They glared at me with disgust. Probably having only heard the part of the conversation that would damn me and not the cheerleader princess.
I turned to my date. Sam’s eyes were wide, but he didn’t speak.Of course, now he shuts up.
Really sick of tonight and not caring to change the narrative where I looked like the bad guy, I twisted back to Juliette. I was ready to bark out something truly despicable, but I was stopped by Bear, who towered over the table.
He was focused on Juliette and only Juliette.
“Enough,” his one-word command was gruff and had Juliette shrinking back. “I think it’s a good time for us all to take to the dance floor.”
I hadn’t noticed the crowd that gathered in the open area of the event center, nor the music that rose in volume. Lights dimmed, and couples waltzed out to the floor hand in hand.
Bear extended a hand to Gracie, who accepted his gesture with a smile and followed him out to the floor.
I was ready to hightail it. I liked dancing, but the last thing I wanted to do was head out there with Sam. Listen to him ramble while Trey and Juliette swayed together for me to watch.
“Maybelle.”
My attention tore from the cluster of dancing couples up to Trey, who stood up from the table and waited. Hishand was outstretched to me.
“Dance with me.”
The confusion on Juliette’s face was priceless. I almost took my phone out to capture the memorable moment.
Instead, I slid a quick glance to Sam. I expected him to look sad, maybe, but the sweet boy hadn’t noticed the conversation shift. He was safely off in another world called YouTube, watching an informative video on the camels of Egypt.
Unwilling to waste one more second, I stood, rounding the table to accept Trey’s hand. “Let’s go.”
“Trey!” Juliette whined at our retreating backs, but he paid her zero attention.
He led me out to the floor, our steps quick as he spun me back to him and placed his hands on my hips. My hands laced around his neck in response, and we swayed to the beat along with the rest of the couples.
He leaned into me, his lips brushing past my ear. “You look incredible tonight, May.”
My anxieties were instantly forgotten. I blushed. No, I burned red hot as Trey pulled back from me and smiled a smile that threatened to melt me completely.
I stood up on my tiptoes then, letting my lips brush his ear. My belly celebrated when he shuddered at the touch. “You don’t look so bad yourself.”
He laughed then; his eyes gleaming.
“What so funny?” I asked.
He shook his head, his shoulders still moving with the choppiness of his mirth. “I don’t know why I ever told you that you weren’t the Maybelle I knew when you first woke up. You’ve always been the same. I just didn’t see it before.”
I quirked a curious brow at him. “Is that a good thing?” I asked, mimicking the exchange we’d had in that hospital room only moments after we met.
So much had changed since then.
I changed so much since then.
Trey was gentle as he pressed me into his chest. “Yes.”
His gaze trailed back to the table. I didn’t follow his attention. I knew where he looked as he sighed. “I’m sorry for what she said to you.”
I didn’t respond right away. I let my focus fall on some random balloon floating on the opposite side of the building. Yeah, that sucked, but Juliette’s remarks regarding me weren’t the thought that pin-pricked my mind. I focused back on Trey before I let a question out that I’d been contemplating.
“Why aren’t you dancing with her? What about your coach?”
His arms tied around my waist. “What about him?”
