Читать книгу Destiny Calls - Linda Hudson-Smith - Страница 10

Dakota looked up at the dreary gray concrete complex, wishing she didn’t have to come here by herself. If her parents had survived a fatal car crash several years ago, she wouldn’t be here alone. The couple had been coming home from the theater late one evening when a semi jackknifed into their car, killing them instantly. Shortly after their deaths, her parents’ employer-paid medical coverage had been terminated.

Dakota had been left in charge of her eight-year-old sister, Danielle, who had Down syndrome, after their guardian/ grandparents had both passed away three years ago, her grandfather dying first. Everything had fallen solely on Dakota’s shoulders, just as the young woman had turned twenty-one. She was sixteen years older than Danielle.

Danni now resided at the Center of the Courageous Heart, a renowned specialized facility in Carson that treated a variety of complications arising from Down. Medicare and Medicaid paid for a good portion of Danielle’s care. Because Dakota had insisted on a private facility for the child, she was responsible for all medical services the government agencies didn’t cover.

Dakota stopped outside Danielle’s door and said a silent prayer, asking God to keep her anxiety-free. She visited her sister practically every day, but she was overly tired this Friday evening. Working and going to school took a toll on her, but she didn’t want her adorable sibling to feel any negative vibes from her. The place was as cheerful as the staff could possibly make it, but there were times when an air of gloom presided.

Just in case Danielle was napping, Dakota quietly stepped into the private room, looking straight ahead at the double bed. Her heart instantly leaped for joy. Danielle was awake and her face was lit up with the same brighter-than-gold smile she always wore for her kin. These were the kinds of moments that took away Dakota’s breath.

“Kota,” Danielle cried, opening her arms wide.

Scooping up Danielle into her arms, Dakota gave her a huge hug, receiving in return loving embraces and jubilant kisses. This sweet, warm child was superaffectionate. If Danni hugged or kissed someone, they knew she had handed out a little chunk of her loving heart. Dakota didn’t believe her sister would ever run out of the pieces of her authentic self she exuberantly shared with others.

Dakota smiled at Danielle, lodging into her sweet little arms the brown teddy bear gift she’d brought along. Danni had quite a collection of stuffed toys and she loved each one. However, she did have a favorite: Daisy Dolly, a freckle-faced, red-haired rag doll had been Danielle’s companion for years.

“Thank you, Kota.” Kissing and hugging the bear, Danielle held it close.

Although Danielle had Down syndrome at birth, some of the more serious physical complications hadn’t appeared until she was nearly four years old. Then all of a sudden, Danielle got sick more frequently, her health compromised to the point where she eventually required constant skilled nursing care. Home health-care nurses cared for Danni at home as long as it had been possible. Then the younger girl started to need the kind of professional assistance the older sibling was hardly equipped to provide.

Danielle called out Dakota’s name again, pointing at the cabinet where the DVDs were kept. “Happy Feet,” she exclaimed, giggling softly.

Dakota retrieved the movie, smiling as Danielle took the disk from her hand and inserted it into the DVD player. Dedicated professionals worked hard to help her be as independent as possible. She attended school within the facility, also participating in field trips and other special events when her health permitted.

“Can I have an orange soda, too?” Danielle spoke well. Although she sometimes had difficulty with pronunciation of complex words, she was able to communicate effectively. It was rare for her to not get her point across. Danielle was learning American Sign Language and Dakota had taken the class, too. It felt good to spend that kind of time with her sister.

Danielle hit the play button. As Dakota lay down beside her sister, sharing the same pillow, she held her hand. The siblings had seen the movie umpteen times, but neither one had tired of it. It made them laugh hysterically.

Once Happy Feet concluded, Danielle expressed a desire to play cards, the game of War. Dakota retrieved a deck of cards from the nightstand drawer. She then positioned the portable table across the bed. The two sisters played numerous board games, but Dakota never just allowed Danielle to win. She had to earn the winning spot in every matchup.

Dakota smoothed back Danielle’s thick brown hair. It was soft and wavy in texture, much like hers. “Do you want a snack before we start?”

Danielle looked thoughtful. “Tuna sandwich and chips, please, Kota?”

