parked Charles's Humvee . Together they went inside. Seeing how many people had shown up for the reception, Jess was absurdly grateful not to be arriving by herself.
The mansion was filled to capacity, and the admiral had opened up the west wing for the occasion. There was a ballroom on this side of the house where tables had been set up for the meal. A small band was playing off to the side where an area had been cleared for dancing. At the front of the room, on a low dais, was the wedding party's table. Already, Dirk, Beth, Mac, and Lanie were sitting down.
"There you are," Charles said, coming toward them. "We saved you a spot at the family's table, so if you two will come with me."
Charles led them across the room to where the wedding party waited. Jess saw that there were two seats, side by side, left open. She and John each took one.
"I'm sorry we had to leave the church so quickly." Lanie , who was sitting on Jess's other side, gave her an apologetic smile.
"That's okay," Jess said graciously.
Lanie looked relieved. "I knew, once you heard the problem, you'd understand."
Now Jess was confused. "Problem?"
Lanie looked past her to John. "You didn't give her my message?"
John looked embarrassed, though Jess suspected it was an act. "I guess I forgot."
Jess shot him a look before turning back to Lanie . "What problem?"
Lanie leaned in conspiratorially. "Gem. I thought that Mac had locked her in her carrier before leaving for the church, and he thought I had. When we realized that neither of us had, we knew we had to get back here as quickly as we could before she either scared the caterers or ate the cake."
Jess looked around to see if she spotted anyone serving the food. When she did, her gaze flew to the cake. "She has a sweet tooth, does she?"
Lanie grimaced. "Let's hope that no one else notices that we're one tier short."
When Lanie looked away to respond to something Mac said, Jess turned to John. "You let me think they forgot me," she accused him.
"No, I specifically said you were not forgettable. I'm not responsible for any conclusions you drew after that. Besides, as your escort this evening, I am responsible for your safe conduct from the church to the reception, and"—he gestured around the room—"mission accomplished."
Jess didn't understand him at all. One minute, he was dashing and charming and the next, he was irritating to the point where she wanted to scream. To make matters worse, she suspected that he knew the effect he had on her and did it intentionally.
In an effort to thwart him, she purposely avoided further conversation with him, choosing instead to chat with Lanie . Then all too soon the meal was over and Jess could hear Charles, farther down the long table, addressing the newlyweds.
"I believe it's traditional for the bride and groom to have the first dance."
Jess looked over and saw Beth's smile as she turned to Dirk expectantly. He didn't look too excited about the prospect of getting up in front of everyone, but after a rueful glance at the dance floor, he turned to his new bride. "Come on, but I'm warning you now that if I hold you close for too long, I'm going to have to drag you upstairs for some privacy."
Beth leaned close to whisper something in his ear that had him hurrying her to the dance floor.
"They look so nice together, don't they?" Lanie asked on a soft sigh as everyone watched the couple dance. Midway through the number, the newlyweds motioned for the others to join them.
"Come on," Mac said resignedly to Lanie , standing up and extending his hand to her. "I'm not about to let Dirk show me up."
Lanie pretended to be affronted. "Is that the only reason you want to dance with me?"
His suggestive smile made her blush. "Come with me and I'll tell you exactly why I want to dance with you."
Lanie rose and Jess watched the pair join Dirk and Beth on the dance floor.
"My dear," Charles said a moment later to Julia, "shall we show these adolescents how it's
The mansion was filled to capacity, and the admiral had opened up the west wing for the occasion. There was a ballroom on this side of the house where tables had been set up for the meal. A small band was playing off to the side where an area had been cleared for dancing. At the front of the room, on a low dais, was the wedding party's table. Already, Dirk, Beth, Mac, and Lanie were sitting down.
"There you are," Charles said, coming toward them. "We saved you a spot at the family's table, so if you two will come with me."
Charles led them across the room to where the wedding party waited. Jess saw that there were two seats, side by side, left open. She and John each took one.
"I'm sorry we had to leave the church so quickly." Lanie , who was sitting on Jess's other side, gave her an apologetic smile.
"That's okay," Jess said graciously.
Lanie looked relieved. "I knew, once you heard the problem, you'd understand."
Now Jess was confused. "Problem?"
Lanie looked past her to John. "You didn't give her my message?"
John looked embarrassed, though Jess suspected it was an act. "I guess I forgot."
Jess shot him a look before turning back to Lanie . "What problem?"
Lanie leaned in conspiratorially. "Gem. I thought that Mac had locked her in her carrier before leaving for the church, and he thought I had. When we realized that neither of us had, we knew we had to get back here as quickly as we could before she either scared the caterers or ate the cake."
Jess looked around to see if she spotted anyone serving the food. When she did, her gaze flew to the cake. "She has a sweet tooth, does she?"
Lanie grimaced. "Let's hope that no one else notices that we're one tier short."
When Lanie looked away to respond to something Mac said, Jess turned to John. "You let me think they forgot me," she accused him.
"No, I specifically said you were not forgettable. I'm not responsible for any conclusions you drew after that. Besides, as your escort this evening, I am responsible for your safe conduct from the church to the reception, and"—he gestured around the room—"mission accomplished."
Jess didn't understand him at all. One minute, he was dashing and charming and the next, he was irritating to the point where she wanted to scream. To make matters worse, she suspected that he knew the effect he had on her and did it intentionally.
In an effort to thwart him, she purposely avoided further conversation with him, choosing instead to chat with Lanie . Then all too soon the meal was over and Jess could hear Charles, farther down the long table, addressing the newlyweds.
"I believe it's traditional for the bride and groom to have the first dance."
Jess looked over and saw Beth's smile as she turned to Dirk expectantly. He didn't look too excited about the prospect of getting up in front of everyone, but after a rueful glance at the dance floor, he turned to his new bride. "Come on, but I'm warning you now that if I hold you close for too long, I'm going to have to drag you upstairs for some privacy."
Beth leaned close to whisper something in his ear that had him hurrying her to the dance floor.
"They look so nice together, don't they?" Lanie asked on a soft sigh as everyone watched the couple dance. Midway through the number, the newlyweds motioned for the others to join them.
"Come on," Mac said resignedly to Lanie , standing up and extending his hand to her. "I'm not about to let Dirk show me up."
Lanie pretended to be affronted. "Is that the only reason you want to dance with me?"
His suggestive smile made her blush. "Come with me and I'll tell you exactly why I want to dance with you."
Lanie rose and Jess watched the pair join Dirk and Beth on the dance floor.
"My dear," Charles said a moment later to Julia, "shall we show these adolescents how it's
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