Page 100 of When Morning Comes Around

“I thought you might.”

“We’ve been waiting patiently, but until Sadie you were always on the periphery. Doing your own thing.”

Sadie watched his face, hoping that he was okay with it. It seemed that she needn’t have worried. He gave as good as he got.

A few more people came to join them, and soon there was quite a crowd around the table. Russ arrived with his lady, Ria. And there were a few more couples, whom Dom said he’d introduce her to properly later. For now, they made do with waving across the table and shouting hellos.

It had been a long time since she’d had a night out with a bunch of friends, and Sadie loved it. She loved the dynamic of the group. The big man convention was definitely a part of it – there were some very large, very attractive looking men around the table. By themselves they might have seemed a little scary, but each of them had an obvious soft spot for the woman he was with. The women were great. She’d known Nina and Terry all her life, and that helped. But the others, too. She was looking forward to getting to know Jo better. And Russ’s lady, Ria, was lovely. She seemed a little different from the others, more refined somehow, but she was warm and friendly, and she had a keen sense of humor.

By the time they’d eaten, and the table had been cleared, Sadie felt right at home. Dom had surprised her. He was moreoutgoing than she’d expected. From what she understood, he was the most recent arrival at the lake. He didn’t work with the other guys – most of them seemed to work together. He hadn’t known any of them before he moved here, and yet he joked around with them as if he’d known them forever.

He joked with the women too, and she liked that. She didn’t understand why at first, but it hit her as she watched him chatting with Jo, who was sitting across the table from them. It had been a long time since she and Dale went out with friends – they didn’t really have any. But when they went to dinners at the Chamber in town, or events like that, Dale hung out at the bar with the men. He didn’t generally talk to the women – and when he did, it was obvious that he was leering at them.

She glanced at Dom again. He couldn’t be more different from Dale.

She turned in her seat to look when the band started up. Her jaw dropped open when she saw Clay MacAdam on the stage.

Nina laughed. “Don’t tell me you didn’t know?”

She shook her head, still not quite believing. “Is that really who I think it is?”

“It is – the one and only Clay MacAdam. He’s lived here for years now. He and his lady, Marianne, usually eat with us, if he’s not singing with the band.”

“Wow! Just … wow!” She couldn’t help staring. Clay MacAdam was not only her very favorite singer, but he was a good-looking man, too. He was …

She jumped and let out a guilty laugh when Dom squeezed her thigh.

A small smile played on his lips as he cocked an eyebrow and asked. “Is there anything you want to tell me?”

She shook her head rapidly, unable to wipe the smile off her face. “No, just that I didn’t expect to see Clay MacAdam here!”

“Is that a problem?” he asked with a smirk.

“Far from it!”

He narrowed his eyes at her. “And why’s that?”

She laughed. “Because I love his music?”

“And?”

“Because maybe you’ll dance with me later?”

He surprised her when he nodded happily. “You like to dance?”

Terry’s laughter interrupted them. “Does she like to dance? You guys need to get out more. She loves to dance – or she always used to. And don’t worry, Sadie – he’s a real twinkle toes.”

Cal leaned in next to Terry and pretended to scowl at Dom. “Show me up, why don’t you?”

Dom chuckled. “Cal doesn’t dance,” he explained to her. “I’ve been Terry’s stand-in so that she doesn’t have to sit out with him.”

Sadie grinned at her old friend. “I’ll share him with you, if you like.”

Terry laughed. “Thanks, but I don’t mind giving him up now that he’s found a good home.”

It wasn’t long before Nina and Manny were out on the dance floor. It seemed that Manny was another one who liked to dance.

Terry rolled her eyes. “Manny’s from Colombia. He and Diego – you’ll meet Diego and Izzy soon enough – they love to dance.”

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