Rewarding Danielle for her polite request, Dakota tenderly kissed her forehead. Using the red-tipped call button, she summoned the nursing station. When the desk clerk came over the loudspeaker, the food order was placed. “A tuna sandwich with lots of mayo, potato chips and an orange soda, please.” Although all the regular staff members knew Danielle’s likes and dislikes, Dakota always made sure she clearly expressed her sister’s desires in case a new employee or a temp responded.

While Dakota and Danielle waited for the meal, they began the fun card game. Dakota let Danielle shuffle the cards.

“My card is bigger.” Danielle clapped, laughing.

Two more cards were slapped down on the table.

“I win again,” Danielle said happily.

Dakota wrinkled her nose. “My card is going to beat yours this time,” she said, placing the card face up on the table. “See! I told you.”

Danielle looked as happy to see Dakota win as when she won.

Her favorite card was the queen of spades. Dakota had no clue why Danielle liked that particular card so much. The competitive little girl would always sigh hard when the black queen was trumped by her sister with a king or ace. Whenever Dakota was dealt the queen of spades, Danielle didn’t seem to mind. She loved her big sister and looked at her as a best friend.

Departing was hard for both sisters a couple of hours later. Whenever possible, Dakota waited until Danielle drifted off to sleep before she’d leave. The visits were normally done in two-to-three hour increments, but at times they lasted longer. Dakota also tried her best to take Danielle outside the facility for a full day at least one weekend day a month when she was physically up to the challenge.

Attending church regularly at the facility chapel also occurred. Once the religious services were over, they’d go to a local park, with a beautiful lake, and paddleboats. The girls had a blast rowing across the lake. When Danielle grew tired, Dakota had to do the work alone, but she didn’t mind one iota. A variety of sandwiches, fruits, cookies, chips and drinks were brought along on the outings, neatly packed away in a small cooler. But boating and a picnic didn’t hold a candle to Danielle’s love of dance and music.

Mona Cassidy, a professional dance instructor, didn’t charge Dakota one red cent for lessons for Danni. What she earned off students at her private dance studio made pro bono cases affordable. It was a gracious gift. Mona, in fact, taught dance to several of the kids residing at the center. She had also offered Dakota lessons so she could tap-dance with Danielle. The sisters had fun making up easy dance routines to do together.

Danielle also loved to sing and play guitar. No formal lessons for her yet, but she had been given a secondhand instrument she loved to sit and strum away on, a present from one of the nurses. Music seemed to be in the girl’s blood. It was amazing to watch how she easily got into rhythm with any kind of music. She could change gears in a minute, her tiny body moving to whatever beat she heard.

Dakota entered her apartment and immediately dropped down on the sofa and stretched out. She looked up at the ceiling, thinking about her pleasant visit with Danielle. Rarely were the visits unpleasant. The little girl had so much love inside her and loved giving it away. Dakota recalled her parents saying they had to give love away to keep it.

Even though she always tried hard not to think about it, Dakota wondered what it might’ve been like for the family had Sonya and Thomas survived. The warm and loving couple had doted on each other and their two girls. Thomas had been a good father and his girls had meant everything to him. He had referred to them as his precious blossoms from God.

Explaining to Danielle what tragedy had befallen their parents was the most difficult and worst task Dakota had ever taken on. She shook her head from side to side, trying to stave off the horrific memories.

The phone rang, causing Dakota to groan softly. During her times of bittersweet reflection she didn’t like to talk on the phone. The frequent calls she received from the health facility didn’t give her the luxury of ignoring the phone. She checked the caller ID. Ethan.

“Did I call at a bad time?” Ethan asked.

“You didn’t. I’m stretched out on the sofa and reflecting on some things. What’re you up to?”

“I was into some deep thinking, too, thoughts about you. Do you roller-skate?”

She laughed. “Yeah, but I haven’t skated in a long while. I was pretty good at it. Are we talking about roller-skating or in-line?”

Ethan chuckled. “Plain old roller-skating.”

Dakota had fun conjuring up an image of sophisticated Ethan on skates. “It’s really been a long time. Hopefully it’d be just like riding a bike, something we don’t forget how to do.”

