Someone without formal training by the off-key sound of it.And judging from the clapping and cheering going on inside, it wasn’t your average piano bar music happening in there.
“Sounds like there’s a party going on,” Ryan said.They were all supposed to meet Ruby for a quiet drink before dinner.
“Yeah, it does,” Candace agreed with a frown.
A lineup of people waited at the lounge entrance, all wearing sport jackets and cocktail dresses.Ryan angled to the side and craned his neck to see what was going on in there.Once he spotted the source, he did a double-take.But no, his bloodshot, sleep-deprived eyes weren’t playing tricks on him.
Grinning, he turned to the others.“You’re not gonna believe this.Or maybe you will.”
“What?”Candace pushed past him as the others maneuvered for a better look.
Two people at the head of the lineup entered the lounge, clearing a line of sight just as a raucous round of applause and whistles broke out.When Ace saw why, she gasped, both hands flying to her mouth.“Oh my God, Grandma...”
“Grandma?”Maya shoved past him to see.
And yep, there was Candace’s eighty-something grandma, wearing a glittery gold evening gown—sprawled out on her side atop the piano in what Ryan could only describe as a pinup pose.
Her short blue-white hair curled tightly against her head, she had a cigarette in one hand and a drink in the other.She raised her glass in a toast to her adoring, captive audience, then signaled the pianist and launched into the next song, her slightly off-key voice ringing off the wood-paneled walls and ceiling.
The audience seemed to be loving the hell out of the spectacle.So did everyone in their group, except Candace.
She groaned and hid her face against Ryan’s shoulder.He patted her back in sympathy even as he chuckled and pulled out his phone to record the show.This was too freaking awesome.
“Hey, what’s going on?”a familiar female voice said from behind them.
Ryan looked over his shoulder and smiled at Devon and her husband, Cam, as they walked up.“Hey, good to see you.”He shook Cam’s hand and slapped his buddy’s shoulder.
“Wow, Dev, you look fantastic!”Candace exclaimed, throwing her arms around the former army Blackhawk pilot.
“Civilian life,” Dev said with a shrug, her black hair now grown out to shoulder length.“What can I say, for some reason it agrees with me.”
“I’ll say it does.”There was something wistful in Candace’s expression as she said it.
Ryan nodded at the Seattle Seahawk scarf artfully wrapped around Devon’s neck.“Nice touch.Guess you’re looking forward to watching their first home game on Sunday?”
“I can’t wait,” Dev said, her gray eyes sparkling.“You can dress me up in a fancy outfit and put me in high heels, but I’m still a tomboy at heart.”
“A crazy hot one,” Cam told her, his arm around her waist.
“Please, I don’t believe her,” Candace said to him.“I know she misses flying the 60s.Tell me the truth.”
Cam gave his wife a gentle smile.“You totally miss it.”
Devon smiled back at him.“Maybe sometimes.But my pay and benefits now as a private pilot are a helluva lot better than what I made in the army.It just sucks that you and I are so far apart all the time now.”
Yeah, Ryan knew exactly what that felt like.Deployments were damn hard on relationships.Which was why the time together as a couple when they were stateside was so precious.
“We’re gonna make up for lost time this week,” Cam promised, giving her a squeeze.
“Us too,” Ryan said, hoping to start that right after he pried whatever was bugging Candace out of her once they got back to the room.“And to answer your earlier question,” he said to Devon, “paybackis what’s going on in there.”He tipped his head toward the off-key singing.
“Is that your...grandma?”Dev asked Candace, eyes widening as she peered into the crowded room.
She made a strangled sound.“Unfortunately, yes.”
Cam chuckled and shoved his hands into his pockets, blue eyes twinkling.“That’s awesome.”
Ryan nodded and returned to filming, intent on capturing every moment of this.“For real.Especially once it hits YouTube.”
