Page 49 of Not Part of the Plan
Emma frowned.Is that what her father thought she was doing? Is that what she was doing?Trying to orchestrate chaos into the most agreeable outcome?
“Now, no worrying today. Today’s only for celebrating. I think there’s someone who could use a little distraction.” Franklin nudged his chin across the dance floor where Niko was capturing the Pierce boys and their beers at the bar.
Niko was mouth-watering as always in charcoal pants that made his ass look even more spectacular than usual and a pale blue shirt, the sleeves rolled stylishly to his elbows. She could see just a hint of the ink from his tattoo peeking out under the sleeve. He’d shaved for the occasion, but Emma realized it didn’t do anything to lessen the bad boy vibe. God, he was gorgeous.
Evan galloped up to Emma and Franklin, a laughing Phoebe in tow. “Our grandson can certainly dance,” she said.
Evan gave a little bow. “Ladies like a guy with moves,” he said wisely and turned the bride back over to the groom.
“Why don’t you two enjoy a dance,” Emma suggested. “I have a photographer to distract.”
She made her way through the crowded dance floor and swung by the bar. She ordered a martini and a beer from Cheryl whose tip jar was overflowing with wedding goodwill. Off duty and out of uniform, Donovan Cardona leaned against the bar nursing a beer and staring into the crowd.
“Did you get everything straightened out with Fitz?” Emma asked, nudging him.
Donovan shook himself back to the present. “Apparently our pal Fitz took an online Stripping 101 course a while back. He’s the understudy to whoever you actually hired. That guy couldn’t make it last night because he’s the understudy for the lead in an off-off-Broadway ofThe Full Monty,and the lead fell down a flight of stairs and broke his leg after someone slapped him on the shoulder and told him to break a leg.”
Emma shook her head. “Was this Fitz’s first gig?”
Donovan laughed. “Here’s the unbelievable part. Apparently, the little weasel’s been picking up jobs here and there and clearing an extra grand a month shaking it for book clubs and knitting circles.”
Emma shuddered. “I’m never joining a book club or a knitting circle.”
“Here you go, boss,” Cheryl pushed the drinks at Emma with a wink. “You going to go hydrate that gorgeous photographer?”
“I’m thinking about it,” Emma said slyly.
“Hot damn.” Cheryl moved down the bar to take another order, and Emma looked around the crowd again. She saw Aurora sharing a piece of cake with a little boy in jeans and a too-small polo shirt.
“Do you know who that boy is?” Emma asked Donovan, tilting her head in Aurora’s direction.
“That’s Reva’s little brother, Caleb.” For a second, Emma saw Donovan go from wedding guest to cop as he studied the boy. “There’ve been some rumors around town about their mother. I’ve been trying to call her, but the house phone’s been disconnected.”
“What’s going on?”
“Rumor has it the mom skipped town with her latest boyfriend. She stopped showing up for work last month, and no one’s seen her since.”
“Then who’s taking care of Reva and Caleb?”
“That’s what I’m worried about,” Donovan said.
Emma watched Caleb’s big eyes get bigger as Aurora spooned a huge portion of cake onto his plate.
“Well, hell,” she said. She could only imagine what would happen if it turned out their mother had abandoned them. Foster care, separation, instability. “I hope for their sake the rumors aren’t true.”
“I hope so, too,” Donovan admitted. “But I don’t have a good feeling about it.”
“Let me know if there’s anything I can do,” Emma offered.
When Donovan didn’t respond, Emma followed his gaze to Eva as she spun around the dance floor with Evan, laughing and gasping for breath.
Emma bit her lip. The town sheriff with a crush on Eva? Now that was interesting.
“Maybe you should go ask her to dance,” she suggested to him.
Donovan turned six shades of red and fumbled his beer.
“And don’t even pretend you don’t know what I’m talking about,” she warned him when he opened his mouth.