“How about joining my friends and me this evening at On Four Wheels, a roller rink located in my neighborhood? I’d like to introduce you to the folks I hang out with.”

“Are you willing to risk total embarrassment? Like I said, I haven’t skated in years. You could spend the entire evening picking me up off the floor.”

Ethan grinned broadly. “I’d love to play your hero.” He’d have to get used to his sudden desire to be gallant. A hero, he wasn’t. “Whether you’re on your feet or falling on your sweet bottom, I won’t be embarrassed. I can pick you up around six-thirty.”

Dakota laughed. “I haven’t agreed yet, but if I do, I’ll just meet you there. And thanks for saying I won’t embarrass you. But if I fall on my butt, I’ll feel enough shame for us both.” She glanced at her watch, knowing she really did want to be with him.

Ethan decided not to question her comment about meeting him at the rink, but it had aroused his curiosity. “Come on, now. Be a good sport. If you prefer not to skate, you don’t have to. But I’d still like you to be a part of my evening.”

“You’ve just made the offer more tempting. I’ll seriously consider the skating part, but you can count me in as a spectator for now. Thanks for thinking of me. Care to tell me a bit about your friends and what I should expect?”

“A little worried about my buddies perhaps?” Ethan queried.

“Just want to know if I should worry or not.”

“I understand perfectly. My friends are great. You can expect genuine, down-to-earth folks who all care about each other. In some capacity, we’re all employed by the California education systems. Everyone is single and close to becoming thirty. We all hang out regularly. I can assure you everyone is friendly.”

“Sounds like a great start to the evening. I’ll see you at the rink, Ethan.”

“I can hardly wait. See you there.”

As Dakota hung up the receiver, she thought about meeting Ethan’s friends. Even though they’d dated only a short time, he hadn’t gone into any great detail about his buddies. She was curious about them. He’d said they were great, so she wondered why he hadn’t told her more about them before now.

Perhaps he hadn’t said much for the same reason I hadn’t mentioned Danielle.

It was just too soon for Ethan to meet her sister. From what she knew about the dating game, couples meeting family members didn’t come prematurely. When it did happen, it was normally after a couple’s relationship had turned serious.

The thought of what to wear entered Dakota’s mind. Jeans were more appropriate, just in case, she considered. Even if she had been a pretty good skater in her youth, she shouldn’t count on that. In fact, she couldn’t recall the last time she’d been roller-skating.

Dakota remembered her first boyfriend and skating partner, Anthony Qualls, as she rifled through her closet. He had hurt her feelings during her junior year in high school, when he’d been stolen away by the pretty and vivacious Jasmine Walters.

Well, no one could’ve stolen him away had he really been mine.

Anthony had gotten a big payback. Less than two months later Jasmine had ended up leaving him for the buff football captain.

Justice had prevailed.

Dakota gave a fleeting thought to all the people she’d lost in one way or another, which were attributed to many of her fears. Boyfriends and girlfriends would come and go, but the loss of parents and grandparents was incomparable.

After removing a pair of freshly laundered boot-cut blue jeans from a hanger in her cramped closet, Dakota found the navy-and-burgundy striped V-neck sweater. Navy leather flats were chosen over sneakers. After choosing a coordinating dark blue sweater, in case the rink was cold, she laid everything out on the bed and went into the bathroom to shower.

Ethan rolling around on his own shiny black skates held fast Dakota’s attention.

She thought he was an excellent roller skater and he looked so good. Strictly coincidental, he also wore dark blue jeans and a Sean John navy-and-burgundy striped shirt, open at the collar. He appeared relaxed and confident. Because she hadn’t decided on skating yet, she eyed other patrons to see how well they maneuvered. A polished wooden railing skirting the entire perimeter kept spectators separated from the skating surface.

The idea to bring Danielle there one day to watch the skaters quickly skipped across her mind. Maybe she could learn to skate, too. If nothing else, she knew her sister would be excited by the mere possibility. Dakota could already envision the flaming show of fireworks in her baby sister’s eyes if she simply mentioned it.

Dakota waved at Ethan and smiled as he rolled by.

