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“Don’t give me heart failure or make your mama cry. Do we understand each other?”
“Yes, sir. I promise.”
“Thank you,” her father said simply – turned – and picked up both glasses of cider, before walking over and handing one to her mother, drinking from the other one and looking at them.
“What the heck was that about?” Michael muttered under his breath, taking a seat beside her. “Do you want some more cider?”
“My dad was beating on his chest – and no. I hate cider.”
“Whew… me too. I despise the stuff after having it every single year.”
“Right?” Ruby smiled. “And eggnog cake.”
Michael shivered in disgust.
“Two things that should not be mixed together. Whatever happened to chocolate or caramel?”
“The wedding cake is eggnog,” Ruby admitted, gagging slightly. “I would kill for a hot caramel sundae with whipped cream and nuts.”
“Now you’re talking… Do you want to skip out of here and get away from prying eyes as soon as the photos are done – and we’ll grab some ice cream instead?” he asked openly. “If we leave fast enough, it will not give your dad time to pound me to a pulp.”
“He won’t do that,” Ruby chuckled. “He’s just literally making sure you know who’s the boss of his household.”
“And when you aren’t part of his household anymore?”
The question hung between them, spoken easily and without guise… and she saw his eyes widen slightly as he realized what he’d said, combined with the implication of it.
“Then I guess it would depend on if he felt I was happy or not,” she said quietly, not looking away. “So far, I’m pretty happy… peep.”
A smile touched his face as he looked at her tenderly.
“I’m really glad to hear that,” he admitted, getting to his feet. “May I have this dance, Miss Merrick?”
“I thought you’d never ask, Mr. Griffin,” she replied politely, putting her hand in his gloved one and standing before him. He held out his arm and she took it, allowing him to lead her to the floor.
As Michael gave her a small spin, Ruby felt herself laughing freely, before being pulled into his arms. He took her hand in his, laying the other low on her back, and smiled proudly.
“Dancing lessons…” he whispered, grinning, causing her to laugh again. “I wanted to be able to ‘wow’my pretty girl.”
“She’s definitely ‘Wowed’…”
“I had to do something, because my girl knocks my socks off all the time. Are you feeling better about us yet?”
“Yes,” she admitted, flushing slightly and feeling a little nervous.
“A little dancing, a date or two, and just wait…” he said smiling.
“Oh?”
“Yep. I practiced dancing and…”
“And?”
“Kissing,” he said, letting go of her and making a muppet face with his gloved hand and giving it a quick peck – causing her to collapse against him, both laughing obnoxiously together.
It felt so good to laugh with him, to see this humorous side of his personality. She laid her head on his shoulder, hugging him, feeling his ‘muppet’ hand coming to rest on her back as they slow danced, both still chuckling.
She met her father’s gaze in the distance. He was watching her protectively, but gave her a thumb’s up before nodding – and she gave him a little wave. He didn’t care so long as she was happy, and right now, she was deliriously so.
