Fire Chief's Lost Baby

Chapter Eight

Isla leaned back in her chair and watched the rest of the people filling the Barn. Round tables were clustered along one wall with a large open dance floor taking up the majority of the large room. A bar at the other end of the room served hot chocolate, soda, and other non-alcoholic drinks during the family friendly events like the weekly country dances. Later on in the weekend it catered to the over twenty-one crowd.

The dance floor was packed with people of all ages, from a handful of energetic toddlers to a few white-haired couples who swayed slowly at the fringes of the crowd. Loud country music played, filling the building with an exuberant energy. Even the table section buzzed with it's own vitality- raucous laughter and good-natured teasing filled the seating area. A few teenagers sat at some sofas in the back while other youngsters played checkers at some low tables.

Isla glanced at Jenny as she flopped into a chair next to her, cheeks flushed with the excitement and exertion of the dance she had just finished.

"I haven't been working out enough recently!" Jenny panted as she rested for a song. Isla had finally convinced her to get up and dance. Jenny had protested for a long while, not wanting to abandon her new friend. In the end, Isla finally begged her to go and get a few dances in before they headed back.

Isla grinned at Jenny's vibrant features. Her happiness was contagious, and Isla wanted nothing more than to see her friend continuing to have a wonderful time. "You should go dance some more once you catch your breath! I'm happy here just watching. You guys make it look so easy."

"I guess," Jenny chuckled, "there isn't much else to do here during the winters, so it's become a community tradition. I've been coming since I moved up here with Max, but most of these folks have been coming all their lives."

"It shows." Isla's gaze wandered around the room again, enjoying watching the couples on the floor getting so absorbed in the music that they didn't notice anything else. The couples swung around together, then back apart, each couple switching partners and swinging around again. Isla watched a young, dark-haired girl move from a tall and gangly teenager to a middle aged man with a large belly and thick arms. Isla watched as the man seemed to jerk the girl more than dance with her. She wrinkled her nose as she watched them, meeting the man's gaze as they danced near where Isla and Jenny sat.

Isla looked back at Jenny, a shiver crawling down her spine at the unsettling smile on the man's face.

Jenny grinned back at her, "Just a couple more songs and I'll get you back to Mom's."

Before Isla could say anything, Jenny had hoped up and disappeared into the crowd. Isla shook her head in amusement, before turning once again to watch. Just as she noticed the beefy man's absence on the dance floor, a heavy hand fell on her shoulder, fingers gripping into her skin.

"Well, hello!" A brass voice boomed above her. "I haven't seen you around here before. I'm Dan. May I have the pleasure of your name?"

Isla's stomach began to sink and she felt her back curving almost involuntarily away from the man beside her. "Ah, Isla. Nice to meet you, Dan." She looked around the room, hoping Jenny would be nearby so she could flag her down.

"So what's a pretty thing like you doing over here, sitting alone?" Dan moved from grasping Isla's shoulder to pull a chair around and sit directly in front of her. Now Isla couldn't even see enough of the dance floor to spy Jenny, let alone get her attention.

"Just watching." Isla gave a short smile, hoping that a brief answer would encourage Dan to move on, but no luck.

"Oh, come now. You have to get out there and have some fun!"

Isla smiled politely again, "I'm just happy to watch for now."

Dan nodded as if he knew just what Isla meant. "Yeah, a break is good sometimes. Gotta let your date get a drink and rest."