Sure enough, two of them were standing in front of Abbey and Nick, their hands outstretched, waiting for them to stand up. Nick looked over at Abbey for what to do next. With a grin, Abbey stood up and took the man’s hand. Reluctantly, Nick took the woman’s and they were on the dance floor. As the man spun Abbey around, she leaned over mid-spin and said to Nick, “I’ll teach you how. Alma taught us this dance, didn’t she, Max?” Max, who’d been scooped up by one of the women, was wriggling his way down her torso, trying to get to the dance floor himself.
“Yes!” he said, his little feet tapping to the music.
Alma walked by and grinned in Abbey’s direction. The two dancers paired up, leaving Abbey and Nick together.
“Hold my hand,” she said, clasping her fingers in his and pulling his arm above her head. She began to spin, and she noticed his eyes were on her with each turn. After a few spins, she let go and fanned out an invisible skirt just as the dancers did theirs, and she shuffled her feet back and forth. The trumpets sang out their blaring, feisty music alongside the violins as the two of them moved to the beat, Abbey showing Nick where to put his hands and feet. He followed her every movement, his eyes intense and happy in a way she’d not experienced before.
They danced for quite a while, completing the same three or four steps she’d taught him to keep things easy. Once he’d gotten the hang of it, Nick was strong as he held her, deliberate with his movements, and confident as a lead. He pulled her close, just as she noticed that it wasn’t a rehearsed dance move. His arms were around her. He looked down at her, the music loud in her ears. He smiled and leaned toward her.
“Thank you for bringing me tonight,” he said into her ear, his breath tickling her, giving her a shiver. As he pulled back, his lips grazed her cheek, and it would’ve been so easy to catch them with her own and touch her lips to his. She’d only realized then that they’d stopped dancing. He was looking down at her like he wanted to kiss her, and she was willing him with everything she had inside to give into the impulse. The music dwindled to a stop, and Max grabbed Abbey’s hand and pulled her away from Nick against her will.
“The food’s here,” Max said.
They all sat down and Nick took a huge swig of his drink. Abbey did the same. It took her a minute to come down to earth from that moment on the dance floor.
Nick took another drink of his margarita as he watched Abbey pick up a taco. She noticed how his shoulders had slacked, the way he was leaning against the back of the seat, his arm draped along the chair beside him and a smile on his lips. She’d never seen him this relaxed.
“Try it,” Max said, nodding toward the tacos on Nick’s plate.
With his eyes still fluttering to Abbey and a smile, he picked one up and gingerly took a bite, his eyebrows raising as he chewed and swallowed. “It’s very good,” he said.
The band continued to play as they ate, the wait staff whooping and whistling to the music off and on. Nick’s gaze hadn’t been still all night, and Abbey wondered if he’d ever had a night like this.
When they’d finished and the bill was left on the table, Abbey snatched it up. “This is on me,” she said with a smile, pulling out her wallet. Nick didn’t protest, but he did shake his head just slightly with a grin.
As they said goodbye to Alma and walked into the cold of winter, Nick put his arm lightly around Abbey to draw himself closer, surprising her. “I had a great time at dinner,” he said.
“I’m glad,” she said.
Max fell asleep in the backseat, and besides his breathing and the hum of the Mercedes, there wasn’t another sound between them.
“Thank you,” she said as Nick opened her car door once they were parked outside her apartment.
“Thank you for what? You bought me dinner.” He smiled, and it was clear that he was teasing.
He leaned toward the backseat to get Max. Was he going to try to carry him inside? Abbey watched as he reached in, positioned his hands under Max’s arms, and lifted him with ease out of the car.
“I can get him,” she said, trying to keep her emotions in check. Max, still asleep, wrapped his arms around Nick’s neck. Abbey understood the gesture completely. Watching his careful and gentle way with her son made her want to wrap her own arms around his neck.
“I’ll take him upstairs for you,” he whispered.
“Thank you,” she said.
As they walked up the steps to her apartment, Abbey watched the slow, caring way Nick walked with Max. Max’s head was turned to the side, his cheek on Nick’s shoulder, and with every step Nick stopped to look down at him as if he were worried he’d wake him, as though he wasn’t aware of how perfectly he could manage the task.