Isabel and the Wolf: (Part 3) Read Online Free Page A

for a jokey handshake.
    “And this is Kara.” Kara shook his hand and said a flirty hi . Isabel smirked. It was fast work, even by her standards. They ordered beers, and three shots of Tuaca also appeared on the bar top, courtesy of Dan. They toasted to new friends , and knocked them back.
    “Hey, the pool table’s free. Ready for me to whup your ass?” Kara called, already walking over to it.
    As soon as they started to play, men wanted to join them, and, before long, they were playing doubles with Tyler and David, and then Jim and Andrew. Isabel was better than most people expected her to be from her size and femininity, while Kara was a real pool shark, and together they embarrassed a couple of the guys. Another round of shots arrived, and a couple of beer chasers, and then it was time to move on.
    “Where we going?” Kara demanded, her eyes bright from winning the last game with Jim and Andrew, as well as the Tuaca shot she’d just drunk. Isabel grinned at her, pool cue still in hand.
    “When you mentioned line dancing earlier, you weren’t so far off the mark!” she yelled, above the lite rock pounding from the speakers.
    “Yeah? Awesome!” Kara yelled back. Isabel stared at her in confusion.
    “That wasn’t the reaction I was expecting!”
    “Hey, I’m ready for anything now, baby!” Kara’s happy grin was plastered across her face, where it was likely to stay for the rest of the night.
    “Come on, let’s go then!” Isabel yelled, eager to pull Kara out of the bar before she thought about doing any more high kicks. They said their goodbyes to the disappointed-looking men and headed towards the exit. As they passed the bar, Kara broke free and hurtled over to Dan, pulling her phone out of her pocket at the same time. Isabel watched the exchange of numbers, impressed as always by her confidence.
    “How are you even going to meet him?” she asked when Kara returned, hooking her arm around Isabel’s elbow.
    “I dunno, babe,” she said. “But I couldn’t let a cute one like that get away without my number!”
    “You’re amazing,” Isabel said with affection.
    They walked to the end of the main street.
    “The dance hall should be right about here,” Isabel said, casting her eyes around.
    “Here!” Kara said, too emphatically, pointing out a building on the opposite side of the street. It was an old brick structure, in the highly-decorative Victorian style that was popular in the town. A colorful banner advertised ‘Silver City Hoedown’. “Is this for real?”
    “I’m hoping there’s at least a dash of irony in there!” Isabel replied. They paid five dollars each and went in. It was a barn-like space, with wooden rafters and off-white walls. There was a stage, hung with glitzy silver curtains, and the floor was covered in straw.
    “Hey, this reminds me of school dances!” Kara said. “I hope they’re not just serving cola and kool aid though!”
    “Nope. Over here!” Isabel said, spotting the drinks area. She took Kara’s hand and dragged her over to it. They ordered beers from a cheerful woman serving at a long, low table covered with a blue checkered cloth. In one corner of the room was a group of 40-somethings in full cowboy regalia, practicing a square dancing-routine. At the other side of the room was a mixed group of teenagers and twenty and thirty-somethings. Dolly Parton was on the sound system, lamenting office hours, and couples were spinning each other across the floor, in a semi-ironic way, but their faces were glowing with happiness.
    They walked over to the stage and Kara pulled herself up onto it and crossed her bare legs.
    “This is really neat,” she said. “I haven’t felt so wholesome since, like, I was at my junior prom!”
    “Was that before or after you sneaked your dad’s hip flask in, tipped the entire thing into your cola and hurled all over the guy you had the hots for?” Isabel said, laughing.
    “Uh, yeah, I think that was what you might call