Dancing Away With My Heart

Chapter 1-1

Chapter 1

The light was perfect. A thin layer of clouds diffused the early evening sun, casting a warm glow over the Wishful town green. All along Main Street, flowers bloomed from carefully-tended planters and trees leafed out in a vibrant chorus of spring. People strolled or sat, enjoying the breezy, upper-sixties temperatures and soaking up sunshine on what was arguably an absolutely perfect spring day. Lexi’s shutter finger twitched, and she wished she’d grabbed her camera when she’d gotten out of the car. She wanted to linger in the golden hour, while everything seemed just a little bit magical. But she was on a mission. Still, she turned her face into the cool caress of the wind and gloried in the sweet scents of azaleas and jasmine.

“Why, Lexi Morales, is that you?”

The delighted drawl snapped Lexi out of her reverie. She blinked at the older woman, who sported a huge, shellacked helmet of hair in an I Love Lucy shade of red. Back when she’d taught tenth-grade English, she’d been known to change it as frequently as other women changed purses. There’d been a pool going on the color of the month. The winner got a whole dozen of their candybar of choice. Lexi had ended up with a lot of Snickers that year.

“Mrs. Landon.”

Mamie Landon beamed, opening her arms and automatically pulling Lexi in for a pillow-soft hug. “How are you, sugar? I didn’t realize you were back in town.”

Knowing there’d be no escaping without at least a short visit, Lexi resigned herself to a delay. “Well, it wasn’t a planned thing. My mom had a fall and broke her ankle.”

One hand went to Mrs. Landon’s ample bosom. “No! I hadn’t heard! Why, I need to bring by a casserole. What happened?”

“She was trying to clean out the gutters and the ladder slipped. She fell right off. Clean break. She’s okay, but I’m here to help out for a few weeks until she gets back on her feet.” And to take care of a myriad of other things around the house that her mom had no business trying to do on her own.

“It’s such a blessin’ that you could get away that long from your job.”

Lexi smiled a little. “My boss is pretty accommodating.”

“What is it you’re doing now?”

“I’m a photographer.” She’d finally been able to afford to sign a lease on studio space in Austin. A lease she wouldn’t be able to pay if she didn’t figure something out for income while her mom recuperated.

“That’s marvelous, darlin’. Seems like almost every memory I have of you from high school, you had a camera in your hands. You and that Warren boy. Used to be thick as thieves.”

The faint smile froze on Lexi’s lips. Yeah, she didn’t really need a reminder of “that Warren boy.” She’d made avoiding him without being rude an art form over the past decade.

“He’s a photographer now, too,” Mrs. Landon continued, oblivious to Lexi’s discomfort. “Runs a studio right here in town. Did you know that?”

“Yes ma’am, I’d heard that. We keep up a little bit on social media.” It was all she’d been able to stomach. But she was back in town for longer than a weekend now. She wouldn’t be able to steer clear of him forever.

A bright flash of color drew her attention to the fountain at the opposite end of the green. A young couple, decked out in formalwear, grinned at each other, posing in front of the post-Civil War monument that had given the town its name. Over the years, people had come from all over to make wishes in its waters. According to Lexi’s mother, the new city planner had capitalized on that colorful history over the past few years in a marketing campaign to increase tourism. Lexi supposed duping the masses with foolish hope was as good a reason to draw people to town as any, but she knew better. The fountain certainly hadn’t granted her wish all those years ago.

Her gaze skimmed from the couple further back, searching out the photographer and hoping it would be some proud parents wanting to capture their kids in all their finery. But it wasn’t parents.

“Oh, there’s Zach now! It’s prom night for the high school, so I figured he’d be out and about somewhere.”

Of course, it was prom tonight. Because this walk down memory lane wouldn’t be complete without that insult to add to her very old injury.

Lexi’s skin went hot and prickly, and a whole murmuration of starlings performed aerial acrobatics in her stomach. She hadn’t seen him in years. Not really. She could barely see him now at this distance, but she recognized his crouch with a camera lifted to his face. A face that now showed signs of a scruff he hadn’t had when they were in high school. His sun-tipped brown hair was a little long, the way she’d always liked it. He was all dialed in to his subjects, calling out orders for posing, keeping them relaxed and comfortable. He’d always had a gift for that, where she’d had to work for it. She’d always, always preferred shooting any subject that wasn’t people. But she’d gotten over it. Needing to eat was a powerful motivator, and weddings, engagements, and portraits were her bread and butter.

Mrs. Landon took Lexi’s arm and began towing her down the sidewalk toward him, one hand lifted in a wave, despite the fact that his back was to her. Any second now she was going to sing out “Yoo hoo!” and draw his attention.

Lexi dug in her heels. “No, Mrs. Landon, it’s bad form to interrupt a shoot. They’ll lose the light. I’ll catch up with Zach later.”

As she watched, the boy dipped his date back in dramatic fashion. Laughter carried over the green, and Lexi felt a pinch somewhere in the vicinity of her heart. The bite of jealousy was fast and surprisingly vicious.

Oh my God, really? You are a grown-a*s woman. Are you really jealous of a couple of seventeen-year-olds?

The unfortunate truth was yes. She hated prom season and all the reminders it brought. While she wasn’t sure how she was going to make ends meet the next several weeks, she’d been thrilled to escape more of the shiny, happy teenagers and their parents, who approached the occasion with nearly as much seriousness as a wedding.

“I’m sure he’ll be just delighted to see you.”

Lexi doubted that. They barely qualified as friends anymore. “I’m sure it’ll be good to catch up later. I’ve got time, after all.” Sucking in a breath to calm her racing pulse, she managed another smile. “Listen, Mrs. Landon, it was so wonderful to see you, but I need to be getting on. Mama sent me into town to pick up mochas and brownies from The Grind.”

“Of course, of course. You tell your mama I said hello now, you hear?”

“Yes ma’am, I will.”

“I’ll bring that casserole by later this week!”

“We surely appreciate it. Thanks again.” Before Mrs. Landon could start in on any other subject, Lexi ducked away and hustled across the green to the coffee shop.

As she stood in line, she managed to get herself under control. It was stupid, really. She’d known she’d see him eventually. Wishful didn’t even have a population of six thousand people. Over the past decade, she’d managed to limit those random encounters, coming home only rarely for weekends and sticking close to the house, rather than out and about. Her mother, God love the woman, had never asked for details about why Lexi no longer wanted to see the boy who’d been her best friend from the first summer before she’d started at Wishful High School, back in ninth grade. Lexi had hoped that time would dull the ache of missing him and the burn of embarrassment she felt every time she thought of him. But it hadn’t. Not yet, anyway. So, she’d have to bite the bullet, take control, and arrange to see him on her terms. After she’d had a chance to get her head screwed on straight.

“Lexi?”

At the sound of the familiar male voice behind her, she closed her eyes.

Crap.