Page 15 of Save the Date
She fetched herself a glass of whie wine from the bar, then sank down into a vacant seat at a table near the back of the tent, and watched as the party swirled around her.
Torie and Ryan’s friends and family were a fun-loving bunch. They crowded the dance floor for every song, only thinning out long enough to allow Torie and Bill Fanning to have their traditional father-daughter spotlight dance to “The Way You Look Tonight.”
It was nearly nine o’clock when Cara’s rumbling stomach reminded her that she’d eaten nothing since breakfast. The orchestra had packed up and departed, and now a disc jockey was playing from the makeshift wooden bandstand. While the party went on, there was still a chance she could steal her dog back. Bert could just as easily style the flowers for the cake cutting. She worked her way around the perimeter of the tent and was headed for the spot where Bert stood when Ryan spotted her.
He grabbed her by the hand and started dragging her toward the dance floor. “C’mon, Cara. They’re playing our song.”
“Ryan, you’re sweet, but I’m the help. And the help doesn’t dance at weddings.”
“Sure they do,” he said—just as Layne Pelletier boogied past with one of her waiters.
“Their” song was apparently KC and the Sunshine Band’s “Shake Your Booty,” and the next thing she knew, Cara had joined the line dance snaking its way across the dance floor, sliding, popping, and locking with the whole sweaty ensemble.
Finally, the song wound down and she began edging her way back toward Bert, but Ryan caught her by the waist.
“One more dance,” he urged. The record was Harry Connick Jr.’s version of “It Had to Be You.” “How’re you not gonna dance to this?”
“Where’s Torie?” Cara asked. “This is a song for the two of you.”
“Nah. She’s sitting out the next few numbers.” Ryan looked around, then whispered, “She’s uh, kind of, uh…”
“Pregnant?” Cara whispered back.
His grin lit up his face. “Yeah. It’s pretty cool. She told you, huh?”
“She didn’t have to,” Cara said. “Congratulations.”
For a guy who was built like a linebacker, Ryan was a surprisingly smooth dancer. He hummed along with the first few bars of the music.
“I wanted to thank you for everything you’ve done for us,” he said, as they glided across the floor. “I know Torie’s been kind of wound up these past few days. So thanks for putting up with all of us.”
“All part of my job,” Cara assured him.
“You mind me asking what’s up with you and my brother?” Ryan asked. “He seemed pretty ticked off at you, back at the church.”
“He stole my dog earlier today,” Cara said.
“Yeah. You keep saying that. But that doesn’t sound like Jack.”
“Well, he did. Poppy ran away from the shop today, and when I went looking for her, I caught him dragging her down Jones Street. Now he’s got Poppy, and he won’t give her back.”
“Why would Jack steal your dog? He’s got a dog.”
“He claims his dog ran away, and he spotted mine and so he stole her. But I know Poppy. There’s not another dog in this town who looks like her. And he won’t give her back.”
“If you gave him half a chance he’d probably give you Shaz too. He’s always complaining how much time she takes away from his work.”
“What’s your brother do for a living? Aside from stealing dogs?”
“Torie didn’t tell you? Jack works with me, restoring historic properties. We’re business partners.”
“I saw thehistoric propertyhe lives in on Macon Street today,” Cara said, with a dismissive sniff. “No offense, but that place looks like a dump.”
Ryan frowned. “Yeah, well, he sort of lost his momentum when Zoey left. Anyway, we’ve been working night and day to get my new house in Ardsley Park finished before Torie movies in. Jack does all the carpentry work. He’s really a master craftsman.”
“Who’s Zoey? Not that I care.”
“His ex-girlfriend,” Ryan said. He was about to say more, but the song ended, and the DJ was moving through the crowd with a cordless mike.
