Page 101 of Sunsets & Slow Dances

Ray’s eyes squinted as if he was puzzled. “I just figured you knew or remembered, but I guess you were just in britches. When you were about, oh, I guess four or so, it was your daddy’s first year as mayor, and he surprised your mama with this gazebo.” Ray patted the step again. “It used to be in the quad at the college where they met, and I guess it was special to them because he didn’t just build her one that looked like the one at their college. This is actually it. He bought it and had ittransported on a flatbed truck. It was a big ol’ deal getting it through town.”

Holy shit.

I must have been staring at him with complete shock, because he smiled, patted my shoulder, and stood. “Well, I’m glad to see there are still some surprises in the world. I’m gonna go get some grub.”

As he walked away, the memory of the ribbon-cutting ceremony came back to me. I was young, so it was only flashes, but I did remember my mom crying a lot and hugging my dad, and she told me they were happy tears. But all this time I had no idea of the history that this structure held for them.

I got chills sitting in the gazebo I’d been in hundreds of times because now it had so much more meaning to me. I pictured everything my mom told me; the rainy night, her leaving the party, my dad catching up with her…

The scene was playing out in my mind like a movie when a familiar song began to play as the soundtrack. As soon as I heard the orchestra swell on “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing,” I looked up as a sea of people—well, a group of six—parted, and Nadia walked toward me. The glint in her eyes had my pants growing uncomfortably snug. The sway in her hips and the neckline on her deep V-neck, navy blue, off-the-shoulder, bodycon midi dress, which hugged her generous curves, wasn’t helping any, either.

From the moment the groom kissed the bride, she’d been pulled away by students, the parents of her students, friends, and colleagues. I was beginning to think there was a conspiracy to keep us apart. I’d been doing my best to be patient, and it seemed that was going to be rewarded.

When she stopped in front of me, her perfect lips curled as she held out her hand. “It’s sunset.”

“Yes, it is.” I stood, and she started to walk to the dance floor, but I tugged her back and up the steps.

“What are you doing?” she asked as I pulled her to the middle of the gazebo.

I snaked my arms around her waist. “Dancing.”

“Here?” She wrapped her arms around my neck, and her head tilted back so her eyes met mine.

“Yes.” I held her tightly, just loving the feeling of my arms around her and having her all to myself.

“Any particular reason we’re dancinghereand not on the dance floor?”

“Yes.” I knew that she had no idea about my dad giving my mom the gazebo, or at least I was pretty sure she didn’t. I wanted to see if I could tell whether she knew or not.

“Do you want to share with the class?”

“Because this gazebo is special.”

“It is?”

“Did you come to the ribbon-cutting of this gazebo the first year my dad was mayor? I was four, so you would have been three.”

“Um, I don’t know…I don’t think so. Why?”

“I did, and I remember my mom cried a lot, and she said it was from happy tears. I was just talking to Ray, and he told me that my dad surprised my mom with this?—”

“No!” she gasped. “It’s not!”

“Yes,” I continued. “This is the gazebo that was in the quad at their college.”

“The rainy night gazebo?” Nadia’s eyes got watery.

“Yep. He had it transported here on a flatbed truck for her.”

“Oh my gosh…that’s so…I can’t believe….” Nadia was looking around in awe as if we were standing in the eighth wonder of the world. Then, she suddenly looked back at me. “Wait, so your mom told you…I mean, about her and…your dad?”

“She did. And Ray explained even more about my dad’s parenting philosophy.”

She nodded. “And how are you? Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I am. I think parents are just people, and you know, maybe my dad was doing the best he could. Hell, maybe Felicity is doing the best she can.” We both looked over at Felicity, who was doing some sort of video in front of a food truck.

“Are you guys…”

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