Page 5 of Beau

After the first three notes, Beau recognized the song as “Can’t Help Falling In Love,” made famous by the late crooner Elvis Presley.

“Good grief,” Aurelie murmured.

“It’s a sign,” Beau said as he glided across the floor, super glad his mother had insisted on him learning to waltz.

Aurelie needed little guidance to execute the dance. She usually had to lead when her male partners couldn’t. With Peter Pan, she played a little push-me-pull-me until she finally let him take control. “You say your mother taught you to dance?”

He nodded. “She insisted on us learning to be as fluid and graceful as Fred Astaire.” Beau grinned. “She loved all his movies, especially those when he partnered with Ginger Rogers.”

“Let me guess...” Aurelie said, “she made you watch the movies as well?”

He nodded.

“And your father had no say in the matter?”

“None,” Beau said. “When it came to our education, both in school and on the dance floor, he let her take the lead.”

“A hands-off father?” She snorted softly. “What’s that like?”

“Oh, he wasn’t a hands-off father; he just knew which battles to choose. He taught us other things.”

“Like?” She prompted.

“How to open doors for women, the elderly, and…well, anyone.” He grinned. “He taught all of us about the bayou, to include frog gigging, how to spot alligators, shrimping crabbing, fishing, cleaning and preparing the food we caught. He also taught us about vehicle maintenance like changing oil, tires and spark plugs.”

“Even your sisters?” Aurelie asked.

Beau nodded. “Absolutely. Our mother could do all those things; she just preferred not to. Before all of us kids, she helped him on his fishing boat. Even after we came along, she still loved fishing with my father.”

Aurelie frowned. “How many children did your mother and father have?”

“There are ten of us,” Beau said and waited for the shock on her pretty face. He wasn’t disappointed.

“Ten?” Her feet faltered.

Beau’s arms tightened around her, and he effortlessly swung her out and back into his arms. “That’s right. They had ten children.”

“That’s a lot of mouths to feed,” Aurelie frowned. “Wow.”

He laughed. “My grandparents considered my father an underachiever.”

Her frown deepened. “Why?”

“His brother sired nineteen children. My father didn’t even come close.”

Aurelie’s brow furrowed. “You’re not serious, are you?”

“As serious as the heart attack that claimed my uncle’s life when the youngest set of twins was only five years old,” Beau said, his voice growing soft. He’d been in Iraq when his uncle had passed. His father had done his best to help the family out. Fortunately, his brother had been a shrewd investor and had taken out a sizable life insurance policy when he’d been younger. After selling the family boat-building business, his aunt had managed the investments and the houseful of children like the CEO of a major corporation.

“Youngest set of twins?” the woman in his arms asked.

“That’s right,” he said. “I think there are three of four sets of twins.” Beau twirled her away and back into his arms. “Does that bother you that I’m from a family of many children?”

“No, why should it?”

“Do you even like children?” he asked.

She blinked. “Of course I do.”

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