Page 143 of Just Like Home

Amelia squeezed his neck and Cole saw a lone tear slide down her cheek. “It’s okay, Daddy.”

Connor pulled away and looked at her. “I told the sound guy that you and I are dancing together.”

“But you don’t know the steps,” Cole said.

Connor didn’t look up. Instead, he focused on his little girl. “I know the steps for the last number her mom ever choreographed for us.” He smiled. “Do you remember?”

Amelia nodded. “I remember.”

“I gave them our music,” Connor said.

The tiny tappers exited the stage—and not quietly. Cole glanced up and saw his football players taking their places. “So, wait. I’m off the hook?”

Amelia crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him. “Not a chance.”

“Well, I’m down a partner,” he said. “Doesn’t make much sense for me to stand in when your dad is here.”

“The deal was that if I danced, you would dance,” Amelia said. She should be a lawyer when she grew up. She sure liked to argue. “You can dance with Miss Charlotte.”

At that moment, Charlotte walked up. “Connor, hey. What are you doing back here?”

“He’s dancing with me,” Amelia said. “And you’re dancing with Uncle Cole.”

Charlotte looked at Cole as the familiar intro to “Uptown Funk” came through the speakers.

One of the stagehands moved toward them. “Just heard about the change. Coach, you and Miss Page will go next. Then we’ll slide in Connor and Amelia later. Sound good?”

They all nodded, and Cole tried to ignore the knot of nerves in his stomach.

“Come on, Dad,” Amelia said. “We need to be on stage right.”

Connor smiled down at her, then looked at Charlotte. “Thanks for doing this.”

Charlotte’s expression changed. He knew she was hoping to buy the dance studio. He knew it meant more to her than just about anything else. And while Connor was putting on a brave face at the moment, it was pretty clear to Cole that it was an act.

Being here had to be killing him.

“It was my pleasure,” Charlotte said.

Amelia tugged on her dad’s hand and pulled him out the door, leaving him and Charlotte standing in the wings.

“So, you and me,” Cole said. “You okay with that?”

She smiled up at him. “More than okay.”

They moved closer to the stage for a better view of the football team, and Cole marveled at how far the boys had come. Not only in preparing this number, but as a team. They were friends now, and thanks to Charlotte, he’d found ways to make practices more fun.

The boys had responded. Asher had stepped up. They wouldn’t win state, but Cole was pretty sure they’d have an impressive season.

He took Charlotte’s hand and they watched the boys, who were met with whistles and applause from a thoroughly entertained audience. Of course, the boys ate up the attention, going more full-out than he’d ever seen them go in practice.

When the song was over, the crowd sprang to their feet and the boys strutted off the stage. He slapped shoulders and backs and gave high-fives all around, almost forgetting it was nearly his turn to take the stage.

“Finally we get to see your moves, Coach,” Asher said.

Cole turned back toward Charlotte, who stared at him with wide, full eyes.

“You ready?” she asked.

---