Chapter 51: His Best Friend Helped?
He stood, holding out his hand toward her. "Come on, Ivy. Dance with me."
Ruby hesitated for only a moment before placing her hand in his. His grip was sure, gentle but firm, and he pulled her to her feet easily.
There was no music — just the soft hum of the night outside, the faint creak of the house settling — but somehow, it didn’t matter.
Stefan found her waist with surprising accuracy, his other hand sliding up to rest lightly at her shoulder.
"Tell me if I step on your toes," he said with a grin.
"I’ll scream," Ruby promised, laughing.
They moved together slowly, a makeshift waltz in the middle of the bedroom, careful and clumsy and absolutely perfect. Ruby guided them gently, letting Stefan take the lead as much as he could, her hands steadying him when he faltered.
He couldn’t see her smiling, but she smiled anyway, feeling lighter with every awkward step they took.
And somewhere in the middle of their dance — somewhere between the laughter and the stumbles — Ruby realized she wasn’t thinking about lies or fears or regrets.
She was just... happy. Even if it was only for a little while, she was happy.
And maybe, just maybe, that was enough.
"Now that you’re fine, how about you tell me a little about what’s going on with your friend and I’ll see what I can do?" Stefan asked, breaking the comfortable silence.