“I sure hope so.”
“I kinda promised this one you might have something for him.”
She laughed. “Catering just brought out the mini cheesecakes. How about one of those.” She glanced at me. “Probably a little too much booze in the others.”
“That’ll be fine.”
She pointed at a few cups at the back. “Some of those got crushed. Take a reject and I won’t tell anyone.”
Danny laughed. He carefully scooted one of the little cheesecakes out of cluster of little cups that echoed the shape ofthe daisies from the floral arrangements. Mercy closed the gap with a different treat right behind him.
Danny didn’t waste any time shoving it in his mouth. He mumbled around the bite with wide eyes.
“Good?”
He nodded emphatically.
I laughed. “C’mon, let’s leave her to it and we can check on your mom.”
He tugged on my arm and I threw one last look over my shoulder at Mercy.
She was staring after us, but I couldn’t read her. Finally, she turned back to the cake and I felt strangely bereft.
What the hell was my problem? It was just a kiss. Nothing earth shattering.
“Mom!”
I focused back on Danny who’d mowed his way through the crowd that was making their way down to the seats. I hurried after him and stopped outside the tent in case anyone was still undressed.
Danny didn’t care, just blasted inside. I heard a bunch of female voices cooing over him and rolled my eyes. He knew how to work them that was for sure.
“Are you guys decent?” I called out from a few steps away.
Parker ducked her head out. “Do shots count?”
“Hell yeah.” I slipped inside and found a row of shot glasses lined up with a bottle of Cabo Wabo tequila a quarter gone. “And where did we get this?” I asked as I picked it up and poured myself a shot.
“Cash lost it in a bet this morning.” Parker lifted a shot to me. “He’s on a losing streak and I love it.”
I laughed. “You couldn’t have gone easy on him with the purple hair dye?”
“Absolutely not. Besides, that one wasn’t my fault. He shouldn’t bet against the Bears.”
“Everyone should bet against the Bears,” I said with a laugh.
“Underdogs for the win.” Parker held up her glass.
“I want one,” Danny piped up.
Parker paused with the glass. “Uh. How do you feel about pineapple juice?”
“I like pineapples.”
Nora swished over in her floor length dress and crouched for the cooler. “I’ll do one with you.”
“Cool!”
Nora laughed, but I could see the strain around her eyes. She was a Type-A sort and being away from all the action was probably driving her crazy.
