My teeth were gritted. “I’m not jealous, Chris, I’m sad. I feel like I’m in high school. Mr. Popular with everyone around him and I’m on the sidelines. It gets old.” Listening to the lyrics and the electric twang of the guitar made me even sadder. “What’s really galling is you look like you’re actually having fun. You never have fun with me.”

“We have fun.”

“No, we have sex,” I said. “I don’t even know why I’m here. It would be better if I went back.”

A few moments of silence. He said, “I want you here.”

A big exhale. “I’m sorry if I embarrassed you. I won’t talk to anyone. I’ll sit in my corner until you give me permission to go back to your space.”

More silence.

He drew me closer. I felt his body relax even though I was as tense as tetanus. His eyes softened as he widened his baby blues and attempted to get my attention, but I wouldn’t look at him. He let go of my hand and picked up my chin and tried again. I sighed again. I leaned my head on his chest and he kissed the top of my head. He pulled me closer. Despite myself, in his arms, I felt my body slowly release its stress.

“You know how jealous I get,” he told me. “You’re my fiancée.”

“And you’re my fiancé,” I said. “How do you think I feel?”

“Am I dancing with anyone else?”

“Do what you want,” I told him. “Like you said, it’s your party.”

He peered into my eyes. “You are positively … the most beautiful woman … in the world.”

“You’re an idiot!”

“No, I’m not an idiot. I’m a prick.” Boozy guitar riff. “C’mon. You know how I feel about you. You’re absolutely, and without a doubt, the only woman I’ve ever loved.”

He was about to kiss me, but then the band came back, the recorded music disappeared, and the combo broke into “You Wreck Me.”

Chris took my hand. “Come here, gorgeous. Let’s dance.”

“I don’t feel like it.”

“C’mon. You like Tom Petty.”

“I don’t want to.”

“You say you want fun, have some fun.” He yanked my arm. “Come on.”

He took me into the center of the floor, and immediately, he was surrounded by his ladies wanting to cut in, but this time he shook them off. His hand around my waist, he led me around with moves I had forgotten, but obviously he had not. Light on his feet, he guided me through a series of routines that I hadn’t done in years.