“They make great cocktails,” John said. “You could try a Negroni. It’s gin, sweet vermouth, and Campari.”
“Maybe cut it? Add water so it’s not as strong,” Jerry suggested thoughtfully.
Marie nodded. “That’s what I’ll do.”
Then he looked at Adele, a twinkle in his eye. “I hear they have excellent whisky here. Might I recommend one with a Sidecar of lime?”
It took her a second to figure out where that twinkle was coming from, then she understood. Apparently, the Riverside Inn was another one of the Bailey Brothers’ customers. She gave him a conspiratorial smile. “How could I refuse?”
The waiter arrived, and Jerry placed their orders, adding two straight whiskies for him and John. “And chicken for everyone,” he said.
“Yes, sir,” the waiter replied, then he walked away.
“Why did you order chicken?” Marie asked. “We already had a big supper.”
“It’s the law,” Jerry explained as the song came to an end. “You have to order food if you want a drink. You don’t have to eat it, though I recommend it. They make great meals here.”
“Oh, that’s right. I had heard of that. Too bad I’m not hungry.”
John rose at that moment and offered his hand, smooth and confident as a Hollywood star. “Maybe I can help you regain your appetite. Care to dance, Mrs. Everett?”
“Don’t tell me you can do all that fancy footwork.”
“A bit. C’mon, I’ll teach you.”
“Okay,” Marie said gamely, and took his hand.
Adele watched them walk onto the dance floor, smiling in sympathy as her sister gestured apologetically at her feet, declaring she had two left ones. John laughed with her, then he showed her how to start.
“Your sister isn’t quite who I imagined,” Jerry said as they watched their siblings.
“Well, I’m happy to say she isn’t who I expected, either. She’s changed since the last time I saw her. She’s more of her old self, thank goodness. I don’t suppose she’d mind me telling you about her volunteer work.”
Jerry hadn’t heard of the War Amps, and he was intrigued.
“You’ll get to read all about it. She brought you a magazine from there, thinking you could share it with others.”
“I look forward to it.”
Back on the dance floor, John must have suggested that Marie look up at him instead of at her feet, because she smiled and did so. After that she seemed to catch on.
“It’s kind of John to be so attentive to her.”
“He’s a natural flirt,” Jerry said. “I know it’s kind of a front, but it’s a good one at least. I think he needed tonight. I haven’t spent much time around him lately.”
“Oh?”
Jerry smiled. “You see, there’s this girl in Petite Côte.”
Butterflies swooped in, filling her chest. “Is that right?”
“She’s all I can think about these days.”
She couldn’t look away, but she leaned back when the waiter returned with the drinks. The song ended, bringing a flushed John and Marie back to the table. Marie’s face was lit up like it had so many years before. What a wonderful night this was turning out to be.
“Here’s to the four of us,” Marie said, holding up her glass.
“I’ll drink to that,” John said, and they all clinked their glasses together.
