“I don’t know how to dance… I’ll skip,” Lauren excused herself. She had been sipping juice and


    enjoying


    cake on the couch until Landon had suddenly invited her to dance.


    Having watched her parents and Betty dance before, Lauren felt that dancing wasn’t something she


    could


    1. Besides, she believed she would never have a chance to be in the spotlight anyway.


    *It’s alright if you don’t know. I can teach you, Lauren,” Landon reassured her, cing his hands on her


    shoulders.


    She hung her head low, a tiny patch of cream at the corner of her lips. She mumbled, “I’m not dancing,


    Landon. They all dance well.


    “I would only embarrass you because I don’t know how to dance. Besides, I don’t like crowded ces. I


    panic when there are too many people around.”


    Landon was shocked and upset. Lauren’s second excuse was the real reason behind her refusal to


    dance.


    Despite his attentiveness, he had let his excitement get the better of him, forgetting that she suffered


    from autism and social phobia.


    He silently chided himself for being thoughtless.


    …


    “Landon, are you angry with me?” she asked anxiously when Landon remained silent. Her feet turned.


    inward in her Mary Jane shoes from her nervousness.


    = = 5


    He quickly knelt before her and wiped away the cream on her lips. He then tasted it, eximing, “Ah.


    How


    sweet!”


    Lauren instantly blushed and clenched her fists. “Why did you eat it? That’s … dirty.”


    “No, how could that be? You’re sweet, and you smell good,” he said as he held her hands. His eyes


    sparkled with sincerity.


    Her heart raced. She asked, “Is that true?”


    “Yes. When have I lied to you?” He gazed into her eyes and suddenly broke into a mischievous grin.


    “You seem bored sitting by the side. Shall I teach you how to dance?”


    “B-But I’m a slow learner,” she replied, not feeling confident.


    “That’s fine. I’ll teach you. We can take our time,” he whispered into her ear, his warm breath tickling it,


    just like how I taught you to kiss.”


    #


    Lauren gasped in embarrassment, her face red. Landon couldn’t help but softly p himself on the


    cheek,


    chastising himself for being unserlous and flirty..


    The Taylor family seemed to be in a good mood as well. Colene had had too much to drink and started


    dancing with Tatiana while drinking from a wine ss.


    “I don’t want to dance with you. You’re clumsy. You might be good at prosecuting suspects, but not at


    dancing!” Mandy remarked at Cyrus as she twirled.


    “How did your dad and I give birth to a bad dancer when we’re so talented in music and dance? It’s


    strange.”


    Cyrus shrugged. “A good dancer might not be a good policeman. It’s not like I can subdue suspects by


    dancing in front of them.”


    Mandy retorted, “It would have been great if you could do that. You don’t even need to point a gun at


    them


    -suspects would faint from your poor dancing skills!”


    The guestsughed at the mother-son duo’s banter. At the same time, Rose was drinking alone in a


    corner. She teared up at the sight of the joyful family.


    “Ms. Emerson,” Ss called out to her. She snapped back to reality and found him standing in front of


    herExclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    with a bright smile, extending his hand in a gentlemanly manner.