I was listening to a 90s playlist this week (as one does when obsessed with a show from the 90s), and this song came on, which soon became the namesake of this fic. It gave me all the feels when it comes to CB & Lainey, and I kept picturing all the moments they've shared over the past season as I listened to it on repeat (LOL). Thus, we have this fic. Please heed the rating because somebody's gonna be knockin' boots... 😉😉😉 Hope you enjoy it!

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"But I love the way you love me

Strong and wild

Slow and easy

Heart and soul

So completely

I love the way you love me."

~ John Michael Montgomery, "I Love the Way You Love Me" (1992)

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Back in the 90s, line dancing was more popular than ever. Groups of dancers would line up in rows and perform the same moves in a synchronized manner to certain popular songs. Country western songs like "Achy Breaky Heart" and "Boot Scootin' Boogie" helped to catapult line dancing into the mainstream, and William Penn wasn't immune to the whole infectious craze.

"Attention, teachers of the lounge!" Wilma Howell proclaimed with an excited grin as she barreled into the room. She plopped a newspaper down on the table right in front of Lainey, who was enjoying her morning cup of coffee. "There's a new country western bar opening downtown and we're all going this Friday night. We can try out those new line dances that are all the rage! Who's game?"

Lainey picked up the newspaper and looked at the advertisement for the new bar. Two scantily-clad women wearing cowboy hats and boots were positioned on either side, and she gushed at just how cute the outfits were. She made a mental note to try out one of the looks later. She then read the name of the bar and scoffed.

"Daisy Dukes and Boots Saloon?" she asked in a mocking tone, scooting the newspaper away from her. "They do realize this is Pennsylvania, not Georgia, right?"

"I'm down, Wilma!" CB enthusiastically agreed as he sat down next to Lainey, taking a generous sip of his coffee. "I'm hip to all the line dances. Been practicing in my new party pad. I'd be happy to teach y'all my sweet moves."

"I knew I could count on you, CB!" Wilma winked at him and joined Rick and Julie at the next table in an attempt to garner their support as well.

"Y'all? Really, CB?" Lainey laughed, rolling her eyes, and turned to him. "You know how to line dance?

"Of course," CB replied. "Don't you?"

"No, I've been so busy with the music department lately and Barry just left after staying with me for a week," she answered. "Just haven't had time."

"How's the ole Big Tasty by the way?" He took another swig of his coffee. "Still a doctor, I suppose?"

"Yeah, he had to head back to Detroit. The hospital's overwhelmed with the flu right now, so duty calls, I guess."

Lainey sighed and frowned, looking down at her coffee mug. She missed Barry already, and not having him around for the long haul was becoming rather daunting and lonely. She was beginning to wonder if he'd ever come back to Jenkintown permanently, so they could finally be together like he'd promised when they'd started this whole long-distance thing.

"Why don't you come out with us Friday night?" CB suggested, placing a hand on her right arm. "It'll be fun and I can teach you how to line dance. It's pretty easy once you get the hang of it."

"You sure you want me to tag along?" Lainey asked, glancing at his arm on top of hers. She moved her arm and pretended to sip her coffee, remembering the time he'd confessed to her about his former crush. "You know, in case you meet someone. I doubt you'd want your best gal pal hanging around."

"Of course, I want my best gal pal hanging around," he said and stood up to pour himself another cup of coffee. "I always have so much fun when I'm with her."

Lainey smiled and picked at her nail polish as a distraction. She loved being with CB too, but somehow she felt she would be holding him back from finding a potential girlfriend. Any potential love interest would assume CB was with Lainey if they were seen out together, especially if they were dancing together. And she sure as hell didn't want people thinking that about them. They were just friends after all.

Then, suddenly, an idea popped into her head, an idea that might provide a solution to both of their problems.

"I could be your wing woman!" Lainey exclaimed rather matter-of-factly.

"What's that now?" CB almost spit out his coffee, startled by her sudden enthusiasm.

"You know, you could scout out girls at the bar and let me know which ones you like. I could start up a conversation with them and casually introduce you." Lainey became increasingly excited as she spoke, wanting nothing more than to see her best friend happy - and not focused on school for a change. "It could work."

"Thanks, but no thanks," he protested, leaning his backside against the counter. "The last time you set me up, it was with Wilma, and we all know how that turned out. No offense, Wilma."

"None taken," Wilma, who'd obviously been listening in on their conversation, said, not even missing a beat. "In his defense, I did dump him for that sleazy dirtbag lawyer friend of mine, but it was worth it." She sighed dreamily, playing with the charm on her necklace, and smiled from ear to ear. "Boy, was it worth it."

"You've got problems," CB said, and Lainey almost threw up in her mouth.

"Sure do." Wilma stood up. "But seriously, can I count on you two for Friday night? Rick, Julie, and Johnny Atkins are already on board."

"Sure thing, Wilma," CB answered for both of them, holding up his mug in Lainey's direction. "It seems I've already got a wing woman."

"Yes!" Wilma said, giving him a high-five as he headed out of the teacher's lounge to teach his first class of the day.

After he'd left, she sat down beside Lainey.

"Are you sure you're okay with this, Lainey?" she inquired of her fellow teacher and friend.

"Sure, I love a good night out with friends," Lainey answered, a little addled as to why Wilma would ask her such a question.

"No, I mean, seeing CB with other girls." Wilma gave her a knowing look.

"Of course, I'll be okay. Why wouldn't I?" she said, spinning her coffee mug several times in her palm. Something tugged at her heartstrings as she spoke those words, and she didn't know why. "I only want CB to be happy."

"It's just - what you told me after the Singled Out game, about there not being a clear winner between Barry and CB. It just seemed to me that you were starting to doubt your relationship with your doctor boyfriend."

"Well, I was at the time, but-" she sighed heavily, her mind recalling that awkward moment in her life a few months ago. "I finally just decided to follow my heart, and Barry and I've known each other forever, so he was the obvious choice."

"Okay, well, I'm glad you got that settled." Wilma patted her on the shoulder and stood up, walking toward the door. "Cause I'd hate for something to happen Friday night to make you doubt again."

"Wilma, please stop! I'm with Barry! End of story!" Lainey angrily spat out, spilling some of her coffee on the surface of the table. She wondered why her friend was trying to get a rise out of her, and it was working. Brilliantly.

"Okay, I'm sorry I ever brought it up," Wilma called as she crossed the threshold. "Have a nice day, Lainey."

"Wilma, I'm sorry," Lainey said, frowning, but she was already gone. She sighed, realizing she'd created yet another rift between her and Wilma, and vowed to apologize to her later that day.

As she walked over to the sink to grab a napkin to clean up the spill, Lainey's eyes fell on one of CB's coffee mugs hanging from a hook on the wall, the one she'd given to him as a Christmas present. She read the familiar phrase printed on it for the hundredth time, "I'm an English teacher, just like a normal teacher except much cooler."

Lainey smiled, noting how perfectly the saying fit CB, and she hoped the nagging in her heart she now felt after her conversation with Wilma would just go away. And go away soon.

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Mm-hmm... that's all I'm going to say about that. Thank you for reading! ~ Dazzy xxoo