Page 75 of Merrily Ever After
“Sorry,” Colleen mumbles. “I thought everyone would be inside.”
“I like it here just fine.”
“Me too,” she says, hugging her arms to her chest. She doesn’t have a jacket. I strip mine off, annoyed with myself for taking this long to notice.
I hold it out for her, and she dips her head, looking pleased as she turns and lets me help her into it. I try not to stare as my fingers brush the bare skin of her shoulders.
“Thanks,” she says, watching me under long lashes. “Mam was giving out to me for not bringing a coat, but the only winter one I have is my sister’s old one and it’s already too small for me. She says I can’t have a new one until I go off to college.”
“College?”
She nods. “I want to be a teacher. For the younger ones. I always thought I’d work in the school here.”
“You want to stay in the village?”
“Sure. I can’t imagine living anywhere else.” She smiles, looking rueful and a little bit unsure. “Does that make me boring?”
I shake my head.
“Your sister tells anyone who will listen that she’s going to go to London. I thought you might have wanted to join her.”
I can’t think of anything worse. All those people and noise and concrete. I can barely handle the town.
“This is my home,” I say simply, and her smile grows wider.
“You know, I—”
She’s cut off by a rising cheer as a new song starts. Dessie’s fixed the stereo.
“I love this one,” Colleen says, and I straighten, intending to bring her back inside, but she holds out her hand instead. “You said you’d dance with me,” she reminds me when I balk.
“I’m still learning,” I say, suddenly nervous.
“There’s no one here to see us.”
Butyouare, I want to say. And she’s all I care about. But before I can get myself wound up again about it, her smile drops, a puzzled expression taking over.
“Wait. Learning?” She goes still. “You’re taking lessons?”
“I’m … Yes.”
“From who?”
I open my mouth to respond, but get distracted when she steps closer. My arm goes straight into position.
“Like the pictures,” I say, but she doesn’t need reminding.
“Youdancedance?”
“A little.”
A look of delight crosses her face, and she puts her hand in mine. After a second, I place my other on her hip.
I know as soon as I do that it will not be like dancing with Mrs Fallon.
It is in fact the complete opposite.
“I’m still a little—”
