is always the same,” Case replies, turning his head so our eyes meet.

“Case, I say this with the deepest respect, but please —for the love of the mountain—remember that we’re twins and sometimes we can sense the same feelin’s and thoughts…” Sutton arches a pointed brow his brother’s way and I watch a blush cover my boyfriend’s cheeks.

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” Will adds, getting us back on track. “We’ve still got a weddin’ to celebrate in a few months, and if Birdie thinks line dancin’ will help give her the day of her dreams, then we’re doin’ it.”

Before any of us can argue, the jukebox is turned down and a loud squeak from a microphone cuts through the air.

Birdie grins my way. “Oh, goodie. Right on time.” She’s seriously enjoying this.

Case's arm tightens. “Ready to make some memories, beautiful?" His breath on my skin sends a shiver of anticipation down my spine.

I nod, a wide smile spreading across my face. “Yep. Ready to make a fool of myself in the name of makin’ my best friend happy.”

His eyes drop to my lips before slowly sliding back to mine. “OK. Let’s go.” Something tells me dancing is the last thing on his mind right now.

With the microphone in her hand, the line dancing instructor introduces herself as Hattie.

She’s a vibrant woman. The kind that has enthusiasm and excitement oozing from her pores.

Then there’s the cowboy hat, fringed brown suede top, denim shorts that barely graze her thighs, and matching leather boots to finish off the look.

She looks like a blast and proves to all of us that she’s a whirlwind of energy as she gets the lesson started.

She claps her hands and calls out instructions like a drill sergeant but does it with a zest that’s infection.

Soon enough, Sutton and Jude line up in front of me and Case, with Will and Wyatt taking their positions behind us along with a bunch of other laughing bar patrons.

Hattie starts with the basics, walking us through the steps of a popular line dance. The guys look a mix of amused and terrified. I hold Case’s hand and struggle to hold back my laughter because Birdie and I have done many a lesson with Hattie before in this very bar, and I know what’s coming.

A quick glance at the bar confirms my suspicions. Birdie stands there with her eyes pinned to our group, a wicked smile on her lips, and a camera in her hand.

The music starts, a lively country tune that fills the air with a contagious rhythm. Hattie counts out the beats, demonstrating the steps with an ease that comes from years of practice.

We all follow along, some more gracefully than others. Case stumbles on the first few steps but catches on quickly. Sutton does the same, but Jude struggles. Soon it’s obvious to all and sundry that the poor man has two left feet despite all of his best intentions.

I look behind me to where Will and Wyatt are. Wy is a pro, no doubt from his years with his dad traveling with the rodeo but Will though—bless his heart—is moving slowly and methodically, trying hard, his eyes darting to where Birdie is urging him on with a huge smile.

When the music restarts and Hattie directs us to start again, I turn back to the front.

"You're doing great, curious," I say, laughing as he picks me up and spins me around with a playful grin. Dropping me back to my feet, he steals a quick kiss before we return to the dance routine.

“I think you might need to use those fancy feet of yours to help Jude. He’s a lost cause.”

I wince. “He’s not that bad.”

Case quirks a brow. “He got asked to leave a ballet class when he was five because he kept trippin’ up himself and everyone else.”

“I was five . How was I to know I had left-right disorientation?” Jude calls out from in front of us.

“You got this, Jude,” Wyatt hollers from the back. “Just slow it down and focus on one move at a time.”

Hattie chimes in with a laugh before stepping off the stage and walking over to stand next to Jude.

“Don't worry, honey! We'll have you dancin’ like a pro in no time.

" She claps her hands together, drawing everyone's attention back to her.

"Alright, let's try it with some faster music this time! Remember, it's all about havin’ fun and feelin’ the rhythm. Right, Jude?”

“Right!”

The music starts up again and this time, we all jump in with more enthusiasm.

Case twirls me around, his hands steady on my waist as we move in time with the beat.

I can't help but laugh as Jude stumbles again, nearly taking out Sutton and Hattie in the process.

Sure enough though, after a few more tries, I see the moment it all clicks for him.

And just seeing the huge grin on his face was worth the wait— and trodden on toes.