I needed to remember that.
“Laney?”
When I pulled back to look up at him, the lines around his eyes had softened a bit. That dark gaze drifted down to my mouth and stayed there.
“Ronan,” I murmured. “You probably shouldn’t look at me like that.”
“Like what?” The hand at the small of my back pulled me closer so our chests brushed each other. “Like we’re married?”
He guided my hand so that both of mine were braced on both of his shoulders, closer to an embrace than a simple dance.
“Stop.” My cheeks were heating up.
“Stop what?”
“Stop… everything. Dancing like this. Looking at me like that.”
“You’re not. Why should I?”
It was too much, and I found myself looking around the room, if only to find something to distract me from that intense gaze. It was hard to tell myself he was joking when he looked at me like that. Like he found nothing funny at all about what was going on between us.
The problem was, I didn’t know whatwashappening between us.
“We didn’t have a wedding dance, did we?” Ronan asked.
I shrugged. “Hard to say. I don’t remember.”
He laughed. It was a nice sound, warm and low. “Too bad. I like dancing with you, Laney Fisher. You feel good in my arms.”
“I like it, too,” I admitted.
“I feel like I should have at least asked your father for his blessing first. Or at least introduced myself. You didn’t say if he was here tonight?—”
“He’s not,” I answered quickly. “He decided to stay in Arizona.”
Ronan frowned, like he could see the irritation I was trying to hide. “That’s too bad. Maybe some other time.”
“Maybe. Although these days he’s more interested in golf conditions than his family or friends here.”
I could quite hide the bitterness. Dad had known Megan since she was barely walking, and I was still frustrated with him for skipping this weekend. Mom would have been ashamed of him for prioritizing golf over this wedding.
“He’s not great in large crowds,” I said. “He’s actually not great at all these days. With my mother gone, he only seems to think about himself. It’s… confusing.”
“I bet.” Ronan’s arm tightened around my waist, tugging me into a full embrace as we swayed. “It’s tough when we realize how little our parents actually think of us. Harder when their worst impulses seem to augment as they age.”
That’s not what happened, I wanted to argue while at the same time reminding myself that a wedding would have been hard for Dad. Mom had also known Megan forever, and how could he have come to a wedding and not thought of his own wife, now gone?
“Is that what happened with yours?” I couldn’t help asking instead.
He tensed but gave a curt nod. “My dad’s always been a piece of work. I told you that. Pitted my siblings and me against each other. Took his temper out on us in a million different ways. We’re just mirrors of his success, and if not, his scapegoats.” He glanced down at me. “Let me guess, you’re wondering why I put up with it.”
I shook my head. “Not at all. The only people who ask that question are the ones who have good relationships with their parents. They can’t imagine a world otherwise.”
Ronan seemed to relax. “My mother is… well, I don’t know her all that well. She left just after I was born.Shedecided not to put up with it, I guess. She lives in Portland, actually. Runs a yoga center there.”
“Really? Which one?” I’d been to more than a few trainings in Portland when I was getting my hours to become an instructor.
“Ah, I’m not sure. Something about Lotus and the trees. Or forest. Or something like that.”