“You all right?” he asked.
“Yes.” Sniffling, she reached into her purse for a tissue. “I’m just picturing her as a little girl playing with her dolls in her room.”
“Where does the time go, huh?” Tony sighed.
Joy turned to him for a hug, but Tony had moved away to speak to someone else.
It was just as well.
“It was a perfect ceremony.” Millie gripped Joy’s hands in hers.
“It was just what Jaime wanted.” Joy dabbed her eyes with a tissue.
“A beautiful ceremony for a beautiful couple.” Edith smiled warmly.
Annette waved all the guests toward the reception hall.
“Time to find our seats at the table.” Edith guided Millie along.
“She looks so nervous, that wedding planner.” Millie shook her head and approached her. “How are you doing, honey?”
Annette fidgeted with her hands. “Me? Oh, I feel like a hamster on crack trapped in a nylon stocking tied tight.” She walked off.
Edith and Millie stood silent with eyes wide open.
“Well, there you go.” Edith curled her lip.
“That’s quite a mental picture she paints, isn’t it?” Millie blinked slowly.
“I’ll definitely have to use that in my next book.” Edith clicked her tongue.
“Come on, you two, let’s get you seated and fed.” Joy took their arms and turned them toward the reception hall, where the guests found their tables and headed toward the open bar.
“Wow, Jaime and her friends did a wonderful job decorating this space. I love the color scheme and flowers . . . just gorgeous.” Millie set her purse down and motioned to Walter. “I see the guys found the open bar already.” She shook her head and chuckled.
“Yep. Oh, well. Martin had better be ready to dance, that’s all I’ve got to say.” Edith scooted out her chair.
Joy stood behind her chair and watched Jaime and Michael walk from table to table greeting friends, aunts, uncles, and cousins. Their life together is just beginning. Her heart was full and anxious for the next chapter of her life to begin.
After a while, it was time for the father-daughter dance. Joy stood to the side with her arm around Michael’s waist, watching Tony twirl Jaime around the dance floor. Tony walked Jaime over to her husband and placed her hand into Michael’s hand.
Joy blinked back tears as she watched.
Guests clapped as the two danced their first dance as husband and wife.
“Joy?” Tony held out his hand to her.
Reluctantly she took it and sashayed onto the dance floor. The country song waltz was soft and soothing. Tony put his hand on her upper back and led her across the floor. He twirled her a couple of times, Joy giggled, slightly dizzy.
“Whoa,” she gasped.
“Sorry,” Tony replied, pulling her close.
“It’s all right.” Letting out a playful laugh.
They danced in silence for a bit as Joy’s hand grew sweaty.
“Joy.” Tony finally broke the silence. “I do apologize for what happened in Venice.”
“No need to. I’ve moved on.”
“I see that.”
She avoided his eyes and nodded to guests at their tables. “Thank you for paying for the hotel, but you really didn’t have to do that.”
“It was the least I could do after everything that happened.”
“Well, I thank you.” Joy smiled at her brother and his wife seated at a nearby table.
Tony cleared his throat. “What you said to me that night really stuck with me.”
“Good,” she said curtly. “Because I meant it.”
They continued their dance for a few more measures.
“Do you think . . .” Tony continued, “Do you think there’s a chance that we could—”
“No.” Joy finally looked into his eyes, unblinking.