Ethan quickly exited the floor and came over to where Dakota stood at the spectators’ railing. Taking her into his arms, he gave her a warm hug and a passionate kiss. “How long have you been here? I’ve been watching out for you.”

“Long enough to check out your skating skills. You’re good.”

“Thank you.” Ethan looked around when he heard his name. “Those are my friends. Everyone is dying to meet you.” He took her by the hand. “Don’t be nervous.”

Ethan’s group came right over to meet the woman their friend was so taken with.

Ethan bumped one of the guys with his shoulder. “This is Maxwell Harper, my best friend since kindergarten, the comedian in the bunch. He’s also a great world history teacher at a high school magnate program.”

Smiling, Dakota extended her hand to Maxwell. “It’s a pleasure meeting you.”

Ethan pointed at one of the women. “Charlene Rhodes, Max’s girlfriend, is a special-education teacher. Dakota is working toward a career in the same field. You two already have something in common,” he said to Charlene.

“That’s great to hear,” Charlene said. “There is such a shortage of good teachers in special ed. If you ever have any questions about the field, please feel free to ask me.”

“Thanks, Charlene. I’ll probably have a lot to ask about. It’s a fascinating career.”

Ethan presented to Dakota the rest of his friends. “Rudy Cantos is my old college roommate. He and our lovely Maria Castro are engaged to be married and Mandy Harris and Todd Williams have been dating a couple of months. Mandy is a long-standing member of our group, the only female. Maxwell, Rudy and I are also fraternity brothers.”

Dakota’s smile was genuinely friendly. She was nervous, but she didn’t come across as such. “It’s nice to meet all of you. I’m looking forward to our evening.”

The ladies immediately put Dakota at ease. The guys went off together to let the women get a little better acquainted.

“Are you going to skate?” Maria asked Dakota.

Ethan and his friends appeared to be having so much fun that Dakota easily made up her mind, giving Maria a positive response.

She excused herself and quickly made her way to the rental area. “Size six-and-a-half,” she told the teenaged girl behind the counter. “I prefer the white skates over the brown ones.”

“Sure thing. Are you planning on wearing socks?”

“I am.” Dakota looked puzzled. “Is that a problem?”

“It might be if you don’t go up at least a half size. The seven will work better with socks. Otherwise, the fit might be kind of snug.”

With her rental skates in hand, Dakota found an empty bench and sat down to lace up. Her parents had also loved to skate. They’d accompany Dakota to the rink when she was younger. She smiled wistfully.

Maria, Charlene and Mandy came over to where Dakota was.

“How’s it coming?” Mandy asked. “We came back to see if you’re ready to hit the floor.”

“Ouch,” Dakota said, grimacing playfully. “That’s the last thing I want to do. I haven’t done this in a while.”

“You’ll do okay,” Maria encouraged. “You can’t be any worse than me. I fall all the time.”

“We all do. Just have fun with it,” Charlene suggested.

“Thanks for the pep talk.” Dakota got to her feet but was a bit shaky.

Maria and Charlene got on either side of Dakota.

“We’re here to help you. It’ll be all right,” Mandy remarked.

Grateful for the kindness shown to her, Dakota smiled. “Okay. Here goes.”

Mandy reached down and picked up Dakota’s shoes. “I’ll put these in the locker with the rest of ours. We never pay for two.”

After slipping twice, Dakota wasn’t so positive she’d made the right decision. Slowly and carefully she made her way around the huge rink, staying close to the railing. Teetering to the left and tottering to the right had her fearful. Her butt kissing the floor would mortify her. Moving even closer in to the railing, she slid her arm alongside it to help keep her upright. She thought about retraining herself upstairs where the children’s floor was located. It would be safer.

An arm slid unexpectedly about Dakota’s waist, startling her, causing her to nearly topple over. As she looked up at Ethan, her eyes gave him a slight warning shot. “You scared me…and I almost fell. I can’t afford to break any bones.”

Ethan looked sheepish. “Sorry about that. But I recall someone telling me they could skate. Or did I just imagine it?” His eyes gleamed with boyish mischief.

“What I said is that it was probably like riding a bike, something you never forget. I also mentioned your getting embarrassed if you had to pick me up.”

