As others started to join in, Rico hardly dared to look at Mitch. Wondering if he would ask him to dance in front of all these people, Rico felt hopeful but got ready to hide his disappointment if he had to.
Then Mitch lightly cupped his elbow sending shivers all through him. In a deep, confident voice he asked Rico, "Would you like to dance?"
"Yes, very much," Rico told him with happy relief.
"Be warned, I'm terrible," Mitch said as they went out to join the other couples.
Rico didn't mind. As they faced each other, he told Mitch, "Step on my feet all you want. I'll forgive you."
Taking his hand, Mitch stepped close to him and his arm encircled Rico's waist. How could Rico find any fault in him? For the first time he was dancing with Mitch, and he didn't care if he was good at it or not, or if the music was corny. All he cared about were those arms around him, those incredible blue eyes looking into his.
With the back yard decorated to the nines and everyone dressed for the event, the reception seemed fancy at first glance, but it wasn't very formal. The atmosphere was laid back with guests doing as they liked—sipping champagne, sitting down to eat, dancing or lounging on the veranda in their summer dresses and summer suits. Rico would swear that everyone was drunk, but they were just happy and relaxed.
Sam and Wyatt couldn't be pried away from each other, dancing and looking so in love.
Later in the afternoon their dancing got lazy and close just leaning against each other and barely swaying.
To take a break from dancing, Rico and Mitch strolled around just enjoying each other's company.
"You were good with Sam today," Mitch praised him.
Rico didn't think he deserved any credit though. "Me? I didn't do anything except let him lean on me. A tree could have done what I was doing."
"You were great," Mitch insisted. "Whenever someone needs you, you deliver."
"OK. Fine. If you're dead set on saying nice things about me, I won't stop you."
The two of them joined Wyatt and his friends, and Rico wondered who had managed to pry him away from Sam. "Someone stole your husband already?" Rico asked Wyatt.
"I was outnumbered," Wyatt said and pointed out Sam dancing with Gloria and Sammy. Then all the kids started dancing around him.
"Isn't he the most beautiful thing you've ever seen?" Wyatt said while gazing at Sam in the midst of all those kids. "You know I'm torn between wanting everyone to look at him to see how beautiful he is, and wanting to blindfold everyone so no one can look at him but me."
"Be cool man," Stan told him and elbowed him.
Rico knew how Wyatt felt because he had the same impulse when it came to Mitch.
"Don't listen to him," Raquel told Wyatt and kissed him on the cheek. "Weddings are not a time for being cool. You be as crazy as you want, honey." She was a little tipsy.
"Thank you," Wyatt told her.
"Isn't she the best," Lara said. Then she nodded toward Noreen. "This one isn't bad either." She then threw her arms around both of them.
The girls went off being all girly together. Well, not Noreen. She scowled while Lara tried to make her jealous by hanging all over Raquel.
"They are so weird," Rico said.
"Right. That's nothing like you hanging all over Sam to try and make me crazy," Wyatt pointed out.
"That's different," Rico claimed while Mitch gave him the side eye.
"Your grandmother is having a good time," Wyatt said and nodded toward her and Judge Ron.
"How many times is Grandma going to dance with Mr. Jasper's little bro?" Rico asked.
"You think something is brewing there?" Wyatt wondered, but Rico only narrowed his eyes in their direction.
The sun was halfway to the horizon when Sam and Wyatt started going around to thank everyone for coming to celebrate their wedding. The two of them were going on a mini honeymoon, and the boys were going to stay with Wyatt's aunt.
