“And, I’m assumin’ you’re another pilot hopeful… One of Kota’s friends?”
“You assume right. Me and Remillard met at OTS. I’ll have to give him a hard time about not puttin’ in a good word for me in advance. Didn’t he tell you about his newest friend?”
Ginny shrugged, having far too much fun with the stranger. “Even if he had, all y’all Air Force boys look alike… I couldn’t possibly keep track of you all.”
“Listen,” Liam lowered his voice, his breath brushed against her cheek. “I know this is forward, but I gotta know before I ask you for another dance…”
“Another dance? We haven’t finished this one yet, Liam Michael Holder. That’s awfully presumptuous of you.”
“I’m a pretty confident guy. Have to be in my line of work.”
Ginny stuck out her tongue. “Bleh. Unimpressed, but please do keep going. What do you need to know?”
He chuckled against her cheek, but continued. “Are you attached to anyone…? Like, maybe the guy you were singing with earlier?”
Nope, I’m just the groom’s cute baby sister.
“No,” she answered too quickly, annoyed that even as this deliciously handsome Air Force pilot showed interest in her, the tiniest mention of Ryan managed to supersede him in her brain. “I’m completely available. Totally and absolutely unattached. So, so, so single.”
Whoa, Virginia. Overeager much? Slow your roll.
“Good to know.” He took the hand he’d held before, chuckling low, and pulled her closer to his chest—the Air Force pilot confidence thing sure wasn’t an over-exaggeration. “Because that guy’s been staring laser beams at me since I tookyou out on the floor. So I’m not certain he’s aware of yourso, so, so singlestatus.”
“He’s just a family friend. Overprotective.”
You should see him eat a rhubarb pie shirtlessis what she didn’t say.
The song came to an end, and Liam, the far too attractive,brother’s best friend romanceGinny wouldn’t mind dancing with all night, whispered in her ear, “Nah. I don’t think that’s it at all. He looks like a guy who knows he’s missing out. I intend to keep it that way.”
They danced and talked through a few more songs, where Ginny learned that Liam was originally from California and had lived in the same house his entire life until joining the military. He loved his family, running marathons—which Ginny found admirable, but unnatural—and drinking black coffee.
When he said he hated college football, Ginny thought,Hmmmm,immediate red flag, but gave him the benefit of the doubt. Liam spoke at length about how he thought the mountains couldn’t ever compare to the beach—like a total West Coast crazy person. And then, sweet, beautiful, completely-wrong-for-her Liam declared that romance novels, musicals, and rewatchingThe Office—all favorite past-times of Ginny’s—were frivolous ways to spend valuable time.
Ginny promptly ended their short-lived romance, quickly abandoning her sudden urge to run away with a pilot, start a new life and, apparently, give up watching Jim and Pam fall in love forevermore… He probably had on plain ol’ black dress socks. Not worth it.
After that particular disappointment, she made her way to her siblings, where they’d congregated around a table with a giant smorgasbord of Southern delicacies.
Dakota and Sadie were busy squabbling over how many pralines were too many before they cut into their cake, whileCaroline and Georgia nibbled on pieces of fudge and pralines, respectively, as they watched the dance floor.
Ginny followed their gazes, where Griffin wiggled with Theo and held a still bald, one-year-old Simon in his arms, and Lake twirled his daughter, Davey, around as she giggled and squeezed his neck.
“Watcha doin’ girls?” Ginny asked, smiling at her sisters blatantly drooling over their husbands.
“Just snackin’,” Caroline said, not taking her eyes off of Griffin.
“Mmmhhmmm,” Ginny hummed.
“I’m pretty sure I just got pregnant… again,” Georgia deadpanned, gazing at Lake like he was the praline she wanted to take a bite out of.
“I’m almost positive that’s not how it works,” Sadie laughed, sliding into the conversation and shaking her head at Georgia’s antics.
Dakota slipped his hand around Sadie’s waist. “And I’m positive I just threw up in my mouth a little.”
Georgia paid them absolutely no mind.
“I don’t think that man has ever been sexier than he is right now.” She threw her hand out accusingly. “Like, how does someone walk around looking like that every dang day! I need to stop this. People need to know he’s mine.” She downed the rest of her treat in one bite and scurried onto the dance floor, claiming Lake in front of God and everybody, with her mouth, and then holding Davey in her arms so they could both dance with him.
“That escalated quickly,” Ryan said, coming around the corner of the table.
