Page 42 of Caught Up In You

But Ernie, the owner of the Half Pint, beats me to her. He holds out his hand, and with a quick look my way that sayswhat are ya gonna do about it, she steps into his arms for a slow dance.

What am I gonna do? I’m gonna wait until this song is over like a goddamn gentleman and then claim her as my own. That’s what I’m gonna do.

But the eighties synth slow jam barely ends before Archer steps up. Some yacht rock song fills the gym, and they sway together to the gentle beat. I grit my teeth, stepping a little closerso I’ll have a better shot next time, but still, I wait. As soon as the song starts to fade, I’m striding over.

Only Decker, the motherfucker, slides up, pulling Wyatt into his arms and dipping her to the Phil Collins song that’s just starting. Beside them, Grace covers her mouth and giggles. I thought she was onmyside.

“Traitor,” I mouth in Decker’s direction, but he just gives me a devious grin.

And on it goes, Felix jumping in, followed by Dan, who I didn’t even realize knew how to dance. Mrs. Tingle is next, and luckily for me, she tires before the end of Toto’s “Africa.” Unluckily for me, Archer is back and ready to take her spot before I can even come close to gathering Wyatt to my chest.

I’m about to hip check Archer directly into the bleachers when Felix appears at my side, distracting me so Dad can take his turn with Wyatt on the dance floor.

“What the fuck are you doing?” I say to my twin brother, exasperated.

“Good things come to those who wait,” Felix explains, shoving his hands deep into the pockets of his jeans in a classic Felix McBrideaw, shuckslittle brother move even though he’s literally four minutes younger than me.

“You’re fucking with me.”

“You bet your ass I am. After Dad comes his whole bowling league.”

I glare at my twin. “Why are you doing this to me?”

He shrugs. “Because it’s fun. And because I can’t remember the last time you had a crush.”

“I don’t have a crush!” I throw my arms up. “This isn’t high school!”

Felix grins. “Look around, brother. It’sliterallyhigh school.”

I grind my molars. “Fuck off.”

“Hey, Wyatt doesn’t do anything she doesn’t want to do,” he says.

And that’s when I catch her eye.

She looks at me for a long beat.

And then she winks.

Goddammit. She’s playing with me too. Again.

CHAPTER 16

WYATT

I have to laugh when the DJ starts playing “Take My Breath Away” and my Maverick is glaring at me from the refreshment table while I dance with his dad.

“I think my son’s about to have a little come apart,” Mr. McBride says with a chuckle. He’s got one hand resting lightly on my waist, the other clasping mine as if we’re about to do a very respectable nineteenth-century waltz.

I lock eyes with Owen and watch his jaw flex, the only betrayal of his annoyance. Felix is laughing beside him.

“Probably the most polite come apart the world has ever seen,” I say. “You raised a real gentleman, Mr. McB.”

“Please, call me Jack,” he says, then glances over at his son, who’s starting to make his way across the dance floor toward us. “And keep an eye on that one for me. He thinks being a good guy means hiding the cracks.”

I’m left to contemplate that as Owen strides up to us, hands clasped at his lower back, stance strong like the military man he’s dressed up as.

“Excuse me, Dad. Mind if I cut in?”

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