Ethan’s eyes suddenly locked into Dakota’s hot, melting gaze. In his ears the silence was loud as a lion’s roar. As he had blocked out the overhead music, all he wanted to hear was the sound of her sweet voice. Her eyes, startled with surprise, had captured him in their brightness. Her pretty face was creamy and soft as silk.

The enchanting expression on Ethan’s handsome face caused Dakota to tremble within. The intimate feel of his concerted gaze caused a rosy blush to spread over her cheeks. No one had ever looked at her the way he did. It made her feel good.

Ethan’s fingers itched to flit tenderly across Dakota’s lips. His mouth desired to kiss hers until each gasped for air. He couldn’t count the times he’d imagined himself kissing her passionately, his tongue coiling around hers. Holding her tenderly in his arms, they’d dance to music only they could hear. He knew he needed to snap out of this trancelike state he found himself in, but he didn’t want this special moment to end. Staring into this sexy woman’s eyes actually brought amazing peace to his spirit.

Tearing her eyes away from the intensity of Ethan’s came hard for Dakota, but she was the first one to break what had seemed like a magic spell. The tender way he looked at her had increased her trembling. She imagined that gently smoothing his face with the back of her hand would bring her sweet solace, but she wasn’t that bold. Their physical desires were quickly becoming an ever-brewing passion, waiting impatiently to break loose, giving them freedom to touch, kiss and explore each other’s body the electrifying way lovers did.

Would they eventually become lovers? Dakota couldn’t help but wonder.

This felt like old times for Dakota, fun times, when her life was carefree and full of laughter. All the family responsibilities had belonged to her parents back then. Accomplishing her homework and light chores around the house was it for her. She had a mother and father and she hadn’t had to act as a single mother to a small girl while going to school and working.

The feelings of clumsiness and fear of falling had just upped and left Dakota. Her legs were steady now. Tickled pink that her skills hadn’t been forgotten, she smiled broadly. Perhaps Ethan skating beside her, his arm lodged snugly against her waist, had unleashed her confidence. Reclaiming her ability to skate was like riding a bike. She hadn’t forgotten. The fluid smoothness in which she now moved allowed her to relax.

Loud, with ear-piercing bass, a fast-paced Usher song, “Yeah,” suddenly blasted from the speakers, knocking Dakota off stride. As Ethan’s feet picked up speed, he practically dragged her around the floor. As a sharp turn loomed in front of her, she fought hard to stay on her feet. His speed was too much for her to keep up with. Then her feet got tangled up with his and both went down hard.

The heat stealing into Dakota’s face felt like a raging inferno had come to claim her. She could only guess what Ethan must think of her clumsiness. If only she’d been able to keep up with him. He had already gotten to his feet, but she was still too mortified to move a muscle.

Ethan stretched his hand down to her. “Are you okay? Are you hurt? This is my fault. Please let me help you up.”

Dakota shook her head, but she couldn’t look up at him or take his hand. Getting to her feet under her own power was a bit more valiant for her. It might also help her save face. At the very least, she felt compelled to give it the old college try.

Dakota failed to make it to her feet on the first and second attempts. Looking totally out of sync, she finally took hold of Ethan’s hand. Feeling silly, she thanked him, wishing her voice had been stronger. No sooner than she’d thought she could stand on her own two feet, her legs flew out from under her again. In grabbing for her date’s hand, she took him down again. Dakota didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Bawling like a baby definitely wasn’t appropriate, especially when it was funny.

Ethan suddenly busted up into deep, guttural laughter. His rolling hilarity was so infectious that Dakota couldn’t help but join in. Before she even tried to get up again, his friends had surrounded them, sounding like a pack of wolves howling at the moon.

With his laughter under control now, Ethan got to his feet. Sympathy for her was awash in his eyes. Then he and Maxwell took a hold of each one of Dakota’s hands and helped her up. After accompanying her off the floor, they went over to a wooden bench, where she sat down to try to regroup. The three women were also sensitive to her plight, which did a lot to lessen Dakota’s embarrassment. Dakota no longer felt that she’d shamed Ethan.

Just have fun with it. You’ll do okay with it. I fall all the time. We all do.

