“Oh, I pick up things here and there,” he replied.
“Ah, yes, here and there. Nice place.”
Rayne grinned. “Indeed. Well, I’ve been to a few Midsummer Night events. Very…unique. Lots of dancing. Perhaps you’ll join me this year.”
Midsummer. “Yeah, I was actually meaning to talk to you about that.”
“About?”
“Summer.”
Rayne raised an eyebrow at me. “Do tell.”
“I…Luc offered me an apprenticeship in France, at his family’s perfumery, for this summer. I told him I was interested.”
“In France?” he said thoughtfully.
Crap. “Yeah. It’s just one summer. Look, I like where we’re headed, but three months is a long time to wait on someone. I’d understand if—”
Rayne pulled me closer and leaned into my ear. “Viola Hunter, I’d wait a lifetime for you.”
I wrapped my arms around him. All at once my worries melted away. How foolish I’d been to believe that Rayne would even care about something like that. He was so…chill. I inhaled deeply, feeling so much happiness fill my heart that I could barely stand it.
Rayne kissed the top of my head then and said, “Besides, I know a little place in France. I haven’t been there in a while. I’m due for a visit.”
“In France?”
“Of course. Here and there, you know.”
“Ah yes, here and there. One of these days, you should tell me a bit more about here and there, and Cassidy, and your family. The usual stuff.”
“Oh, if only it were usual,” he said, then added, “Of course.”
I melted into him then, and we moved around the dance floor, moving in tune to the dulcet tones. The night seemed to wear away. As we glided, I saw Horatio and Julie take to the floor. Julie, it seemed, was not versed in ballroom dance, so she and Horatio invented their own style. Alice and Luc, pausing only to snatch kisses, disappeared mid-event. I saw the sparkle of Alice’s blue gown as they walked outside. Before I knew it, we’d practically danced the night away.
“It’s so lovely out there tonight,” I said. “The cherry blossoms seem more alive under the moonlight.”
“Sakura,” Rayne said. “It’s a tradition in Japan to view the cherry blossoms at night. They call it hanami.”
“So is Japan part of here and there as well?”
Rayne laughed. “No, I just like the sushi place over by the college. The cooks like to drink sake after hours and talk. A lot.”
I laughed.
“I’ll take you one night.”
“Sounds great. In fact, a drink sounds perfect. Let me go get us something. Champagne?” I asked him.
“I think the gentleman is supposed to get the lady a drink,” he told me.
“He is, but for the last one hour the color has been draining from Horatio’s face, and he keeps patting his coat pocket. A man-to-man pep talk is in order. Midnight, right? That’s when he’s going to ask?” I glanced up at the clock. Unbelievably, the night had passed on the dance floor. It was almost midnight already.
Rayne nodded. “That’s what he told me.”
“Go tell him I said to man up. I’ll send him over a whiskey and join you in a second.”
Rayne nodded then headed in the direction of my brother.
Snatching a champagne off one of the trays being passed around on sliver platters, I polished off the drink as I made my way to the bar. When I arrived, I was surprised to find that I knew one of the bartenders.
“Rick?”
“Hey, Viola. I thought I saw you on the dance floor. Talked to your dad, and Horatio is everywhere tonight.”
I laughed. “Yeah, it’s a family affair. It’s your night off. How’d you end up behind a bar?”
“Oh, my buddy, Max, works for the catering company. He was supposed to serve, but he got the flu. He called in a favor.”
“Well, that sucks. Sorry your night off got ruined.”
“No worries. What do you need?”
“Send my brother a whiskey?” I said with a laugh.
Rick poured the drink then instructed a server to head in Horatio’s direction. Rayne patted my brother on the shoulder as the pair talked.
“And two cherry blossom champagnes,” I added, but when I turned to lean against the bar, I felt an odd snap. My shoe. “Dammit,” I said, then moved to sit at the chair nearest the bar. Bending, I moved to examine the heel. Sure enough, the buckle was completely off. The silver latch fell apart in my hand.
“What happened?” Rick asked, bending on his knee to examine it.
“Shoe broke,” I said.
Taking my foot in his hand, Rick pulled off the heel to investigate. The nature of the move wasn’t lost on me.
“Can I help?” he asked, meeting my eyes.
When he did so, I saw a certain look therein. Nope. No. Definitely not. Rick was a nice guy, but I needed to put an end to his false hopes.
I opened my mouth to tell him that I was dating Rayne now, but when I looked up, I saw Rayne cast a glance over his shoulder toward me then head out of the ballroom…and out of the building. Wait. Was he leaving? Did he think I was flirting with Rick? I looked down to see Rick was still holding my foot.
“Oh shit,” I said. Pulling my foot away, I stood.
“Viola?” Rick asked.
“Look, Rick, you’re a great employee and a great friend, but I think I’m pretty much falling in love with my friend who just got the wrong impression about the scene here. Got me?”
Rick nodded, stood, then handed me the shoe. “Sorry, Viola. Can’t blame a guy for trying. Sorry though.”
“No hard feelings.”
“If you need me to explain, just let me know. It’s my fault. Sorry, I feel like a douche.”
“No, it’s just a misunderstanding. Gotta go.” I slid the broken shoe back on as best I could then ran across the ballroom after Rayne.
He was already gone by the time I got to the stairs. Alice and Luc, however, were just coming back inside. Alice, I noticed, look a bit rumpled.
“Viola? Everything okay?” Alice asked.
“I…I lost Rayne,” I said, hoping in that moment that I hadn’t, in fact, really lost him.
“Oh, I saw him head over to his truck,” Alice said. “Almost midnight, better go in before you miss it!”
Shit! What the hell should I do now? “Okay, coming in a few.”
Alice nodded and she and Luc went inside.
I walked down a few steps hoping to see Rayne’s truck, but he was nowhere and my shoe had finally had enough.
“Dammit,” I swore, sitting down quickly to remove my heels. Pulling both shoes off, I set them aside then rushed down the winding staircase toward the parking area…barefoot.
Before I reached the final stairwell landing, however, I saw Rayne walking back toward the building, a box in his hands.
“Rayne?” I gasped.
“What are you doing out here?” he asked, looking puzzled. “I was just brining these to you.”
“Bringing…bringing what? Look, it wasn’t what it looked like. Well, it kind of was. I think Rick…”
“Oh, that,” Rayne said with a roll of his eyes. “Yeah, you better tell him you’re off the market now.”
“Wait, what?”
“Rick. You’re beautiful, of course he would fall for you. He’s a good guy, though. Just let him know, and he’ll be cool with it.”
“Wait, you weren’t upset?”
Rayne shook his head. “I trust you, Viola. Now, let’s try these,” he said then opened the box he was holding. Inside were a pair of amazingly beautiful silver shoes with lovely vintage-looking jewels.