Page 102 of Sweet Somethings

"I am not just going to help you; I'm going to get you elected," Valerie said confidently.

"Sounds like you're set," Roman said, thinking that Doug and Valerie made a good match. Not that he expected Doug to get serious about a woman right now. He had one goal on his mind and that was being mayor. "What can I get you?"

"We want some of the Wish cookies," Valerie said, slipping her arm through Doug's. She gave him a sideways glance. "I already know what my wish is. What about you?"

"Same as yours," Doug said with a laugh. "Two Wish cookies, Roman."

He handed them each a cookie on a napkin. "Here you go. Enjoy."

As Doug and Valerie moved away, he saw Juliette and Cecelia in conversation. He also saw that his grandfather had seen Cecelia as well. He knew what he needed to do and that was not to get his grandfather to move; it was to get Juliette out of the picture.

"Sara, would you mind keeping an eye on the table?" he asked her.

"Sure, no problem."

He moved across the room as the band began to play. "I think this is my dance," he told Juliette.

"Oh, but—"

He cut her off. "You promised."

"You go and have fun with this handsome young man," Cecelia said.

"All right. We'll talk later."

"I'm sure of it," Cecelia said.

As he pulled Juliette onto the dance floor, she said, "I was just about to take her over to your grandfather, Roman. He kept getting into conversation with other people, but he was finally free."

"I know, but I told you that the next move had to be theirs. Look." He swung her around so she could see his grandfather approaching Cecelia. "I knew he wasn't going over there while you were with her."

"So you didn't want to dance with me; you wanted to get me out of the way."

He laughed. "I did want to dance with you, and I also wanted to get you out of the way. You can say thank you."

"Thank you," she said with a grin.

They fell silent as they watched Vincent say something to Cecelia. She murmured something back. And then they stopped talking, but their eyes never left each other.

"I'm so nervous," Juliette whispered to him.

"Me, too," he admitted as they just swayed to the music, their attention on the older couple.

"Oh, my God, they're going to dance," Juliette said, her arm tightening around him.

To his amazement, Vincent took Cecelia's hand and led her to the dance floor.

"It's working," Juliette added, excitement in her voice.

"I think it is," he agreed.

Vincent and Cecelia weren't dancing particularly close, and there was tension in both of their bodies, but it was the kind of tension that spoke of a lingering attraction. Was it possible that these two could find their way back to each other? He hadn't actually believed that until now.

His grandfather caught him looking and gave him a rare smile, then he pulled Cecelia a little closer.

"Did you see that?" Juliette asked.

"I did. But I think they're just going to dance; I doubt they'll announce an engagement when the band stops playing."

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