I had to agree with him. Whoever she’d hired to help plan the event spared no expense. And it looked that way without seeming overdone. Even though it was.
There were several white tents spread throughout the grounds. Most housed the dinner tables, one covered a small brass ensemble playing big-band music, but some were simply for stylish protection should Seattle rain begin to fall, which it was scheduled not to do, as luck would have it. Countless white flowers hung in ropes from the awnings of the tents, like they were falling from the sky, making it look like a fairyland. Here and there, pale blue and pink flowers were intermixed with the rest. A subtle take on the red, white, and blue of the season. And like inside, candles were everywhere. Sunset was still a couple of hours away, but the candles already filled the space with a soft glow.
I’d intentionally arranged it so we showed up nearly a half hour late. Which was perfect. I’d missed my mother’s welcome to the crowd, and most of the guests had arrived and were already taking their assigned seats around the grounds. Sure enough, I spotted the rest of the family seated at the table closest to the lake. I leaned in to Stewart. “You ready for this?”
He smiled and nodded. “You bet.” There was a twinkle in his eyes, like he really was excited to be there. While the thought made me nervous, I had to admit, it made him even more beautiful.
As we reached the family table, I approached Mom first and bent to kiss her cheek.
“You’re late, Randall.”
“Sorry, Mom. You know I hate all the small talk that comes before the meal.”
Though she let out atsk, she wasn’t upset. “You did a fine job scrounging up a date. Very handsome. I trust he won’t make a fool of us during introductions after dinner?”
Without replying, I ushered Stewart forward. “Everyone, this is my friend, Stewart Appleton.” I motioned to each member of my family in turn. “Stewart, this is my mom and dad, Maureen and Vincent Morgan. My brother, Dustin, and his wife, Kayla, and their daughter, Bailey.”
Like her mother before her, Bailey gave a delicate dip of her head by way of recognition. She would be the only child there this evening. Just as it had been for Dustin and me. And she would be the perfect silent princess. There was no other option.
As the band played, dinner extended into an hours-long affair. Eight courses, each served with a small corresponding wine or cocktail, starting with a small crab cake as an appetizer. Soup was three-onion gratiné. Next came grilled swordfish, then venison steak, followed by a butter lettuce salad. The final two courses were individual rustic blueberry tarts and a small fruit-and-cheese plate.
I couldn’t keep my eyes off Bailey as we ate. Again there was nothing there she liked, except for the cheese plate, but she forced it all down without even a grimace at the blueberries, which she detested. Would it have been too much to make the tarts strawberry?
It all made me long to sneak off and wander the quarter of a mile down wooded paths to hide on my jetty and stare up at the stars. I hated nights like these. Though I loved my mother and my sister-in-law, if it weren’t for Bailey, I would have fled Seattle years ago. I nearly did. Was about to, and then she came into the world. One look at her newly opened blue eyes and one firm grasp of her wrinkled hand on my fingers, and I knew I was trapped. There would be no escape.
My melancholy thoughts distracted me to such an extent I didn’t notice my mother leave the table until she took her spot behind the band’s center microphone. Her firm, clear voice cut through the early evening air. “Thank you again, everyone, for coming out this evening to spend the Fourth of July with us.” She paused as the crowd gave a polite round of applause. “I’m thrilled to announce that thanks to your willingness to join with me this evening, we have raised one hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars for the Seattle Humane Society.”
More applause, but Mom cut them off quickly. “Let’s not celebrate yet. That was simply the cost of your dinners and the upcoming fireworks show.” She gave a throaty laugh, which came across as relatable and charming, yet businesslike. I had to give it to her—she knew what she was doing. She always did. “By the time you leave this evening, I hope that your hearts have been touched and your wallets convinced to do some good outside of ourselves. But I know I’m not the one to convince you to do that. So if you’ll please welcome the new face of the Seattle Humane Society, Noah Carroll.” Lifting her hands to clap as she stepped away from the microphone, Noah emerged from behind the band and took her place.
Though the rest of the guests were clapping, even the members of my family and Stewart, I lifted my hands but held them in midair. They refused to move any farther as the name my mother announced sliced through my brain.
If I hadn’t heard it, I wouldn’t have recognized him. I had to squint to believe it. Gone was the white T-shirt and jeans and the man bun. Noah stood in front of the crowd, tall and sophisticated in a classic black suit, black shirt, and white tie. His beard was trimmed and perfectly shaped. His long hair could have been his only giveaway, but even it had been tamed, swept back from his face in a thick mane that fell in clean waves to the nape of his neck. He no longer looked like Jesus, but Brad Pitt getting ready to accept his award at the Oscars.
“Wow, he’s really….” Stewart looked over, and his voice trailed off.
I tore my gaze away from Noah to look at him. “Sorry, what?”
His eyes narrowed. “Do you know him?”
“Um, yeah, from a long time ago.” Without waiting for more of a response, I refocused on Noah.
I tried to listen to what he said. I really did. I was sure it was great. All about helping poor defenseless animals and what a difference the donations from the night would make. I could tell from the crowd’s response they were thoroughly charmed. As if from a distance, I heard them laugh from time to time.
Despite Noah’s low, warm voice issuing from the speakers, I didn’t catch one damned word.
One moment I was pulled back over twenty years ago, feeling my heart pound as I realized Noah and I were about to kiss. Remembering how I’d wept silently in my room when he and his family left after their yearlong furlough to return to the mission field.
The next I was seeing the desire in his eyes at the shelter, feeling the promise of heat and passion.
Then I was picturing him naked. His wide shoulders above me, my hands clenched in his chest hair—dear God let him have a hairy chest—as he pushed into me, then lowered his lips to mine.
Not one word he said did I hear. However, I would swear every syllable he uttered proclaimed he wanted me.
Near the end of his presentation, his eyes met mine. Long enough for there to be recognition. He faltered, but only for a moment, and then he was once again charming the crowd.
When I felt a burning gaze on me, I managed to look away. Stewart was glaring, fury seething behind his eyes. “I don’t think I like what’s going on here.”
“I’M SUREyou remember my son, Randall.” Mom motioned toward me, and I stretched out my hand on instinct. “And this is his date, Stewart Appleton.” She paused long enough for us to shake hands with Mr. and Ms. Thornton before going in for the kill. “I believe I heard your son just came out as transgender, isn’t that true?”
