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Her heart skipped a beat. The way he’d said that made her wonder if there’d be more. “It sounds fun. I’m so glad your parents are happy to have me come.”
Dan bit his lip.
Oh. Washappyoverstating things?
“It’ll be fun,” he said, almost absently.
Was he worried about today too? “Dan?”
“Sorry. You want to know about the food?” He glanced at her, his tension fading as he grinned. “But of course you do.” As he negotiated the heavy Thanksgiving traffic, he described the meal and some of the traditions that usually took place. They pulled up outside his parents’ large Tudor-style house. Sarah’s eyes widened. It looked three times as big as her parents’ home. She checked her appearance in the visor mirror again.
“You look great,” Dan assured her.
She hoped so. She’d suspected today would be formal, so had dressed in a teal jacket and black skirt to improve upon the last few impressions she’d made. Dan got out, racing round in the brisk October breeze to hold the door open for her, holding her hand as they walked up the short bricked path together.
Sarah took a deep breath, tugged her jacket down, then smoothed her knee-length skirt whilst checking her tights for any snags. She tentatively patted her hair. Hopefully it would stay up in the French roll she’d attempted. It was a big deal for Dan to have invited her today.
The door opened. “Daniel!” His mother gave him a hug, then turned to Sarah. “And Sarah. Welcome to our home.”
“Hi, Mrs. Walton.” Was Sarah expected to hug her too? She moved forward and gave his mother a light hug, but the stiff shoulders soon indicated her mistake.
Helen stepped back. “Oh!” Why did Helen’s smile feel like a frown? “Come in.”
Spirits sinking, she followed Dan and his mother inside. He paused in the entryway to draw her close. “Don’t mind Mom. She always gets a little stressed at Thanksgiving.”
“Why?”
“She likes things to be perfect.” He shrugged. “Come on. Let’s go find everyone.”
Sarah followed Dan into an elegant cream-and-gold living room that looked to have been styled byHome Beautiful. She greeted his father and younger brother again before being introduced to his paternal grandparents and an uncle. Another couple entered the room. The tall man looked to be in his mid-thirties and shared the same dark hair and brown eyes as Dan and Sam, but his smile seemed even cooler than Helen’s.
“So, you’re Sarah.”
Her heart double-thumped. Obviously people had been talking, and it didn’t sound too promising.Be nice. “And you must be Luke. Hello.”
He nodded, then turned to his brother. “Daniel.”
“Luke.” They shook hands.
That was all? No hug like with Sam? Didn’t they get on?
A sophisticated blonde dressed in a cream suit and pearls that made her look like Helen Walton’s mini-me stepped forward. “Hello, I’m Marguerite, Luke’s wife. It’s nice to finally meet one of Daniel’s girlfriends.”
Sarah shot Dan a quick glance. “One of? How many do you have?”
Sam snickered in the background. “Only one he brings to Thanksgiving.”
The tension in Dan’s face dissolved as he smiled. “Only one, period.”
Marguerite sat and motioned for Sarah to join her on the leather sofa. “Sarah, I understand you work in schools too?”
“Yes.” Sarah quietly exhaled. Finally, some common ground. “What do you teach?”
“Oh, no. I’m the financial manager of a private school in Vancouver.”
Okay. A lot in common there. Was the room getting warm or just her? Sarah removed her jacket, but the long, puffy sleeves of her green-and-purple top caught on one of the jacket buttons. Oh no. She looked up. Eyes politely glanced away. She tried wrenching it loose, but it wouldn’t budge. Her cheeks heated. Sweat trickled down her neck.
Dan crouched in front of her. “Hey, Princess.” He grasped the jacket and fiddled with it for a moment, then gently unhooked it. “There you go.”
