Page 63 of Holiday Hopefuls
I nod. “Right, good. That’s good.” My eyes bounce between Ian and a very confused Blythe.
“Look, you should probably know something,” Ian leans forward, “the Rutherfords are here.”
Brow furrowing, I try to connect all the dots. “Yeah, I guess Connie usually comes.”
Ian shakes his head. “No, man.Allthe Rutherfords, from Ira to Marigold.”
If my heart didn’t stop when Blythe told me our parents were here, it sure does now. The class on stage finishes their set ofsongs, with the crowd erupting in applause, while I stare at my girlfriend’s best friend. “Ian, are you telling me … that my entire family, Callie’s entire family, and my practice partners are all … here? Tonight? At the same time?” I have to ask it all pretty slowly for fear my heart may just give out. Running isn’t one of my favorite workouts, so I usually skip it at the gym. But I also didn’t know my cardiac health would be compromised like it is now. When Ian doesn’t respond, I try to come up with any possible way I could get a message to Callie—to prepare her. She won’t like walking into this blind.
“What’s the big deal?” Blythe asks, grinning. Mischievous eyes sparkle, even in the dim light of the cafeteria. “Just some preparation for the wedding, which I’m sure is right around the corner.”
Ian frowns, confusion written all over his face. And his eyes, which are a little too locked onto my sister for my liking.
Blythe turns her bright smile toward him. “You know, since they’re obsessed with each other.”
“True,” he agrees. “Hey, why don’t you go tell your parents we found Oliver and I’ll be over in a minute.” Nodding, Ian slides his gaze toward me.
“Yeah, that’d be great,” I throw in.
Blythe shakes her head. “Okay, then.” She takes off in whatever direction our parents must be sitting.
When she’s out of earshot, Ian steps closer. “Okay, look. Aaron’s over there with the Rutherfords.”
“You mean Connie?” I smirk.
Ian grins right back. “Basically.” Casting a quick glance at the stage, the board showing which class is up next says it’s nearly showtime for my girl.
“Why are they here?” Even out loud, it sounds more like I’m asking myself than him.
But Ian humors me and answers, anyway. “I think it was mainly Connie and Imogene. And where Connie goes, Chris usually follows. But I think she guilted their parents into coming, too. Apparently, she and Cal had a little heart to heart the other night.”
“Not surprising,” I mutter, “Right, Connie knows about us.”
Ian nods. “Yeah, I know.”
“Of course you do.”
He smirks. “No need to be jealous, Rhodes. Callie’s like my little sister—always has been.”
“I’m not jealous. You couldn’t be more wrong.” My cheeks flame, which helps absolutely nothing.
“And you couldn’t be more in denial.”
Narrowing my eyes, I glare across the tiny space between us. “You don’t know me, Ian.”
He shrugs. “No, but I know Callie. And I know what she’s told me about you.”Callie talks about me?
Pinching the bridge of my nose, I take a deep breath. “Whatever. What about Imogene and Prescott? Should we be worried there?”
Ian motions over his shoulder where, sure enough, the entire Rutherford clan sits, looking uncomfortably out of place in the elementary school cafeteria. “I think she and Connie teamed up, talking up the costumes to Marigold, who then pestered Prescott.”
The lights flicker, signaling the next group is about to begin. Callie’s group.
“How do we want to do this?” I ask, desperation seeping into my tone.
“Aaron and I can handle the Rutherfords.”
“It looks like you might be able to handle Blythe, too?” I ask, raising a questioning brow.
