“You took too long, Ganas, my dance card is already full,” I teased as I let the older man help me up. Was he scowling at the poor old guy?

“You’ve got competition.” I pressed a kiss to his cheek, before letting my dance partner take me onto the dance floor.

“Buena bailarina,” the old guy, Sergio, complimented me.

“You’re not too bad yourself, old man,” I joked and he laughed. “Do you live in Santa Fe?” I asked as he expertly led me around the small space reserved for dancing.

“Almost thirty years.”

“But how did you end up here?” I knew there had to be a story there.

“Una mujer!” he cried, making me laugh. “What else? I met my wife on a tour stop here.” I smiled at the image of this guy falling hard for a girl while onstage. “I used to play the trumpet for a salsa band back in the day. We came here in ’87. She was one of the servers at this nightclub in Albuquerque. It was love at first sight,” he said wistfully, like he was staring right into the memory. “She was Mexican, but boy could she dance a merengue.” His face lit up at whatever he was remembering. “She gave me a night I could never forget. We kept in touch and after a few years I decided to come back for her.” He smiled again, his eyes bright. “She liked it here, I didn’t have much family left by then and this place grew on me.”

“That’s amazing,” I sighed, charmed by the story.

“I managed this piano bar, retired about five years ago, but I still come on the nights this band plays. That’s my son on the trumpet.” He pointed to the stage.

“Wow.” I turned to look at the younger man onstage and could see the resemblance.

“Y donde esta su señora?” His face fell then, and I knew the answer before he said a word.

“She passed a couple of years ago. She was the love of my life. I wouldn’t change the years we had for the world.”

“Did you ever regret staying here, not going back on tour?” I asked, suddenly needing his answer a little too much.

“I loved music, but she was my passion.” There was nothing in his voice, in the way he said the words, that held even a hint of regret. And as I let him lead me in a bolero I wondered if that was my fear. That I’d let what I felt for Theo distract me, or that he’d later regret falling for someone who didn’t fit his vision for his life. I’d seen firsthand from my parents that love wasn’t enough. That the person you love could take everything from you. Ruin you. But maybe the person you loved could give you a life you couldn’t even dream for yourself.