She suspects something when she hears him use hushed tones on the phone. She doesn’t mean to eavesdrop, really, she just can’t help that she’s always had good hearing.
“But I told you when this was a long time ago, you said you’d be there for all of them. No, I know—I understand that’s important, but this is pretty important to me, too.” He runs a hand over his face and she’s given up on subtle when it comes to listening in.
“Alright. It’s fine, I’ll figure something out. Yeah, bye.” She turns her gaze back to her computer at the click of the phone and does her best to steer concentration away from his direction. Even when she hears him roll out the desk chair, the squeak it makes when he gets up, and the shuffling of feet towards her desk. She doesn’t look up till he leans on the counter, the familiarity doing nothing to settle her growing curiosity.
“So, funny story,” he says finally. “My parents 30th wedding anniversary is coming up. And all of us kids are throwing this big party for them, you know, a big hoopla for the big 3-0. We all agreed to take dance lessons so we wouldn't embarrass our parents for once in our lives.”
She smiles because she knows it was probably his idea to do so.
“Anyway, Katy was supposed to take them with me and now…I don’t know, I guess she has some ‘passion party’? Do you know what that is?”
She bites her lip to keep from laughing. “Uhh, yeah, but I don’t think you want to.”
“Enough said. So…” he straightens his tie before continuing. “Would you mind going with me? It’s the first one and I don’t want to get behind and—“
“Yes.” It slips out before she has time to think about it and he looks stunned at her quick response.
“Okay. Cool, well, great, cool.”
“Cool,” she echoes and even though she feels a giggle bubbling in her stomach, she suppresses it. That’s something Katy would do and maybe he wants this to be a little different.
Shaky hands drive her to the dance studio, a little hole-in-the wall place that looks more like a high school gym, minus the basketball hoops. Through the people milling around drinking free punch, she spots him leaning against a wall like something out of a J. Crew catalog. Then his eyes find hers and any coolness he had two seconds ago is replaced by a goofy smile.
“Hey,” he says as he jogs over to her. “You made it.”
“You think I’d miss seeing you try to dance?” she laughs it off as a joke, but even she can’t deny her excitement. The instructor claps her hands, ordering everyone to find their partner and that they’ll be learning the waltz.
Pam’s eyes go wide. “Waltz?” she hisses in a whisper. “I thought you said this was the first one.”
He places a tentative hand on her hip while the other cups her hand gently in his own. “It is. Guess they don’t waste any time.”
The sound of violins sweeping through the room cues everyone to straighten their posture and prepare to begin.
“And one, two, three, one, two, three, one, two three,” the instructor yells out and the couples begin to fumble their way through the steps. Pam braces herself for the same awkwardness, yet instead finds herself guided swiftly and easily across the floor. She looks up to find confident, and slightly cocky eyes peering down at her.
“You really needed lessons, huh?” she asks skeptically.
He shrugs. “It comes naturally, what can I say?”
The laugh she’d tried to repress earlier comes without warning, gentle and without the squeak Pam so desperately tried to avoid.
Soon it’s as if she’s done ballroom dancing all her life, and she knows it’s in large part to how well Jim leads.
“What’s that smirk for, Beesly?” he asks.
“I don’t know, maybe Packer was right about you.” She pierces her tongue between her teeth and he rolls his eyes in mock indignation.
“What, a guy can’t know his way around a dance floor anymore?”
“I suppose, I guess I’m just surprised. Keeping any other secrets from the public?”
The amusement on his face turns serious and his lips part. But before he can speak, the music stops and the couples clap for the progress made.
Jim smiles again. “Come on, I’ll show you how to foxtrot.”
