“Thank you.”
Blair stepped out of the car, even more pride and swagger in her body language than usual. The rest of his family followed. Finley hugged them all, then made a great fuss over the car. Such a fuss did she make that she suspected Luke of blushing.
He looked wildly handsome tonight in a slim white crewneck sweater and black jeans. He’d combed his hair off his face like he’d done the night of the Valentine’s party. It turned her tomushwhen he did that.
“Why are there so many people?” he whispered near her ear as they made their way back inside. “You told me there would be a total of ten.”
“That was my initial plan.” She waved a hand breezily. “The plan grew in an organic way.”
“Finley.”
She laughed as she parted from him to deposit his mom’s coffee cake on the food table.
The divine late-April weather had freed everyone to mingle outside, just as she’d hoped. Rented tables and chairs dotted the land between her house and the river. Kat had made tablecloths from patterned pastel fabric Finley had chosen. Arrangements ofivory and pink peonies served as centerpieces. Later, when darkness came, string lights would add character.
Gratitude and pollen drifted down on her.
She was flush with health. Flush with it! And tonight, she’d be surrounded by all her favorite people.
Happily, she made her way from one group of people to the next. No matter where she mingled, however, she was always conscious of Luke’s position. Frequent glances in his direction proved that he was handling himself admirably. He’d had a great deal of practice at interacting with her friends and family members while she’d been in the hospital and rehab facility.
Eventually, she approached him from behind while he was in conversation with Trish and Kat.
Trish was singing the praises of the pimento cheese dip someone had brought. “You both have to try it.”
Kat scoffed disdainfully. “I’m going to have a protein shake for dinner. I brought the ingredients with me.”
“But this dip is wonderful. Addictive!”
“This morning I ran five miles in less than thirty minutes,” Kat announced. “Fitness requires sacrifices.”
“Luke,” Finley interjected, “I’d like to introduce you to tonight’s guest of honor.”
He turned, and she showed him the puppy she held in her arms. Agatha. Finley had invited the Gomez family because they’d fostered Rufus and Gloria the fish during her convalescence. She’d expressly requested they bring Agatha tonight, and the grudging smile Luke gave the dog confirmed that she’d been right to do so.
Upon recognizing her beloved, Agatha wiggled furiously. Finley handed her over, and the puppy attempted to burrow under Luke’s sweater.
Finley wouldn’t mind burrowing under his sweater herself.
Luke patted Agatha’s back. “She’s grown.”
“She has.”
“She’s now closer to the size of a rat than a mouse,” he said.“You must have a bad self-image, Agatha. And, honestly, it’s justified.”
Finley laughed.
Agatha’s tiny, fierce expression communicated her willingness to bite any person who attempted to separate her from the man of her dreams.
Ben was a Baptist from the South, which meant he’d never met a potluck meal he didn’t like. He surveyed his packed plate with pleasure. Fried chicken. Green bean casserole. Salads. One overachiever had baked homemade macaroni and cheese.
Akira sat next to him. “There’s even Jell-O,” she said with delight.
“That you’re happy about the Jell-O proves that you’re the woman for me.”
“The proof is in the Jell-O.”
“Where’ve you been all my life?”