As Dakota recalled the kind remarks the ladies had said to her earlier, she knew she was overreacting to the mishap. This was all in fun. There was nothing to be embarrassed about. Deciding not to give it another ounce of thought, she cautiously got to her feet. Before Ethan had a chance to take hold of her hand, she was making her way back to the arena floor. Favoring triumph over failure, Dakota was determined to not allow the latter to stake its claim. The huge surge of confidence made her feel powerful and in total control.

Grinning broadly, shaking his head, Ethan watched after Dakota. His eyes shone with pride and his heart began to fill with it. She wasn’t a quitter. It was one of her many qualities he liked. Determination was something else they had in common.

Once Dakota skated uneventfully around the rink a couple of times, Ethan rejoined her, careful not to startle her. He gently grasped her hand, brought it up to his lips and kissed the back of it. “You did great, kid. I’m so proud of you.”

“Thanks.” Dakota blushed, smiling at the same time.

A spicy voice suddenly came over the loudspeaker to announce a couples-only skate. The overhead lights had dimmed simultaneously. Alicia Keys’s powerful voice sweeping over the arena was exciting. “A Woman’s Worth” was the moving selection.

Ethan put his arm around Dakota’s waist and pulled her closer to him. “Think we can do this?”

Dakota smiled flirtatiously. “I know we can.”

As the couple began moving over the floor in perfect harmony, his hand tightened on her waist. Her heart rate quickened once again. His touch was tender and reassuring. The uniting of eyes ignited fiery sparks, but the union lasted only a moment. The flow of heavy traffic made them concentrate. Neither wanted another collision.

The small group of friends was seated in the concession stand area, each sipping on cold drinks. No one had ordered food since Maxwell had brought up the idea of stopping by their favorite pizza haunt before calling it a night. The rink was due to close in thirty minutes. Everyone had agreed to hang around until then.

Ethan was especially fond of the idea to stay until closing because it meant he could whirl around the floor with Dakota a little longer. He loved holding her hand and keeping her close to him.

As Ethan looked over at Dakota, his eyes were instantly drawn to her plump mouth. The kisses they’d shared thus far had been sweet and innocent and only one had been slightly probing. The way her full, luscious lips caressed the straw she sipped from had his imagination running wild.

Maybe it would happen tonight, Ethan thought. Then he recalled she’d driven herself there and he wouldn’t be taking her home. Just the thought of it was like a dousing of ice water onto a naked body stranded outdoors in the dead of winter.

Anthony’s Pizzeria was jam-packed and lively when Ethan and his friends arrived. Because another large group of folks was just leaving, they quickly grabbed the table, feeling lucky to land the vacated seats.

Booming music and a bunch of fun-loving patrons had the place lit up. Loud talking and gales of laughter came from every area of the place. A karaoke session was just about to begin, a regular part of the entertainment lineup. Performers were lousy for the most part, but there were some singers who possessed record label potential.

Dakota was now very comfortable with Ethan’s girlfriends. She felt included in their little group and it didn’t feel at all like a clique. The ladies decided to get into the bathroom before the karaoke session began.

Dakota washed her hands and dried them on a paper towel. “Have any of you ever done karaoke?” Dakota asked, removing lip gloss from her purse.

Charlene threw her head back and laughed. “We’ve got up there and made fools of ourselves countless times. We don’t care that none of us can sing. We just like to have fun. What about you? Have you ever got onstage?”

“No, but I think that’s about to change. What do you think Ethan will say if I get up there and sing?”

“He’ll love it,” Mandy assured her. “Ethan and the other guys are game for a lot of crazy stuff. Don’t be surprised by anything we do.”

“We work hard all week and play even harder on the weekends,” Charlene said.

“Now, what I want to know is, can you sing?” Maria queried.

Grinning, Dakota shrugged and winked. “I think I’ll let you all be the judge of that. Either way, I’m not ready for the good time to end. I keep hearing everyone saying it’s all about fun. I’ve bought into it now. I’m sold.”

“Let’s do this,” Mandy enthused. “I can’t wait to see if you can sing or not.”

As the ladies howled and hooted, high fives were passed all around.

