“Micah Sinclair,” Beatrice said, staring at him with a radiant expression. “I’ve been looking for you. I’m Beatrice, and this is Elsie.” She waved toward her friend.
Tessa turned to read his lips.
“Why were you looking for me?” he asked, confused. He’d never seen either of the women before.
Beatrice extended her hand and Micah automatically reached for the item she held out to him. He looked curiously at the stone that dropped into his hand, turning it over and over. “I can’t accept this. I don’t even know you.” He had no idea why an elderly woman he didn’t know had just given him a rock.
“No, but I know you, young man. That’s your destiny.” Beatrice waved toward his fingers.
“I don’t understand. I just came over to ask Tessa to dance.” He looked at the two women, perplexed.
“I’ll dance,” Tessa squeaked, taking his hand in hers and making their escape. “Thank you, ladies. It was nice to see you both.”
Micah dropped the rock into his pocket and lifted his hand at the two ladies in a farewell gesture. Tessa started dragging him away like she was running from a fire.
What in the hell had just happened?
As she came to a halt in the middle of the dance floor, Micah asked, “Are they crazy?”
“No. But they’re both very eccentric. Beatrice is the town matchmaker and resident psychic, and Elsie writes the gossip for the paper. They’re harmless, but I needed to be rescued. Thank you.”
He looked down at Tessa. “Can you really dance?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. I haven’t tried since I lost my hearing. Can you lead?”
“Of course,” he replied immediately. “I’m good at most things that require physical participation.” He winked at her.
She rolled her eyes. “Show me.”
Micah clasped one of her hands and put his other arm around her waist. “This is a waltz.”
She nodded at him and kept her eyes on his face.
Surprisingly, she was a very graceful dancer, better than anybody he’d ever danced with before. She followed him easily, and she felt incredible in his arms.
He stared down at her and remarked, “You’re very good.”
“Thanks,” she answered politely.
Micah was surprised when she winked back at him and then laid her head against his shoulder. He continued to lead her, and she followed him every step of the way.
Neither of them spoke as their bodies communicated without words . . . and they danced.
CHAPTER 18
Evan’s fists clenched at his sides as his eyes tracked Randi on the dance floor. An hour after they’d arrived, she’d agreed to a dance with Liam, and Evan wasn’t dealing well with anybody holding Randi except him.
I should have asked her to dance first. I should have kept her on the floor all night.
Unfortunately, he’d done neither one of those things, so he was standing alone in a corner, one shoulder propped against the wall, trying especially hard not to bash his fist into it.
He gritted his teeth as he saw Randi tip her head up and smile at Liam, apparently enjoying both the dance and his company. He almost stepped forward as the guy had the audacity to move his hand over her bare back.
His forward progress was stopped by a rather large body that stepped in front of him.
“You look like you need this.” Jared handed him a glass filled with ice and what Evan assumed was alcohol.
“I don’t drink,” he replied irritably, stepping around his brother to move toward Randi again.
“Maybe you should tonight,” Jared suggested smoothly, grasping the back of Evan’s tuxedo so he didn’t move forward. “Don’t do it, Evan. He’s a decent sort of guy.”
“He’s touching her,” Evan rasped angrily.
Jared stepped in front of Evan again and pushed him back against the wall. “Have a drink and relax. Tessa tried to set up Liam and Randi, but Liam got sick. I’m sure he just wanted to apologize for leaving her high and dry. She’s not interested in him.”
Evan downed the entire glass of liquid in one gulp and handed it back to Jared. It took superhuman effort not to cough as the alcohol burned all the way down his throat to his gut. “Did you just poison me?” he asked in a painfully hoarse voice.
“Scotch on the rocks. It’s a good year and brand. You’ll get used to it. It’s kind of an acquired taste,” Jared remarked with a mischievous grin as he handed Evan a second glass that he’d snagged from a passing waiter. “Drink it slow,” he warned.
Evan scowled at the glass in his hand. “How do you know that she’s not interested? She’s smiling at him.”
“Generally, if a guy asks a woman to dance it’s not really appropriate not to smile. Just calm the hell down. It’s just a dance,” Jared advised. He paused to take a sip of his own drink before adding, “Damn, you have it bad for her.”
Evan took an unconscious swig from his glass, his mind elsewhere as the liquid burned its way to his stomach. The fiery heat didn’t even make him flinch. “You’re blocking my view,” he growled.
“I know,” Jared answered calmly, shoving a hand in the pocket of his tuxedo pants and looking like he was making himself comfortable. “Believe me, it’s better this way. The song will be over in another minute or two.”
“I hate feeling this way,” Evan admitted. His control was slowly slipping, and he knew he was acting irrationally, but he didn’t give a shit.
“Now you know how I felt when I thought my own brother was interested in my woman,” Jared reminded him harshly.