“Colin! I’m so pleased you could join us,” Lily said, rising from her spot, obviously ignoring the fact that they’d just talked. “May we offer you something to drink?”
“Water, please.”
“Evan? Will you please get Colin some water?”
“Why?” Evan asked, leaning back, his arm over the top of the couch. “He knows where it is. He can get his own water.”
Lily turned toward him. “It’s your home. And you’re the host.”
“I didn’t ask him to come over. You did.”
“Evan?”
The way she said his name made it plain that Evan had no choice in the matter. That and the way she looked, of course. She was not only far and away the most beautiful woman Evan had ever dated, but she was well versed in the ways of using her appearance to her advantage.
“Fine,” he grumbled, rising from the couch. “I’ll get him a glass of water.”
Evan slouched off toward the kitchen.
“With ice, please,” Colin called out.
Evan scowled over his shoulder before Colin took a seat in the easy chair across from Lily.
“How are you this evening?” she asked.
“Okay.”
“And Maria?”
Earlier on the phone, Maria had told him what had happened with her boss Ken Martenson and as he’d listened, Colin had found his jaw beginning to clench. Though he’d kept his voice steady, he’d imagined having a little talk with Ken, the kind that made it clear that it was in Ken’s best interest to stop bothering her. He hadn’t said that to Maria, but when he found himself grinding his teeth after hanging up, he’d thrown on his workout gear and gone running. It wasn’t until he’d nearly finished his run that he’d begun to feel normal again.
That wasn’t, however, what Lily had asked him.
“I spoke to her just a little while ago.”
“And she’s doing well?”
He thought about her job situation, but it wasn’t his place to share that information. It was her life, her story, not his.
“I think she was glad to hear from me,” he said truthfully.
“You hadn’t called her?”
“I called her Sunday night. After I talked to you and Evan.”
“And you didn’t call her on either Monday or Tuesday?”
“I was working.”
“You could have called on the way to or from work. Or on your break. Or on your way to class or the gym.”
“Yes.”
“But you didn’t.”
“No. But we’re going to lunch tomorrow.”
“Really? Someplace special, I hope.”
“I haven’t really thought about it.”
Lily didn’t bother to hide her disappointment. Evan reentered the room with a large glass of ice water. He thrust it out for Colin.
“Thanks, Evan,” Colin said. “You didn’t have to do that. I could have gotten it.”
“Ha, ha,” Evan answered as he sat back down. Then, to Lily: “Now, what did you want to talk to him about?”
“We were discussing his lunch date tomorrow. Colin has informed me that he and Maria will be dining together.”
“My advice? Make sure your car starts,” Evan said.
Lily glanced with disapproval in his direction. “My primary concern has to do with his date this weekend, and I wanted to discuss the matter with him.”
“Why?” Evan asked.
“Because the first true evening one spends with the other is a critical time in any relationship,” she answered, as though it were obvious. “Had Colin simply invited Maria to dinner or perhaps to walk the promenade downtown, I would have no worries at all. Or had he suggested that the four of us go out together, I’m sure that the conversation would be so engaging that Maria would have a wonderful time as well. Alas, Colin is going to be on his own and he’s bringing Maria to a club, though I am certain that issue has already been addressed.”
Evan raised his eyebrow. Colin said nothing.
Lily focused her attention on Colin again. “I asked you to visit with us this evening because I was curious if you have any experience or even familiarity with salsa dancing.”
“No.”
“Then, most likely, what you also don’t know is that salsa is a partner dance.”
“That’s what dancing is,” Evan cut in.
Lily ignored her fiancé. “Salsa dancing can be very enjoyable if the couple practices together,” she explained. “But since that’s not possible in this situation, you will have to do the best you can, and there are things you have to know. Like the way to move your feet, or lead your partner in a spin, or offer her the chance to separate and perform a few moves on her own, all the while making it feel as though it is a natural part of the dance all along. If you don’t do those things, it will be almost impossible to impress her.”
Evan laughed. “Who says he wants to impress her? Colin doesn’t care what anyone thinks —”
“Go on,” Colin said, cutting him off.
Evan turned toward him in surprise while Lily sat up straighter. “I’m pleased you understand the dilemma you’re in. What I’m trying to tell you is that you need to learn the basics.”
For a moment, neither Colin nor Evan said anything.
“And just how is he supposed to learn the basics?” Evan finally asked. “We live in Wilmington. I highly doubt there are any salsa dance instructors who will clear their schedules in the next couple of days so my friend here won’t embarrass himself.”