Page 82 of The Night the Lights Went Out
Liz.The woman’s name was Liz and she’d been on the decorating committee and was Heather’s tennis doubles partner. As if scripted, Daniel and Merilee unclasped their hands, belatedly realizing what it must look like to an outsider.
“Liz,” Merilee said. “I love your dress.” She hadn’t even noticed the dress. She was just eager to start a casual conversation that had nothing to do with explanations that didn’t really need to be made.
“Thanks. Yours is stunning. Heather’s been talking about it for weeks now—saying she’d better watch out since you’d be irresistible in it.” Her smile faltered as she glanced nervously at Dan. “You’d both better hurry. I think everyone’s here and Heather’s about to give her welcome speech.” She turned to Merilee. “She’ll probably want Merilee to do some whetting of appetites for some of those auction items.”
“Of course,” Merilee said, standing and handing Dan’s jacket back to him, avoiding his eyes. “Time sort of got away from us, I’m afraid. My date must think I’ve deserted him.” She bent to look under the table, then under her chair.
“Can I help you find something?” Dan asked.
“My shoes. I remember taking them off, but I don’t remember exactly where I put them.”
Liz raised an eyebrow but didn’t say anything. Merilee didn’t know her very well, but she could only imagine how this would play out in the retelling, especially in light of the Tybee Island incident. “I haven’t seen them,” she said. “But there’s a tub of flip-flops out on the back patio for the dancing later on. You could put on a pair until your shoes show up.”
Dan grabbed several bottles of wine from one of the racks on the wall, then followed the women out of the room and up the stairs, the sound of people talking growing louder and louder as they left the hushed and carpeted atmosphere of the basement. Merilee couldn’t help but wonder if Dan felt the compelling pull to return to the peace and quiet as much as she did.
• • •
Merilee couldn’t find her shoes. She thought she remembered putting them on the steps, but they weren’t there when she climbed up from the basement to rejoin the party. Liz sent one of the waitresses to pull a pair of flip-flops from the barrel for Merilee to wear until she could locate her own shoes. Wade seemed relieved for the reprieve when she found him, Heather’s hand on his arm as they stood speaking with a table full of partygoers. She seemed almost disappointed to relinquish Wade and slip her arm into Dan’s.
Wade pulled Merilee away, back toward the long green drapes. “You look shorter,” he said.
“I can’t find my shoes.” Merilee pulled back the hem of her skirt to show off her flip-flops. “I sure hope someone finds them—they cost more than my monthly rent.” At his expression, she said, “Don’t judge. I have never done that before nor will I ever do it again. I’ll blame it on Heather’s influence.”
“Understood,” he said, and then, without warning, leaned down and kissed her. It was brief, and soft, but the electricity generated could have powered a small house. And so completely different from what she’d felt when Dan had pressed his lips against hers.
“Wow. What was that for?”
He shrugged. “Because I’ve been wanting to do that for weeks now, and I thought you wouldn’t mind.”
She licked her lips, wanting to taste him again, and the light changed in his eyes. “Just so you know, I didn’t mind. And I wouldn’t mind you doing it again.”
“Merilee?” They both turned to see Heather walking toward them. “It’s time to get started. Wade, go ahead and sit at the first table. You’re seated directly on my right. They’re about to start serving the first course.”
Wade sent Merilee a knowing smile as he moved away to sit down, and she felt warm despite the cool air blowing in from the open doors behind her.
The rest of the evening was fueled by more champagne and wine, a lively auction with dizzying amounts of money being exchanged for luxury items to benefit the school, and the anticipation of what might happen later. Merilee refused to think too much about it. Maybe that had been her problem all along—planning everything, worrying about each step she had to make as a single mother with all the responsibilities suddenly on her shoulders. It was freeing, and wonderful, and made her look forward to something for the first time in a very long while.
As she hit the gavel for the last time—after announcing the winner of a year’s worth of tuition—she was feeling like finally all was right in her world. The dinner and auction had been a success, and she was eager to celebrate all the hard work she’d shared with these women. She passed Lindi and her husband on the way down to the backyard, where the band had already begun to play under the tent and several couples were twirling on the dance floor.
“Great job,” said Lindi. “And awesome earrings, by the way. I was noticing them from the back of the room. You didn’t even need my necklace.”
“Yes, I did—and the purse, too. Lily made sure she put my lipstick inside so that I would have it available after every sip and bite I took tonight.”
Lindi laughed, then gave Merilee an impulsive hug. “Sorry, I had to do that. You look so... happy. And relaxed. I don’t think I’ve seen you look either in the three months since I met you.”
“Thanks. I am happy. And relaxed.” She beamed. “And I need to go find my date because I’m in the mood to dance, and I’ve been told that he’s a very good dancer.”
“Who told you that?”
“He did.” They both burst out laughing and Merilee was still grinning when she found Wade and he took her out on the dance floor and confirmed that he was, indeed, a very good dancer.
The evening passed in a blur of smiling faces, of loud music and cool fall air carrying with it the smoke from bonfires lit around the yard, groups of tables and chairs set nearby for people to take a break from dancing or just to enjoy the stars in the clear violet sky.
Merilee kept searching for Heather, wishing her dress had been red or orange to make her easier to spot, wanting to get the final tally on the auction. And, Merilee forced herself to admit, to hear some word of recognition from Heather for all her hard work. But as the evening wore on, she couldn’t spot Heather in the crowd. She hoped she was dancing and not holed up in her office punching numbers to confirm the gala’s success.
She was dancing a two-step with Lindi’s husband, Paul—also a great dancer—when Liz tapped her on her shoulder, making them pause in the middle of a step. “Heather wanted me to let you know that someone spotted your shoes on the dock.” She pointed behind her to the dark lake and the dock, where the boats had all been raised out of the water for the season, thick dark shadows against the moon-lapped waves.
“On the dock? Are you sure? I can’t imagine why they’d be there.”
