Now the dancer had pulled Lou up and somehow gotten her legs wrapped around his waist as he danced with her, his pelvis doing some type of thrusts as he held on to her ass to keep her secure and her arm was waving in the air like she was on a bucking bronco. I wondered what my mom would think of her big sister and then immediately dashed that thought. What if she wanted to join her? There would not be enough alcohol in the world to erase those memories.
Verdell made a rumbling noise of amusement. “Mind? Not in the least.” His gaze was warm and followed his wife on the stage.
I looked at him in confusion, and he turned, took in my expression, and then covered my pale hand with his largebrown one, immediately helping to relax me as I noted the size differential between the two of us. Verdell played basketball when he was younger and had coached for years. He would have been able to palm a ball easily. My distraction from the mayhem around me was only fleeting.
“Jules, I’ve been married to Lou for fifty years. We’ve been through times where a marriage between race was not accepted as easily as we are now. We’ve overcome arguments that occur when you put two very independent souls together. Our early years were volatile, but I knew one thing for certain then and still do today.”
“What’s that?”
“That woman is it for me. She makes my life interesting and keeps me guessing. And while she’s having a hell of a good time right now up there, mostly she just loves being the center of attention. Whatever else happens, know this. She’s coming home to me.” He gave me a wink. “And I really like her spicy romance book club nights if you catch my drift. I have a feeling tonight’s club will be no different.”
I wrinkled my nose. “Eww.”
He let out a deep laugh. “Not eww but worthy of celebration when you hit the age we are.”
I mean, if I could remove the idea that we were talking about my relatives who were in their early seventies, I could get behind his words. Heck, I sure hoped I was sexually active when I was their age, but I could do without the dance party on the stage.
Looking that way, I saw that Kristine from the yoga studio was now planking with her arms braced on a chair on the stage while another dancer had her legs wrapped around his waist as he slapped her ass to the encouragement of the audience.
Maggie and Maeve were joining Jeanie and Hattie in the front row, passing off more tips. Sweet Jesus. I had zero desire for audience participation.
I was wondering if I could tell Verdell that I was going to sit here with him over here, hiding, until it was time to leave when I saw Ivy heading my way with concern clearly etched on her face.
“Hey, Ivy, sorry I haven’t come over yet,” I said, trying to make sure I was heard over the crowd, but this side room really allowed a view at a much lower volume than the main area. As Ivy glanced back at her phone, I wondered if Lorelai was struggling with her ear infection and Ivy needed to leave. As much as I wanted to hang out with these women, I wouldn’t be opposed to going home and joining them another day.
“Jules, did Noah text you by any chance?” Ivy asked, her voice sounding strained.
“Why?” I asked, pulling my phone out of the depths of my purse. As the screen lit up, I immediately saw text messages stacked there. “He did,” I murmured, tapping to open them as I felt Ivy press herself into my side. My heart raced, certain with everything in me that whatever was happening, it wasn’t good.
Noah:Jules, I’m so sorry, but I’m going to need to be out of town for a few days and wanted you to know I wasn’t ghosting you.
Noah:Not sure how much you want to know or where our friendship plus more puts us right now, but my parents have been in an accident, and it isn’t looking like they’ll live through the night.
Noah:You know from our conversation that this is going to be strained. I’ll call when I know more. But thanks for the past week and especially the past two days. You’ve been a bright spot, and I couldn’t leave town without you knowing that.
That message was sent a minute ago. I looked up to Ivy in horror. “Did you know about his parents?”
Ivy nodded miserably. “My parents know them and texted me, then Noah did so I’d know why he was going out of town.”She wiped a tear away as it spilled over her cheek. “They don’t deserve my sympathy, but he does.”
My heart hurt for the poor man, then I thought of something and looked back to Ivy in horror. “He can’t go up there on his own. He doesn’t have any siblings or other family who will be there.”
She nodded in agreement. “And that’s why I came over here. You should go with him.”
“But,” I protested. “He’s known you longer, or Jake…”
Ivy leaned in and met my gaze. “And you would provide the most comfort. I only had to be around you two for an hour to know that.”
I bit my lip and looked from her to Verdell, who had been reading my messages over my shoulder and listening in unabashedly. He had clearly absorbed some of his wife’s eavesdropping tendencies.
“This is the guy who bought your breakfast the other day?” he asked.
I nodded.
He gave a decisive nod and then said, “Go.”
I looked to Ivy, and she gave me a sad grin as she lifted her phone. “Let’s go. I’ll tell Allyson and Maeve to catch another ride home on the way out and then we’ll get Jake to stall Noah until I get you there.” She hustled back to our crowd, who were celebrating the dancers just steps away from my bubble with Verdell but seemingly in a whole other world.
I hesitated, then looked at Verdell with teary eyes. “How can I comfort him? I haven’t lost my parents, and Noah’s relationship with his isn’t positive.”
