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.”“Control issues?” He arched a dark brow.“I have no control issues.”She wisely refrained from arguing the point.CJ was waiting on the front steps of the town hall.“I’m supposed to take you up,” he said.Clearly there was some kind of surprise brewing.Connor narrowed his eyes.“What are they plotting?”CJ wasn’t telling.He was trying not to grin.“Come on, Dad.You’ll see.”Inside, with CJ in the lead, they mounted the wide, slightly creaky wooden steps that led to a large landing.Wide-open double doors gave way into the hall itself.The lights were off in there—and it seemed much too quiet.“Come on, you guys.” CJ, several steps ahead of them, turned back to signal them onward as he made the landing.But he didn’t wait for them.He went on through the doors, vanishing into the large shadowed room beyond.“I don’t like this,” Connor muttered out of the corner of his mouth.She took his hand.“Be brave,” she teased.He grunted but said no more.They reached the landing.Beyond was darkness, punctuated only by the random sparkle of what looked like Mylar streamers hanging from the ceiling.Connor held back.Tori couldn’t suppress a giggle.“This is so exciting.”“Yeah, right.”“Coward,” she teased.“Fine,” he grumbled.“Let’s get it over with.”Side by side, they stepped into the shadows beyond the doorway.The lights popped on, blindingly bright, as shouts, applause and catcalls erupted.Simultaneously, the band started playing “Here Comes the Bride,” only flat, with a horrible-sounding horn.And suddenly, an enormous clump of glittery confetti fell from above.For a moment, as the horn played on, they were engulfed in a snowfall of shiny foil and bits of bright paper.Then everyone came rushing forward to shout congratulations and grab them in bear hugs.That went on for at least five minutes.Tori lost sight of her confetti-covered fake fiancé as each of them was hugged, passed down the line, and hugged again.Finally, they all seemed to settle down.The band stopped mid-note.Tori glanced toward the stage at the far end of the hall.Allaire was up there, at the mike, wearing a pretty pink dress, her hair shining like spun gold under the lights, looking like a fairy princess.“Connor McFarlane,” she said.“Congratulations.You are a very fortunate man.”Tori blushed.And everyone started clapping and whistling again.Allaire raised her hand.“And, Tori, we love you.May you find all the happiness you so richly deserve.”The guests clapped even louder.Tori shouted, “Thank you.What a great party.Thank you, everyone!”Tears filled her eyes and guilt tried to creep up on her.All these people, people she cared about, wishing her and Connor well, not knowing it was a lie.The band struck up a lively tune.The guests dispersed from clogging the doorway, pausing only to clasp Tori’s shoulder again, to offer more good wishes.Some coupled up and danced.Others grabbed plates and got in line at the buffet tables.Connor appeared.“There you are.Lost you there for a minute or two.”She swallowed her tears of guilt and whispered in his ear, “That wasn’t so bad, was it?”He grunted.“Okay, I admit it.It could have been worse.”Laughing, they brushed at each other’s shoulders and hair, thinning out the confetti snowfall a little.CJ and Jerilyn came toward them.Both were grinning wide.CJ called, “Sweet, huh, Dad?”“Yeah,” said Connor dryly.“Sweet.”It seemed to Tori that the whole town was there.The kids from her classes, everyone from school, every Traub and Clifton, every Cates and every Douglas, too.She and Connor found a table with a couple of free seats.She admired the decorations, which involved flags and Uncle Sam hats and patriotic bunting, everything doused with glitter, in red, white and blue.And the ceiling? A sea of shining Mylar streamers.Connor went and got them soft drinks—no liquor allowed in the hall.Later, they went through the buffet line, loading up their plates with more than they would ever be able to eat.They danced.He was an excellent dancer.She filed that information away in her growing store of knowledge about him.Funny, how she felt she could never know enough about him.She could spend the rest of her life learning his ways.His likes.His dislikes.His numerous and considerable abilities.His failings, of which there were more than a few.There would never be enough time, not even in a whole lifetime, to know everything about him, every secret dream, every favorite thing.And they didn’t have a lifetime.They had only right now.He brushed his lips to her temple, then tipped up her chin with a finger so that she met his eyes as they swayed through a slow song.“You look…almost sad.” His voice was low, for her ears alone.She made her lips tip up in a smile.“I’m not, really.Not sad—or if I am, it’s only a little.Mostly, I’m happy.Happier than I’ve ever been.”He held her gaze, searched her face.But only for a moment [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]