She raised her brows, and I pushed her out and spun her as the next song started. This one was a slow song, so I was able to hold her closer to me.
“God, I’ve missed holding you like this.”
She snuggled into my chest and said, “I’ve missed it too.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of Mindy and Drake.
“So what’s going on with Mindy and Drake?” I asked.
Bristol lifted her head from my chest and did a quick look around. She smiled when she saw the couple dancing. “I think they’re both finally admitting they have feelings for one another.”
I nodded and added, “If only they’d figured it out in high school, neither of them would have chosen to marry those losers.”
She sighed.
“What about Mindy’s baby?” I asked.
Bristol looked back at the couple. “Drake is so protective of Mindy and the baby. He’s really stepped into the role Jim vacated without a second thought.”
“Wow. The way he looks at her, you can see how much he cares about her.”
With a nod, she looked back up at me. Her eyes danced from the flicker of the lights above us.
“Do you remember the first song we danced to?” I asked. “Not a friendly dance, but the first time we danced together and we both knew.”
My knees nearly buckled when her face lit up and that beautiful smile of hers appeared again.
“I do remember. We were in ninth grade, and it was our first high school dance. It was ‘I Cross My Heart’ that we danced to.”
My heart felt like it skipped a beat. “Good ol’ George.”
“I heard you met him.”
“I did. I told him all about you and how much you love him.”
She raised her brow again and smirked. “I seriously doubt that you even thought of me when you met him.”
“Are you kidding me? You’re all I thought of. I kept wishing you were there by my side.”
Bristol’s eyes lost their shine for a brief moment.
“I tell you what, if you promise to be my date to the next CMAs, I’ll introduce you to him.”
With a slight laugh, she shook her head and buried her face back into my chest.
“It’s going to work, Bri. I swear to you.”
Her arms wrapped tighter around me, and we danced the rest of the song in silence.
When the song ended, I leaned down and kissed her gently on the lips. “I love you.”
“I love you too, Anson. So very much.”
As we turned to the leave the dance floor, I saw someone off to the side, and I swore there was a camera in his hands. He was dressed in cowboy boots, jeans, a T-shirt, and an old tan cowboy hat. I shook it off and laughed to myself. I was in Sisterdale, for fuck’s sake. Not some big city.
I pulled Bristol’s chair out for her and then leaned down and asked against her ear if she wanted a beer. She nodded.
Mindy and Drake returned to the table, as did Nick with a pretty little blonde on his arm.
He leaned over the table so he didn’t have to yell as much. “This is Tina. Tina, this is Mindy, Drake, Anson, and Bristol.”
Tina lifted her hand and gave a shy wave before sitting down.
“Where are Lanny and her husband?” Bristol asked.
I laughed. “Lanny is in Fredericksburg. She needed a break from me, but Robert wouldn’t let her go too far away, in case I needed her.”
Bristol smiled.
“She’s the only person who knows where all the bodies are buried, after all. Not to mention the only one who knows all my passwords.”
She laughed. “She’s a good assistant then?”
I took a drink from my beer and nodded. “Honestly, I couldn’t do what I do without her.”
“I feel bad we haven’t had a chance to meet yet. To be honest, I didn’t even know she was with you that day you first came back into town.”
“Well,” I said as I rubbed my chin, “you were preoccupied.”
Bristol giggled.
When I glanced across the table, I caught Tina staring. She quickly looked to the side and focused in on what Nick was saying. I knew instantly that she knew who I was. I appreciated the fact that she wasn’t drawing attention to it.
“Nick, when is this band coming on?” I called from across the table.
He glanced up to the stage. “They should be coming back on any minute now.”
I nodded and purposely didn’t look at his date. Or whoever she was. Bristol leaned her head on my shoulder, and I quickly forgot about everything and everyone around us. I kissed her on the head and then asked, “Are you tired? We can leave.”
“No. I want to hear the band, and it’s been forever since I’ve been out like this. Are you not having fun?”
“With you here, how could I not have fun?” I said with a wink.