She sipped on the pre-poured glass of water at her seat. Memories inundated her. “Of all my memories, I’ll never forget the moment Mike and I walked into the hall, and we were introduced as Mr. and Mrs. Stroud for the first time. That was the moment it finally hit me that we were married.”
“Not when the Pastor pronounced you man and wife?” Evan sat with one arm casually draped over the chair.
“You would think, but no.” She broke out in a smile. “Standing in front of the church, I was so nervous. I couldn’t even tell you much about the ceremony itself, but by the time we took pictures afterward and made it into the reception, my brain slowed down enough to process it all.”
The room went silent, and people stopped where they were.
“Here they come.” Evan tipped his head to the wide doorway.
First to walk in were Kelly and Kyle, followed by Wyatt and Meg. After each couple was introduced, the reception officially began. Among a multitude of toasts, including one each from Jared and Evan, and a four-course meal, Janie relaxed. Truly relaxed. For the first time she could remember since Mike died.
Watching the love flow between Wyatt and Meg as they shared the first dance to “God Bless the Broken Road,” made it impossible for her to maintain any emotion but happiness. Theirs was a beautiful love story, years in the making. The song aptly described the relationship, and anyone who knew Wyatt and Meg had no doubt of God’s blessing on their marriage.
The dance floor opened to everyone after Kelly and Kyle danced to Nat King Cole’s “Unforgettable.”
Corie, Wyatt’s eighteen-year-old sister, approached Jared. Her growing crush on him over the last several days couldn’t be denied. She was a sweet girl, but too young for Jared even if he’d been searching for a girlfriend.
He darted a discreet cry for help to Janie with his eyes.
She could have helped him, but watching him wiggle out of the situation held too much entertainment value, and it had been entirely too long since she’d felt mischievous. She mouthed, “You’re on your own.”
The scowl he shot back warned her of impending payback.
She’d do well to check her room for rubber snakes or mice later.You can turn a boy into a man, but you can’t take the boy out of the man. Oh well, she could hold her own—she’d been friends with them long enough to anticipate their antics, immature as their pranks could be at times.
Having no polite alternative, Jared awkwardly accepted a dance with Corie. They moved to the dance floor and disappeared into the crowd.
Noah also left the table to talk with a group of cousins. According to him, there’d be no dances for him that night since his girlfriend wasn’t present, a vow which had endeared him to all the single ladies present.
“I’m sorry about Corie.” Mrs. Deluca, Wyatt’s mother, offered an embarrassed smile from across the table. “She broke up with her boyfriend last month, and I think she latched onto Jared because she knows it’s an impossible match.”
Evan scrunched his face in confusion. “That doesn’t make sense. Seems it sets her up for heartache.”
“It’s a girl thing.” Janie nudged his arm. “You wouldn’t understand.”
Mr. Deluca laughed and winked at Evan. “Don’t try to figure it out, or you’ll give yourself a headache.”
“I’ll take your word for it.” Evan made a show of rubbing his temples. “I have enough headaches as it is.”
Another song played, a slow ballad, and Mr. Deluca reached for his wife’s hand. “May I have this dance?”
Taking his hand, Mrs. Deluca blushed. “Yes, you may.”
Janie turned to Evan after the older couple left. “They’re so cute. I bet they still hold hands walking in the store.”
“I’m sure they do.” Evan’s gaze didn’t meet hers, and he searched the crowd. “Think Jared escaped? I don’t see him anywhere.”
“Knowing him, he made the best of it, then found a woman closer to his age to cast his charms on for the night.”
Following Evan’s shifted line of vision, Janie saw Jared dancing with a redhead. “And…you called it. We won’t see him again until it’s time to leave.”
Evan smirked. “Should we warn the girl she’s a pawn of his escape route?”
She shrugged. “Why ruin the moment? She’ll figure it out soon enough.”
Starkly aware they sat alone at the table, a pregnant silence fell between them.
Her half-eaten slice of cake with amaretto icing begged to be eaten despite her full stomach. She picked up her fork, dragged it over the plate and broke off a small piece. Once she brought it to her mouth, she couldn’t bring herself to take the bite. So much for that distraction.
