Separate Weddings, Separate Lives novel Chapter 52

Louisa didn't know how to dance, but at least she could move along with the music. It was better than leaving the elderly man standing there awkwardly.

All these years, people had only seen her at her brightest, most dazzling moments. No one knew how many times she had been ignored or dismissed.

Louisa knew just how painful rejection could be. Moreover, the man in front of her was old enough to be her grandfather. His invitation was meant as a gesture of kindness.

"I won't carry you if you twist an ankle," Elijah said. He really was a condescending prick—nothing decent would ever come out of his mouth.

Louisa knew he was doing it on purpose, but she had no intention of letting him get his way. "You'll just have to piggyback me."

She was now standing before the elderly man. He didn't take her hand immediately. Instead, he circled her first before finally reaching out.

The second she took his hand, Louisa lost control of her body. It was as if she had been fitted with roller blades. The elderly man pulled her into a spin, and her body grew weightless, as if she had suddenly grown wings.

The sensation was incredible—something she had never experienced before.

Louisa assumed her body would be stiff since she had never danced before. However, it seemed she had been wrong.

The elderly man led her through a rhythm of contraction and release, whirlwind spins and breathless pauses. Their surroundings became a blur of stillness and movement that moved in perfect harmony with their steps.

Suddenly, Louisa understood what people meant when they said a dancer's spirit was free.

Her shyness had vanished, as though it had dissolved into the graceful rhythm of her dance.

The elderly man danced with her, his movements growing livelier and more exuberant, and soon, more and more people gathered around to watch.

At the beginning, Louisa merely followed his lead. But soon after, she began to move with intent. Their dance grew more synchronized with every step.

The elderly man's energy surged, and he spun her in bigger circles. The sensation of slicing through the air made Louisa feel as if her very soul had burst free of its confines.

In that moment, she didn't feel the pain Thaddeus had left her. There was no more thinking about Letitia or confusion over Elijah's moods. For once, the world seemed to exist solely for her.

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify