“And some privacy. The last guy came in wearing more lipstick than his lady friend,” Zander observed, watching Essie too carefully. She suspected he had guessed she’d spotted the ghostly visitors.
“Love is definitely in the air tonight,” Tiffanie said. “My heart is happy for all the couples.”
Edmund and Esther waltzed by, waving to the small group. Essie raised her hand to return the greeting but froze when the others looked at her strangely.
“Great party, Essie!” Edmund called, twirling Esther around so she could face Essie for a minute.
“You brought this house back to life!” Esther congratulated her. Her aunt’s happiness thrilled Essie. Esther had made this possible.
Other dancers on the floor moved instinctively out of their way as the ghostly couple waltzed gracefully around the floor.
“There it is! Do you feel that cool breeze?” Ivan asked, seconds after the founders of Ferguson’s Folly passed.
“Brrr!” Tiffanie said, rubbing her arms.
“You can feel that too?” Ivan asked.
“Of course not. You’re nuts, oh, brother of mine,” Tiffanie teased.
“Did you two fight a lot when you were kids?” Zander asked before popping a cold, boiled shrimp into his mouth.
“All the time. Poor Ivan always got blamed for everything,” Tiffanie said.
“Tiffanie had Dad wrapped around her little finger,” Ivan said, rolling his eyes. “How our relationship developed baffles me, but we’ve always been close despite the preferential treatment she got.”
“He loves me despite my flaws,” Tiffanie said, smiling fondly at Ivan. “I don’t know what I would have done without him.”
“Thank goodness you don’t have to find out,” Ivan answered. “Eat! This caterer is a much better cook than I am. You won’t get these delicious concoctions at home.”
Tiffanie laughed and munched on a few bites. “This is fantastic, Essie. Your caterer is amazing. Surely Sara doesn’t prepare all of this.”
“No. I rely on her, though. She works with the firm to create someunique dishes that are only available at our Ferguson’s Folly events. Then their workers take over the preparation, cooking, and serving of the items. I could save some money by hiring my own staff, but that would create more work for me and a permanent payroll.”
“Better to start slow and gear up for that,” Zander agreed. “Essie’s making amazing decisions to sustain her new business. I’m really impressed.”
Essie smiled at him. Zander’s support meant the world to her. Always encouraging and positive, her Daddy made her feel successful even on the days when she was ready to pull her hair out with frustration or collapse from fatigue. How did she get so lucky to find him?
“Cheers to Essie,” Ivan said and raised his bottle of water. The others lifted their drinks as well and clinked them in the middle.
Zander took a sip of his champagne and set the glass down. “If you’ll excuse us, I’m going to steal Essie and show her off on the dance floor.”
Standing up eagerly, Essie hoped she wouldn’t trample his feet. She loved to dance and didn’t get to groove often. Wrapped in Zander’s arms, she enjoyed how his body moved against hers, just like making love standing up. Her cheeks heated at that idea.
“Now that’s an adorable blush. What are you thinking about?” Zander whispered in her ear.
“I can’t tell you now,” she answered, glancing meaningfully at the other couples close to them. Being romantic when the brother and sister didn’t have partners in their lives felt awkward.
“I see. I’ll look forward to exploring this later when we’re alone.”
As Zander steered her around the ballroom, she forced her mind into a more public-friendly focus. She marveled at how easy he was to follow. He held her firmly, but not stiffly. Used to stumbling over her own feet, Essie relaxed in his arms as he swept her along with him. This was so much fun.
“Where did you learn to dance so well?” she asked.
“My mother believed gentlemen needed to have this skill. I attended the cotillions they held in town at the country club. An elderly lady taught ballroom classes to kids before each one. On the dance floor, she and her husband appeared thirty years younger. I remember thinking I’d love to find a partner to step through all the stages of life with.”
“Not too many kids focus that far ahead,” Essie said. Zander had never acted like most guys she’d run into growing up. He was special.
“Perhaps because I knew someone magical waited for me.” Zander dipped her in a corner, making Essie laugh with delight.