Ethan noticed how antsy Dakota had become all of a sudden. It made him wonder if she had a yen to sing. But the sign of reluctance glowing in her eyes was also easy enough for him to read. If she was content to sit there and cheer on the others, whether their performances were good or bad, he wasn’t going to push her to get up onstage.

A couple of minutes after the orders had been taken, Dakota nudged Ethan to get his attention.

He turned to look at her. “Are you okay? You seem a little antsy.”

She pointed at the stage. “Will I embarrass you if I get up there and sing?”

His eyes brightened. “Stop worrying about embarrassing me. I want you to enjoy yourself.” He leaned in and kissed her cheek. “Go for it!” He didn’t ask her if she could sing. It didn’t matter to him. All he wanted was for them to have a great time.

Quite a few of the males went crazy when Dakota stepped up onstage.

Ethan thought the wolf whistlers had great taste, but they’d have to take a backseat tonight. Dakota Faraday was there with him.

Once Dakota make her song choice, she picked up the microphone. Blowing kisses to the crowd and bowing, she acted out the part of a diva. Losing all of her inhibitions, she tossed her hair around and let the music enter her soul. None of this would’ve been easy without the encouragement from Ethan and his friends. Dakota didn’t know she could have such a good time—and she didn’t want this night to end.

Everyone talked about fun and Dakota wanted to show them she’d gotten it.

Ethan didn’t realize he was holding his breath until he was forced to release it. He was nervous for her. Audiences could be cruel and he didn’t know how she’d react if they heckled her. As she hit the first few notes of the song, he felt himself go lax. The girl had it. She hadn’t gone onstage just to be up there. Dakota had something to offer.

As she seductively belted out Beyoncé’s version of the old classic “Fever,” that’s exactly what Ethan and every other male in the place felt. Dakota put on a show she didn’t know she was capable of. She knew she could sing, but never in her wildest dreams did she think she’d get up in front of a crowd like this. She had a ball with her magical performance. Dakota’s goal was to make sure everyone else did, too.

Then, Dakota suddenly turned her smoldering and seductive eyes on Ethan. The message he received let him know she had come down with a fever, too. Only he could bring down her temperature.

Ethan stood up and kissed Dakota to welcome her back to the table. The ladies were beside themselves with joy as they jumped up to give her warm hugs. Dakota was glad she’d been able to show everyone she was game, too.

All the guys quickly left the table and rushed the stage. They had gotten pumped up during Dakota’s performance and now it was time for them to show off. Ethan grabbed the microphone and mussed his hair, making an Elvis-like stance. Rudy strummed a nonexistent guitar and Maxwell and Todd had everyone cheering on their fancy, animated footwork.

“All Shook Up” was the song they’d chosen.

Dakota couldn’t believe her ears as she recalled thinking of how Ethan had her feeling: all shook up. Tears of joy filled her eyes. No longer would she dwell on what she’d missed out on. All she’d think about now was what was next on her social agenda.

Dakota now had firsthand knowledge that Ethan and his boys were regular cutups. Maxwell was hardly the only comedian and Ethan was an absolute riot. She hadn’t seen this funny, engaging side of him before now. She knew he had a great sense of humor, but his sharp wit and quick verbal comebacks had been downright hilarious and intriguing. Ethan and his crew had been successful at making her laugh until it hurt.

At fifteen minutes before midnight, Ethan leaned against the outside door of Dakota’s apartment. He had followed her home to make sure she got there safely.

Wrapping her up in his arms, he looked deep into her eyes, kissing her gently. The next kiss deepened, escalating his heart rate. The third kiss was all he’d hoped for. With a beautiful, sexy woman like Dakota he could easily lose his self-control. So far she had only agreed to build toward an exclusive relationship and he had to respect that. In his heart he already believed she was a woman worth waiting for.

Dakota smiled brilliantly. “I had a beautiful time with you and your friends. I think I passed their muster.”

“I know you did. You were a big hit, lady. Think I can get an encore of the song you sang at the pizza place?”

“You were a big hit, too, with me. As for the encore, I hope we’ll have many.” Laughing inwardly at how his mouth had fallen agape, she wiggled out of his arms and unlocked the front door. “Goodnight, Ethan. Hope we’ll talk soon.”

“Lady, you can bet money on it.”