I
think it’s the best, too.” Sarah beamed a slightly toothless smile at him.
“What’s the going rate from the
tooth fairy these days?”
“I got two dollars.”
Jake whistled. “Wow! I only got
fifty cents.”
Sarah looked at him sideways. “That
means you must be pretty old.” Jake burst out laughing.
“Sarah!” Cara’s eyes grew wide.
“Compared to Sarah, I am old. I’m more
than four times as old as she is.”
The little girl nodded. “That’s old,
Mommy.”
Grace smiled broadly, and her eyes
sparkled. Jake’s gaze met hers over the table. She has a beautiful smile. Their eyes held for a moment before she
looked away. She’s here then gone.
“How did you get into this crazy
business, Jake?” Grant asked.
Jake put down his fork. “I majored
in theater at Kensington State.”
“And then,” Cara coaxed. Jake
watched Grace pretend not to listen, but he spied her paying close attention.
“I got a shot for a walk-on at the
Pine Grove Playhouse. The next season, I got a starring role and, lucky for me,
there was a producer in the audience.”
“Did Gunther discover you?” Cara
asked.
Grace choked on a bit of ham, and
Grant patted her back until she could take some water. Why should his name make her choke?
“As a matter of fact he did.”
“Huh, don’t think of Gunther Quill
as hawking talent in regional theaters.”
“So Quill discovered you and the
rest is history?” Grant asked.
“Sort of. I’m from Willow Falls, a
whistle-stop small town, where the University is. I’m still getting used to
Hollywood and New York.”
“You’re great in the play. If I
didn’t trust Cara, I’d say she’s more in love with you than me,” Grant joked.
Jake blushed. “Thanks.”
“Mommy! You don’t love Jake more
than Daddy, do you?” Sarah wailed.
“Daddy’s kidding, pumpkin,” Cara
soothed her daughter and shot a sharp glance at Grant. “I love Daddy most of
all.”
Again, Jake’s eyes met Grace’s
across the table. Her look was warm but how warm? Is that a “let’s be friends” smile or something more? Does she have feelings for me? What does she
really think of me? Damn, she’s the hardest woman to read…ever.
The dinner was convivial, with
everyone laughing, joking, and practically inhaling the excellent food. After
the main course, they took a break to sing more carols. A smile swept across Jake’s
face when Grace came up behind him and rested her hand on him again. Her tender
gesture sent flames through his veins. Will
I ever be able to touch her again? Even just to put my arm around her? Or will
she always be leery because I was a jerk?
The sound of her melodious voice in
his ear was exciting because it meant she was standing close to him. He leaned
back a little until he made contact with her, igniting sparks in him. She
didn’t move away. Maybe her ban on connecting
has been lifted?
Cara read ’Twas the Night Before Christmas, giving it her best performance. Sarah
was mesmerized. Afterwards, Grant slung her over his shoulder like a sack of
potatoes and carted her off to bed amid her howls of protest. One by one, the
adults filed in to say goodnight when the young girl was tucked in.
Grant offered everyone a liqueur or
sherry, and the four remaining sat and chatted until the drinks were gone. Finally,
Cara and Grant made their excuses and toddled off to their room. It must be great to go to bed every night
with someone you love so much. An inadvertent sigh escaped his lips as he
watched the couple disappear behind their bedroom door.
“Thinking about wedded bliss?” Grace
interrupted, reading his thoughts.
Jake sensed color rise to his cheeks.
“It must be nice…they love each other so much. I mean, going to bed every night
with someone you…” he stopped, flushing deeper at the realization of what he
had said.
“Yeah, I know. Just the cuddling
alone might be worth the price of marriage.”
“Price of marriage?” Jake cocked his
head
think it’s the best, too.” Sarah beamed a slightly toothless smile at him.
“What’s the going rate from the
tooth fairy these days?”
“I got two dollars.”
Jake whistled. “Wow! I only got
fifty cents.”
Sarah looked at him sideways. “That
means you must be pretty old.” Jake burst out laughing.
“Sarah!” Cara’s eyes grew wide.
“Compared to Sarah, I am old. I’m more
than four times as old as she is.”
The little girl nodded. “That’s old,
Mommy.”
Grace smiled broadly, and her eyes
sparkled. Jake’s gaze met hers over the table. She has a beautiful smile. Their eyes held for a moment before she
looked away. She’s here then gone.
“How did you get into this crazy
business, Jake?” Grant asked.
Jake put down his fork. “I majored
in theater at Kensington State.”
“And then,” Cara coaxed. Jake
watched Grace pretend not to listen, but he spied her paying close attention.
“I got a shot for a walk-on at the
Pine Grove Playhouse. The next season, I got a starring role and, lucky for me,
there was a producer in the audience.”
“Did Gunther discover you?” Cara
asked.
Grace choked on a bit of ham, and
Grant patted her back until she could take some water. Why should his name make her choke?
“As a matter of fact he did.”
“Huh, don’t think of Gunther Quill
as hawking talent in regional theaters.”
“So Quill discovered you and the
rest is history?” Grant asked.
“Sort of. I’m from Willow Falls, a
whistle-stop small town, where the University is. I’m still getting used to
Hollywood and New York.”
“You’re great in the play. If I
didn’t trust Cara, I’d say she’s more in love with you than me,” Grant joked.
Jake blushed. “Thanks.”
“Mommy! You don’t love Jake more
than Daddy, do you?” Sarah wailed.
“Daddy’s kidding, pumpkin,” Cara
soothed her daughter and shot a sharp glance at Grant. “I love Daddy most of
all.”
Again, Jake’s eyes met Grace’s
across the table. Her look was warm but how warm? Is that a “let’s be friends” smile or something more? Does she have feelings for me? What does she
really think of me? Damn, she’s the hardest woman to read…ever.
The dinner was convivial, with
everyone laughing, joking, and practically inhaling the excellent food. After
the main course, they took a break to sing more carols. A smile swept across Jake’s
face when Grace came up behind him and rested her hand on him again. Her tender
gesture sent flames through his veins. Will
I ever be able to touch her again? Even just to put my arm around her? Or will
she always be leery because I was a jerk?
The sound of her melodious voice in
his ear was exciting because it meant she was standing close to him. He leaned
back a little until he made contact with her, igniting sparks in him. She
didn’t move away. Maybe her ban on connecting
has been lifted?
Cara read ’Twas the Night Before Christmas, giving it her best performance. Sarah
was mesmerized. Afterwards, Grant slung her over his shoulder like a sack of
potatoes and carted her off to bed amid her howls of protest. One by one, the
adults filed in to say goodnight when the young girl was tucked in.
Grant offered everyone a liqueur or
sherry, and the four remaining sat and chatted until the drinks were gone. Finally,
Cara and Grant made their excuses and toddled off to their room. It must be great to go to bed every night
with someone you love so much. An inadvertent sigh escaped his lips as he
watched the couple disappear behind their bedroom door.
“Thinking about wedded bliss?” Grace
interrupted, reading his thoughts.
Jake sensed color rise to his cheeks.
“It must be nice…they love each other so much. I mean, going to bed every night
with someone you…” he stopped, flushing deeper at the realization of what he
had said.
“Yeah, I know. Just the cuddling
alone might be worth the price of marriage.”
“Price of marriage?” Jake cocked his
head
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