said. “And we can go.”
But no, the head of catering had the only van keys, and she had left to fetch cheese plates.
Sofia sipped a glass of the Areni Noir . She’d already bought a bottle for Janet and Tim. The wine tasted different from any she’d had before. It had a berry taste underlain by an almost earthy flavor. That must come from the clay amphora. It was fantastic, and she thought about buying another bottle for herself.
“Go ahead, I’m driving,” Aidan said.
“It’s just a glass of wine,” she said. “Actually, it’s just a half a glass.”
He took a sip of sparkling mineral water and looked across the giant ballroom at the bride and groom. The bride was tall, African-American, and gorgeous. She wore a one-shouldered mermaid gown with delicate lace accents that shone against her dark skin. The groom was Asian and about her height. He wore a designer tuxedo and a stunned and joyous expression.
“That’s what it’s all for,” Aidan said.
“A wedding?”
“One wedding,” he said. “I want one, and then forever. I want to be as happy as those two look.”
“And you think your checklists will get you there?”
“I have to be careful and find the right one,” he said. “I don’t want to make a mistake.”
Maybe it was the wine, but she felt a little touched by his words. “So, you’re searching for your perfect soulmate so you can live happily ever after?”
He leaned in so close she smelled his musky cologne. His deep blue eyes were serious when he spoke. “Isn’t everyone?”
“That seems a little Disney, doesn’t it?”
“No.”
Suddenly the groom was standing right in front of them.
“It’s our day,” he said. “You have to dance.”
She swallowed the rest of her wine in one gulp. “With who?”
“With your handsome boyfriend, of course.” The groom grabbed each of them by the shoulder and pushed them toward each other.
“He’s not my boyfriend,” she said.
“You never know,” said the groom, and kept up his pressure on her shoulder.
Aidan’s mouth quirked into a grin. “I think we’d better give him a dance.”
He held one hand up and the other out at his waist. A ballroom dance pose. She had trained in a lot of dances, most actresses had, but she was surprised Aidan had.
She stepped into his arms, and they were off, whirling around the floor.
“You’re really good,” she said.
“Don’t sound so surprised. It’s practically insulting.”
“Is this part of your dating campaign? Dancing to impress?”
“Did you just call me impressive?”
“It must be the wine.” Actually, she did feel light-headed. “I think you’d better drive.”
Aidan missed a step, stumbled, and caught himself. “Did you just tell me to drive?”
“I did.”
“Me? The man who drives slower than your grandma?”
“Shut up.” She rested her head against his shoulder. Dancing with Aidan wasn’t so bad, so long as he didn’t open his big fat mouth.
Angry voices outside interrupted the song. Aidan dropped her hands and made for the door. He was always heading into trouble. She followed right after, still feeling light-headed. Did that wine have more alcohol than regular wine?
A black-and-white police car blocked the drive, and a policeman in blue with nice black hair hulked next to a burly Narek Grigoryan. Milena fluttered behind him, holding onto his elbow as if she worried he’d haul off and hit the cop. Aidan was halfway over there already. She slowed down. It clearly wasn’t an emergency.
“You can’t come up here with your sirens!” Mr. Grigoryan said. “It’s a wedding. You’re ruining their special day.”
“I understand that, sir, but we got a noise complaint, and we had to check it out.”
Mr. Grigoryan pointed a stubby finger to the south. “It’s from Marcel Befort, isn’t it?”
“I can’t really say, sir.”
“He wants to drive me out of business. He wants us to starve in the streets like dogs.”
They could probably
But no, the head of catering had the only van keys, and she had left to fetch cheese plates.
Sofia sipped a glass of the Areni Noir . She’d already bought a bottle for Janet and Tim. The wine tasted different from any she’d had before. It had a berry taste underlain by an almost earthy flavor. That must come from the clay amphora. It was fantastic, and she thought about buying another bottle for herself.
“Go ahead, I’m driving,” Aidan said.
“It’s just a glass of wine,” she said. “Actually, it’s just a half a glass.”
He took a sip of sparkling mineral water and looked across the giant ballroom at the bride and groom. The bride was tall, African-American, and gorgeous. She wore a one-shouldered mermaid gown with delicate lace accents that shone against her dark skin. The groom was Asian and about her height. He wore a designer tuxedo and a stunned and joyous expression.
“That’s what it’s all for,” Aidan said.
“A wedding?”
“One wedding,” he said. “I want one, and then forever. I want to be as happy as those two look.”
“And you think your checklists will get you there?”
“I have to be careful and find the right one,” he said. “I don’t want to make a mistake.”
Maybe it was the wine, but she felt a little touched by his words. “So, you’re searching for your perfect soulmate so you can live happily ever after?”
He leaned in so close she smelled his musky cologne. His deep blue eyes were serious when he spoke. “Isn’t everyone?”
“That seems a little Disney, doesn’t it?”
“No.”
Suddenly the groom was standing right in front of them.
“It’s our day,” he said. “You have to dance.”
She swallowed the rest of her wine in one gulp. “With who?”
“With your handsome boyfriend, of course.” The groom grabbed each of them by the shoulder and pushed them toward each other.
“He’s not my boyfriend,” she said.
“You never know,” said the groom, and kept up his pressure on her shoulder.
Aidan’s mouth quirked into a grin. “I think we’d better give him a dance.”
He held one hand up and the other out at his waist. A ballroom dance pose. She had trained in a lot of dances, most actresses had, but she was surprised Aidan had.
She stepped into his arms, and they were off, whirling around the floor.
“You’re really good,” she said.
“Don’t sound so surprised. It’s practically insulting.”
“Is this part of your dating campaign? Dancing to impress?”
“Did you just call me impressive?”
“It must be the wine.” Actually, she did feel light-headed. “I think you’d better drive.”
Aidan missed a step, stumbled, and caught himself. “Did you just tell me to drive?”
“I did.”
“Me? The man who drives slower than your grandma?”
“Shut up.” She rested her head against his shoulder. Dancing with Aidan wasn’t so bad, so long as he didn’t open his big fat mouth.
Angry voices outside interrupted the song. Aidan dropped her hands and made for the door. He was always heading into trouble. She followed right after, still feeling light-headed. Did that wine have more alcohol than regular wine?
A black-and-white police car blocked the drive, and a policeman in blue with nice black hair hulked next to a burly Narek Grigoryan. Milena fluttered behind him, holding onto his elbow as if she worried he’d haul off and hit the cop. Aidan was halfway over there already. She slowed down. It clearly wasn’t an emergency.
“You can’t come up here with your sirens!” Mr. Grigoryan said. “It’s a wedding. You’re ruining their special day.”
“I understand that, sir, but we got a noise complaint, and we had to check it out.”
Mr. Grigoryan pointed a stubby finger to the south. “It’s from Marcel Befort, isn’t it?”
“I can’t really say, sir.”
“He wants to drive me out of business. He wants us to starve in the streets like dogs.”
They could probably
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