Page 79 of Grace on the Rocks

Uh oh.Hiscousin had it bad, andBryanknew the feeling.Whatwas wrong with the pair of them?Theyknew better than to get mixed up with tourists.

And yet, the two looked perfect together,Eòghannin his dusty ancient hunting tartan and black turtleneck, andWesleymatching in resplendent crimson and gold.Bryantried to catch his cousin’s attention to offer a smug smile, butEòghannonly had eyes for her.

“Care to dance?” he murmured, whiskingWesaway before she could decline, not that she would have.

And then there were three.

Bryan watched them leave, envious of how easily his cousin moved in the world.Ata ceilidh,Bryanstood out more for not dancing than he would’ve if he’d just grabbedGrace’shand and led her into the fray.

Picking up the conversation where they’d left off,Gracesaid, “Mybrother wanted theElectricSlideat his wedding, but hisEnglishwife wouldn’t hear of it.”

“And how is the lovelyMathilda?”Teàrlachasked with a certain edge to his tone.

Grace looked away fromBryanand turned back to his younger cousin. “Lovelyas ever,” she said, matching his tone, and he grimaced.

“HadIknownDwished for line dancing,I’dhave insisted we got one started.I’dhave tied up theDJand risked the bride’s eternal wrath.”

Grace grinned. “Iwouldn’t have dared back then.”

“Shall we make up for it now?”Teàrlachasked. “I’lltalk you through the steps, easy as landing anOtter.”

Grace looked toBryan, for what—permission?

“Have fun,” he said, so she nodded her agreement and followed his cousin out to the dance floor, leavingBryanthe most alone he’d ever been inside a crowded room.

Teàrlach was more comfortable and graceful in his wheelchair thanBryanhad ever felt lumbering about in his too-tight skin.Mostlikely a more patient teacher, too.Gracewas in good hands.

Not wishing to stare too obviously at her as she laughed and tripped along toTeàrlach’sinstructions,Bryanforced himself to look around the community center.Lùcaswas over by the drinks table, soBryanmade a beeline.

“You look very dapper,”Elspethsaid timidly, intercepting him along the way.

“You too,El.Aboutthe other night?—”

“I should have reminded them you’re vegetarian.”Sheshrugged. “Youknow how they can get when they’re excited about a project.”

Bryan cocked his head in agreement.Hedid know, and maybe he got that way himself.

Elspeth nudged his shoulder with hers and took a pint of amber lager from the table, turning her back to lean alongsideLùcas.Itwas a good vantage point to watch the swirling dancers unobtrusively.

“Looking forward to having your house back to yourself, now the festival’s over?” she asked.

Was he?He’dkind of gotten used to late-night chats over football and whisky, and anyway, he’d promised the room to youngLùconce theAmericanscleared out.

There were more years betweenBryanandElthan his gap withCait, which almost made their relationship easier somehow.Shesmiled sympathetically, seeming to understand his ambivalence.

The back ofBryan’sneck tingled as he selected a dark beer and turned to lean against the table beside his sister.Whenhe did, he came face to face withOldManEllis, the neighbor who had spent the better part of a week glowering and shouting at him from the beach as he worked on his house.

“You’ve a lot of nerve wearingMacNeilplaid, young man.”

Bryan sagged and took a sip of his beer.Ifby nerve the elderly busybody meant anxiety, then he was bang on.

“Once aMacNeil, always aMacNeil,”Bryansaid with more confidence than he felt becausefake it’til you make it, asGracewould say.Thenhe found himself searching for her in the crowd as though she were a beacon who could guide him safely away from rocky shoals.

When his cousin had asked her to dance, she hadn’t batted an eye at the fact he used a chair, and ifBryanhadn’t been falling for her already, seeing her now, laughing and flushed, would have sealed the deal.

“If your grandfather was alive, he’d disown you for what you’ve done to his house.Isn’tthat right,Nell?”Elliscalled over his shoulder to a table full of pensioners who all nodded their heads in sober agreement.

“My grandfather was an environmentalist,”Bryansaid. “Ithink he’d appreciate every choiceI’vemade.”

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