“Casey, where are you?”
“Oh, no….”
Michael laughs and taps my shoulder with his.“Clingy much?”
“Tell me about it.”
I start moving through the crowd before he makes a totalfool out of himself.When he spots me, he motions to someone to his left, and Ihear the opening notes of Grand Funk Railroad’s version of “Some Kind OfWonderful.”My legs stop working when he starts singing… to me.Everyone’sstaring at him wide-eyed and slack-jawed.I guess they’ve never seen this sideof him.Then again, neither have I.He’s really getting into it, too.He wavesme forward, and I join him on the “stage.”I wrap my arms around his waist,dancing and joining in on the chorus.His eyes are bright and so is his smile.Absolutelygorgeous.
He turns to the crowd, changing a lyric in the song.“Ain’tnobodygot a sweet little woman like mine!”
Getting over their shock, everyone else joins in, singingand dancing.When the song ends, he pulls me close and kisses me to loud cheersand applause from his family.
“My turn.”
I find the song I want—Eddie Floyd’s “Knock on Wood”—andtake his hand as it begins to play.He bites his lip, staring down at me as Ising to him.Truer words have never been spoken.His love really is likethunder and lightning—loud and scary, yet illuminating.I stare up at him,meaning every word that comes out of my mouth.The crowd joins in again,providing the knocking sounds on the chorus by clapping.Without warning, hepulls me against him, taking the microphone from my hand and dipping me.The songis forgotten as he presses his lips to mine.I wrap my arms around his neck,returning his kiss.It’s one of his brothers—I can’t tell which—who gets him torelease me.
“Get a room, bro!”
As the crowd bursts into laughter, he smiles down at me.
“Hungry?”he asks.
“Famished.”
“Let’s eat.”
“Here?”I smirk.
“Oh, you minx.Just wait ’til everyone leaves.”
I giggle at his delicious threat.“Promise?”
“Pinky swear.”
We walk over to the grill, where he begins to assembleburgers for us.I look around at his huge family and see how happy everyone is.Even my dad is enjoying himself.I don’t know what Clara has been doing, butit’s like he’s a new man.No, not new, just his old self.
I spot a sad young woman sitting by herself, dangling herfeet in the pool.Tugging on Ethan’s sleeve, I jerk my head in her direction.
“Who’s that?She looks so sad.”
“That’s Anna.She’s been like that ever since she lost herparents last year.No one’s been able to quite get through to her.”
“Give me one of those things.”
I kick off my sandals while he places the burger on the bun,then I add condiments and grab a can of soda from the cooler.
“What are you doing?”he asks.
“Just give me five minutes, will you?”
I make my way over and sit next to her, placing my feet inthe water.“Hi.”
“Hello.”
She doesn’t even look at me.
“Anna, right?I’m Casey.”
