Love Again
Copyright© 2025 by DB86
Chapter 23
The next day, Steve was waiting outside Diana’s classroom as the final bell rang. She smiled when she saw him, and he returned it with a crooked grin.
“Say you’ll go with me to the End of Summer Dance,” he said. “And before you answer—I’m not taking no for an answer.”
“I’ve heard about it,” Diana replied. “But I don’t know how to square-dance. Aren’t the chaperones supposed to be instructors?”
She pushed her hair out of her eyes with the back of her hand.
“I can teach you. It’s easy. The caller tells you what to do—you just follow along.”
He extended his hand toward her, palm up.
“You mean ... now?”
“The gym’s already set up for couples to practice. No time like the present,” he said with a teasing glint in his eye. “It’ll be fun.”
“I don’t know...” Diana stared down at the floor, trying to hide the warmth rising in her cheeks. The chance to spend more time with this relaxed, smiling version of Steve made her want to say yes. But the idea of tripping over her own feet in front of the entire school?
Still ... the thought of spending the evening at home, wondering who Steve might be dancing with instead, was worse. A vivid mental image of Georgina draped all over him popped into her mind, and her stomach twisted.
“Okay, okay,” she said, placing her hand in his. “Let’s do it.”
For the sixth time in under twenty minutes, Diana stepped the wrong way and threw off the entire line. Steve gave her a patient smile and extended his hand again. The other couples, all far more coordinated, offered her sympathetic nods as they reset.
“Golden Slippers” played on repeat from the CD player Irv the Pig had propped up on a wobbly table in the corner.
Every pair seemed to have their steps memorized—except for Steve and Diana. And to be fair, the fumbling wasn’t Steve’s fault.
Diana avoided his eyes, her smile faltering. She felt foolish. Square-dancing wasn’t rocket science—so why couldn’t she get it right? And how was she supposed to teach these steps to students if she couldn’t even do them herself?
Steve deserved someone who matched his stride. Someone graceful. Someone like Peggy. Diana had no business entertaining the feelings bubbling up in her chest—but she couldn’t stop. Even when Steve got overprotective, it wasn’t suffocating. It felt ... safe. Cherished, even.
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