Slowly but surely, she mastered each dance-step combination—well, maybe not mastered, but at least she had some idea what to do. Her dancing style wasn’t as elegant and relaxed as she would have liked, and it would be impossible for her to be a champion dancer by Wednesday. She was satisfied with what she’d learned so far. “Salsa is a modern couple’s dance, but it can also be done as a group dance,” she read on the Internet, after scouring Google for videos and photos of professionals dancing and posing with their partners. Martin wrinkled his brow as he labored over the guest list for his birthday party. He really didn’t want to have a big party, but a too-small party could end up being boring. He wanted a cozy gathering with friends; he already had fifteen on his coffee-splattered list. “Are you really going to bake a cake?” he asked Johanna, looking at her expectantly. “Yes, of course, I told you I would.”
