Tim cleared his throat which ended our stare down.
“Well, well,” he said, looking between me, Colton and Kyle like he was watching some kind of soap opera or reality show. He sent me a significant glance. “Sadie, aren’t you going to introduce me to your friends?”
I didn’t know what that look meant. It made me a little wary, but his syrupy sweet tone was what really put me on my guard.
“Sure,” I said slowly. “Tim, this is Kyle and Colton. Guys, this is my former dance partner, Big Tim.”
“Hey, I’m Kyle. Nice to meet you,” Kyle said.
“The pleasure’s all mine, I assure you,” Tim said as he shook Kyle’s hand and held his eyes until my best friend blushed, looked away. Dear God, I knew Tim was attractive. Objectively-speaking, with his confident air, his deep brown eyes and fantastic hair, he could’ve made most girls—or guys—swoon. But he must’ve had some serious mojo to get Kyle blushing after a simple handshake. “I’ve heard a lot about you, both of you, from Sadie.”
Colton scoffed low. “I’m betting it was less than flattering.”
“You might be surprised,” Tim said and took Colton’s hand. For some reason, their handshake looked a lot less cordial, more intense. “Good to meet you, Colton.”
“You, too,” he said, looking Tim in the eyes, not releasing his hand. “Is there a reason they call you ‘Big Tim?’ You don’t look so big to me.”
Tim flashed a full smile. “I guess you’re not looking in the right place then.”
“Guess not,” Colton said while Kyle cough-laughed.
“I’m actually the perfect height to partner, Sadie,” Tim said, looking the twins over. “You and your brother would be, too. What are you six-foot-one? Maybe a little taller?”
Colton shook his head. “Yeah, but I don’t dance.”
“Too bad,” Tim said.
“And why’s that?”
“It’s sad when a man isn’t confident enough in his masculinity to dance.”
Colton shot him a grin. “Trust me, confidence isn’t a problem.”
“I can see that,” Tim said.
“We’ve never even seen Sadie dance,” Kyle put in. “Besides her videos. She’s my best friend, and I’m trying not to be offended that, the one time she did invite me, Colton got the invite as well.”
I was hoping Kyle wouldn’t notice that, but of course, he did.
“I wanted to come to one of her competitions, but she’d never let me,” Kyle said in a whisper to Tim. “Threatened to shave off my eyebrows more than once. Sadie’s always been weird about dancing in front of me.”
“You’re exaggerating,” I countered, though he was right on the money. If Kyle had come to see me dance, if he hadn’t liked it, I would’ve been crushed, absolutely annihilated. I hadn’t wanted to take that chance—and I knew how much Kyle cared about his eyebrows, so it’d been the perfect means to keep him away. “And hey, like you said, I invited you tonight.”
“So, you guys came to support Sadie,” Tim said. “That’s nice.”
“Yeah,” Colton laughed, finally releasing Tim’s hand and backing away. “We’re here to see some of that sexy 16th Century ballroom dancing she told me about. Right, Sadie?”
I sniffed, giving a small nod. “I have a point to prove.”
“Yeah, you do,” Colton said. “There somewhere you want us to sit?”
Before I could answer, Betty raised her hand, waving to get Colton’s attention. He frowned slightly when he saw who it was flagging him down, and I smiled.
“Looks like there are some seats right over there,” I said sweetly. “You wouldn’t want to keep Betty waiting.”
Kyle laughed. “So, that’s Betty? Oh, I can’t wait to meet her.”
“And I’m sure she wants to meet you. She absolutely adores Colton,” I added.