As he reaches for my hand under the table, I succumb to the same laughter. It takes a full minute before I'm able to hear the heartfelt speech coming from the microphone.
"...pride and joy..."
When the dancing begins, Duncan winks at me as he stands. I start to rise but stop as he leans down and speaks to Grandma. "Helen, would you give me the honor of a dance?"
A lump forms in my throat. My grandma is glowing. Her eyes twinkle as she takes his hand. Together they walk toward the dance floor. Compared to his six-foot-plus build, she is petite, and when she looks up at him, her cheeks are pink and full of joy. As if they belong on a seventies TV show—the one with bubbles that my grandparents used to watch—as the music plays they glide across the dance floor.
Kevin taps me on the shoulder. "Hey, sis, can I have this dance?"
I nod, still mesmerized by the sight of Duncan Willis dancing with my grandma.
Once we're on the dance floor, Kevin looks me in the eye. "Sorry I give you such a hard time. It's great seeing you happy. Dunc is an okay guy, and not only because he let me drive that cool car."
I swallow the lump in my throat. "Yes, he is."
"I know Susan has been quiet, even more than usual. She's trying with all the wedding stuff, but she hasn't been feeling well."
I pull back and look my brother in the eye. Though Susan and Kevin have never been into public displays of affection or declarations of love like Kurt and Scarlett, they've always been together. My brother loves his wife in that solid way that our parents have always had. "What is it? Is she all right?"
His smile grows, bigger than I can ever recall seeing. "Better than all right. She's pregnant. We aren't telling anyone yet." He shrugs, his shoulders moving under my grasp. "With the wedding, Susan didn't want to take anything away from Scarlett's spotlight."
Tears prickle the back of my eyes.
"Kev, I'm so happy for you two." And then I punch his shoulder. "I'm not anyone. I should've known."
"Like you called me to tell me about Dunc? You've been dating for nearly half a year and now I finally meet him, finally hear about him."
A twinge of guilt shoots through me. "Fine. Seriously, I'm so happy for the both of you."
"Yeah, we've been trying...you know...for that 2.5."
I laugh. "I thought I was the only one who felt that pressure."
"Are you kidding? Try living here."
"No thanks, bro. But you can bet that Aunt Kimbra will be back here to hug your little one."
"Thanks, sis. Don't forget to bring Dunc back with you."
Fighting to maintain my smile, I nod and move my cheek to his shoulder as we continue to dance.
I am happy for Susan and Kevin...a baby. My head pops up. "Do Mom and Dad know?"
Kevin nods. "They do, but we swore them to secrecy."
"Grandma Helen?"
Kevin's chest shakes with laughter. "Are you kidding? Nope. She will. But you know she wouldn't have kept it quiet."
When the song changes, Kevin and Duncan exchange dance partners.
"You're even more gorgeous tonight than you were in that gold dress," Duncan coos once I'm in his arms.
"I think you're pretty damn handsome yourself." I lean into Duncan's embrace. As he gracefully glides me across the floor, I’m suddenly grateful for all those dance lessons with my feet on my father's shoes.
As we move about the floor, I look up from Duncan's shoulder and see my mom and dad as they also dance.
Duncan brings my attention back to him. "You and Kevin seemed to be in some secret conversation."
I shrug. "I told you, we're close. The bickering thing is just what we do."
"As long as you know the truth."
“The truth? What truth is that?"
"That you're amazing. That living your dream makes you a superstar. Just because you don't live here doesn't make you less than all of these people."
"I think I might also see that it doesn't make me more."
"I think you're more," Duncan says.
"What I mean is that they aren't exempt from the same feelings. Kevin feels the same pressure I do." I look out over the floor, seeing my family: parents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends. I catch sight of Jimmy. He’s dancing with his daughter. "I think everyone does." I look up at Duncan. "Thank you."
"For what?"
"For letting me blackmail you."
He shakes his head. "Seized opportunity."
"Whatever. Being my plus-one let me for once not be the outcast without a date. It let me see that we're really not all that much different."
Duncan's eyebrows move up and down. "So I was thinking, would you like to brush your teeth?"
My forehead tips to his shoulder. "Stop. I'll never be able to use my electric toothbrush again."
"Well, we could go straight for the toys. I do have Amazon Prime."
As the music changes to a faster beat, Duncan takes my hand and we head back toward the table. Before we get there, he stops and whispers, "Do you know what's better about tonight than at the company holiday party?"
"What?"
He moves his lips close to my ear, his warm cinnamon breath kissing my skin and sending chills that twist my insides. "Besides the fact that you're with me, tonight I know what you have under that blue dress, and tonight I'm going to get to enjoy it."
Chapter Eighteen
Duncan
I wake to the now-familiar sunshine casting rose-colored hues through the pink curtains. Though the clock beside the bed says it's still early, I hear noises from the direction of the barn, knowing that Oscar is up and doing something outside.
The faint sound of breathing turns my attention to the beautiful woman beside me. Her lips are slightly parted, and her auburn hair is twisted and disheveled in the sexiest bedhead slash post-sex style I've ever seen. The sheet is wrapped around her breasts and covering her body.
I know from experience that under the cover she's entirely nude. Just the thought of her perfect tits combined with memories of last night makes my morning wood turn to steel.
After the wedding when we were alone in her room, I was magically drawn to her. The magnetic-like pull couldn't have been stronger. Enjoying her warmth, I close my eyes, and recall every moment.
I close the door to her room a step behind Kimbra.
Just as I'm about to reach for her, she exhales, "Whew," and turns a small circle. "Thank you," she says with a tired smile. "After all that avoidance, I actually had a good time."
I reach for her hands and pull her toward the bed. We both collapse staring up at the underside of the canopy. "My favorite," I say with a grin, "was Helen handing Scarlett the vibrator."
Kimbra starts laughing. "And Kurt asking what it was!"
"He thought it was a laser pointer," we both say in unison.
My chest rumbles. "Did you see Scarlett's face? She's good at that blushing thing, too." I sit up and brush my knuckle over Kimbra's cheek. "It must be a family trait."