Page 68 of Dancing in the Rain

“Yeah.”

Soon everyone was gathered around the big dining table, digging into the food. The kids were wound up from the games, talking loudly and bouncing around. Sara sat smiling at them, though. Today she had on the blond wig that she’d been wearing the day she’d approached him in the coffee shop. Her skin was thin and dry and her body frail, but her smile made her look pretty.

A weird affection filled him. Nothing sexual, despite the fact that he’d slept with her once. It almost felt like that had been a different person. But he liked Sara and admired the job she’d done raising Chloe. He also admired her strength in dealing with this horrible illness.

Drew ate his hot dog standing in the kitchen at the island that overlooked the dining room, watching the party, watching Peyton bustle around looking after people, including Sara. Including him, when she poured more lemonade into his cup.

She was a kickass woman, but she was also caring and affectionate.

“Tyler, you need a haircut,” she teased the boy. “Or maybe just a tattoo to go with it.”

He grinned at her. “I asked my parents if I could get a tattoo and they said no.”

“I can’t imagine why.” She gave him an innocent look. “What kind of tattoo do you want?”

“A hockey stick.” He glanced at Drew. “You have any tattoos, Mr. Sellers?”

Drew met Peyton’s eyes. Had she noticed his tattoos that day? Her cheeks grew pink. “I sure do,” he answered. “One for each Stanley Cup win. And a maple leaf from when I was in the Olympics.”

“Cool!”

As he moved across the kitchen to throw his paper plate in the trash, he overheard Tyler say to Chloe, “I still can’t believe he’s your dad.”

Drew paused. There was a little ego stroke, considering how down about himself he’d been feeling lately. But it mostly felt good that Chloe was happy.

Chloe had requested that her friends not bring gifts but instead donate to an anti-bullying group. After the cake had been demolished, parents started arriving to pick children up. Drew hung back, but the kids kept calling him to meet their moms or dads, and he smiled and shook hands with them, hearing more than once that they were a fan of his.

“Thanks,” he said once again. “Means a lot.”

Finally the house was blessedly quiet. Sara was in the den with the hospice nurse, there to administer her evening medications and get her to bed. Chloe helped clean up the kitchen, talking about the party and how much fun it had been, then disappeared up to her room, probably to chat with the same kids she’d spent the afternoon with.

Alone with Peyton, Drew hung a dish towel on the rack inside the cupboard door. “One successful party accomplished.”

“Thank God.” She slumped against the counter. “And now I get my wine.”

He grinned. “That’s your reward?”

“Yes. Yes, it is.” She reached for a wineglass.

Drew opened the fridge and spotted the bottle of Sauvignon blanc. He lifted it out and held it up. “This?”

“Yes.”

“Corkscrew?”

“Top drawer right behind you.”

He opened the wine and then moved toward her to fill her glass.

She reached for another glass and looked at him with raised eyebrows. He smiled. “Sure.”

So he poured two glasses and they carried them into the living room and sat on the couch.

Peyton leaned her head back against the cushions, set her feet on the coffee table, and let out a long sigh. “Thank you for all your help. The kids love you.”

“Yeah, they do.”

She chuckled and nudged his knee with her foot. “So modest.”

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