Unforgettable (Cloverleigh Farms #5)(44)

He grumbled something into his whiskey and took another sip.

I patted his shoulder. “Come on inside. You’re sitting with Mack and Frannie. You guys can discuss your glory days from high school.”

He followed me to his table, shook hands with Mack and Frannie, and sat down with them. Several times during dinner, I looked over and saw them chatting animatedly, and one time I heard Tyler burst out laughing. For a moment, I thought of how nice it would be to hang out, the four of us. Or have dinner with Meg and Noah. Grab drinks with Chloe and Oliver. Or hang out with all of them over at Henry and Sylvia’s new house while everyone’s kids played in the yard. I felt a little sad that it would never happen.

Right before the bride and groom’s first dance, Frannie found me over by the deejay’s table. “Hey,” she said. “How’s everything going?”

“Good. Just waiting for Sadie to get back from the bathroom so the dancing can start.”

“Oh yeah, the dancing. Tyler’s pretty nervous about that.” Frannie glanced back toward her table, where Tyler was sitting with Mack and a few other guests. “He keeps threatening to make a run for it.” Then she laughed. “And he offered Mack a thousand bucks to take his place.”

I shook my fist. “I’ll kill him.”

“He’s also mentioned you about, ohhh, 5,862 times. That is, when he’s not speechless, staring at you across the room.”

“What?” My face got a little hot.

“You heard me. You guys have serious chemistry. It really stinks he has to leave tomorrow.”

“Yeah.” I didn’t want to think about it, so I was glad when I noticed Sadie entering the ballroom. “Do me a favor. Can you go tell Tyler to come over here? And don’t let him drag his feet. Tell him I said right now.”

“Well, you might not want to boss him around like that if you’re hoping he’ll ever come back.”

“He needs it.” I gave her a gentle shove. “Go, please. I have to get these dances going before the guests get restless.”

A minute later, Tyler appeared at my side, and together we watched Josh and Sadie take the floor as husband and wife. “Am I next?” he asked, fussing with his tie.

“Yes.”

As their song wrapped up, Tyler glanced at the door.

I grabbed his arm. “Don’t even think about it.”

“How do you know what I’m thinking?”

“I saw you looking at the exit!”

“Oh.” His expression turned anxious again.

“Listen, you’re going to be great, and then afterward, I’ll give you a prize.”

His brow cocked. “Oh yeah? What kind of prize?”

“I’ll think of something good.”

The song finished to thunderous applause, and Josh brought Sadie over to Tyler.

She took Tyler’s hand. “Ready?”

He glanced at me. “I hope so.”

I gave him a reassuring smile. “You’re ready.”

The deejay announced them, and Tyler led his sister out onto the floor as their song began. I held my breath as he took her in his arms just like we’d practiced and began swaying her side to side. I exhaled when I saw that not only was he moving right on the beat, but he and Sadie were both laughing and enjoying themselves. I almost cried when he spun her out exactly the way I’d shown him, and spun her back just as effortlessly. The crowd cheered and snapped photos with their phones. At the end of the song, Sadie threw her arms around her brother’s neck, and he lifted her right off the ground in a huge bear hug and held her there several seconds. I wasn’t the only one who had to wipe my eyes.

Afterward, he waited with his sister while Josh danced with his sister Mary. Then he delivered Sadie to Josh’s dad, who brought her out to the dance floor for one final number, while Josh danced with his mom. Then he made his way over to me, his smile one of total relief.

“You did it,” I said, unable to resist giving him a hug.

He held me close. “Thanks for the help. It actually wasn’t as bad as I thought.”

“See?” I didn’t want to let him go, but I stepped back so no one would speculate about my koala grip on the bride’s big brother.

“So? Do I get to claim my prize?” His dark eyes glittered.

“Oh, that. Hmm.” I checked the time. “Yes, but you have to give me a few minutes. Just until the dancing gets going and the cake is served.”

He frowned. “Can’t people serve their own cake?”

I laughed. “Ten minutes. I’ll meet you in my office.”

“Does the door lock?”

My stomach jumped. “Yes.”

“Is it soundproof?”

“No.” Then I rose up on tiptoe to whisper in his ear. “But you won’t have to worry about me making a lot of noise, because I’ll have something in my mouth.”

He gripped my elbow—hard. “Five minutes. Go.”





It ended up taking me more like fifteen minutes, because I had to locate a missing cake knife, return a diamond earring found on the dance floor to its owner, find the head server and let her know I was taking a short break (I lied and said I had to run over to the inn for a few minutes), and duck into the bathroom to wipe off my lipstick. By the time I snuck down the hallway to my office, I was practically running.