Chapter 16 #2
“I wouldn’t miss your food for anything,” she promised and placed a hand on his thigh.
His muscles tightened beneath her palm, and the air between them was suddenly charged with something bright and sparkling that she dared not name, but it that made her blood hum in excitement.
Her touch seemed to ground him and his distracted gaze returned to her face.
The tension in his shoulders seemed to ease.
“Good.” He smiled and relaxed a little as he grasped her hand on his thigh, lifted it to his lips and kissed the back of her knuckles.
The salad course was delivered to the entire ballroom and Kara was excited to see it was a Mediterranean blend of greens with chickpeas and lightly covered with a lemony vinaigrette.
Thad ate a few bites of his salad before he left the table to join another man on stage that Kara guessed by the similarity of looks had to be Thad’s father.
They started speaking to the crowd, and a presentation played on two massive screens on either side of the ballroom.
Kara watched the video which discussed the impact of literacy on communities.
Then Thad added some closing remarks.
“Everyone deserves the right to learn to read, to have language and communication at their fingertips. The more literate our society is, the better we all are. As father said the best thing we the fortunate people in this room can do is to be the rising tide that lifts all boats, not just our own. Tonight, the contributions you make will have a ripple effect that will span decades as you pave the way others to find their voice by learning to read.”
The room broke into a hearty applause. Kara’s vision blurred with tears as she was suddenly overcome with the mission of the people in this room.
“You okay?” Angelo shifted closer to her.
“Yeah.” She wiped her tears away, more than a little embarrassed. “My mother said reading was the most important life skill a person could ever have. I never realized just how many children and adults lose their chance to read, and I didn’t know the literacy rates were so low.”
Thad continued speaking to the crowd. “Over half the country reads below a sixth-grade level. We are supposed to be a first-world country of enlightenment, but… based on the numbers, we aren’t even close.
A person is considered functionally illiterate if they read below a fifth-grade level.
That means basic medical documents and legal forms are beyond most people’s understanding. ”
Kara continued to look into Angelo’s eyes, both of them had heard Thad’s words, and it had created such a deep well of sorrow in her.
“I know, Kara. Literacy means a lot to me too.” Angelo took her hand in his.
“That’s why I offered to cater tonight’s event.
Reading is crucial. Reading leads to communication.
Being able to communicate removes so many problems for people.
When a country stops focusing on education, and prioritizes other things, everyone suffers.
In my grandmother’s village, women didn’t get the chance to go to school past the fifth or sixth grade.
They were expected to be wives and mothers, and beyond basic math and reading, why else would they need to read?
That was the thinking that governed the past. My Nonna pushed herself to read up to a college level despite the expectations that her education didn’t matter because she was a woman. ”
His usually kind brown eyes flashed with a fiery determination that reminded her that despite his constant gentleness with her, he was the very definition of masculine protectiveness.
“I never want anyone to have to fight for literacy like she did. Right now, we’re seeing a terrible shift back toward the past, toward a time when men kept women trapped.
I know just how incredible women are, especially when given the chance to read because reading leads to dreams…
and it’s the dreamers who change the world for the better. ”
Kara’s mind filled the memory of Angelo piling books into her basket at the bookstore market and arguing for her to select more when she’d tried to only get a few books.
He truly valued reading and wanted her to have dozens of fictional worlds at her fingertips.
That day, held even importance to her than it had before.
The rest of the table turned to talk of plans for after the new year, and Kara listened with a heavy heart knowing she might not be there to participate in any of them.
When dinner was served she was grateful for the distraction.
The server offered her options of beef or vegetarian lasagna. She chose the meat lasagna.
“Excellent choice,” Angelo murmured. “And I would know.” He winked at her and she lightly shoved his arm and he laughed softly.
He responded by catching her chin and leaning in for a stolen kiss.
Kara’s face flamed after they broke apart.
Everyone at the table was watching them.
The women, Roarke, and Jared were smiling.
Thad was watching them with hesitant amusement, and she understood why.
He feared their relationship was dangerous.
She couldn’t fault him for worrying about his friend.
She ducked her head, focusing on eating her lasagna and listening to the sweet music coming from the orchestra.
Angelo snuck away from the table again just before the dessert course was served and came back looking more relaxed.
“Everything okay in kitchens?” she asked when he smoothed his tux and sat back down beside her.
“Yes. The chocolate mousse is all set. That should be the last of it.”
“The food was spectacular,” she reassured him.
“Yes,” he agreed, but she heard the lingering note of uncertainty in his voice. Determined to convince him, she lightly grasped his arm, and nodded at the tables around them.
“Look, Angelo. Empty plates are everywhere,” she said in a gentle whisper.
Angelo looked around her, dark brows raising as he saw what she saw. He smiled at her looking adorably boyish and bashful.
“Thank you,” he replied.
She knew what he said in those two simple words. She’d given him a reassurance when he needed it most, just as he had done so many times for her.
After dessert, many of the younger and middle-aged gala attendees headed over to the dancefloor as the orchestra started playing lively rock and pop songs.
“Come on,” Angelo pulled her to his feet, and they followed the crowd to the dance floor.
“But I can’t dance!” she whispered as he spun around and pulled her into his arms.
“No one is watching you.” He gently brought her arms up to curl around his neck and then settled his own hands on her hips. “Just move with me.”
As a slower song started, his hands pressed lightly to the left and then to the right, swaying them both gently back and forth.
She looked down at her feet a lot at first, trying to figure out where he was going to move but after a couple of dances she felt more comfortable following him.
When a fast-paced song energized the crowd, Angelo pulled her closer and continued to simply rock with her.
Then after a moment he spun her out on his arm before she twirled back into his embrace.
She watched Angelo’s friends dancing around them.
Shana and Roarke were the most sensual, Veronica and Thad more classical.
Felicity and Jared were laughing and doing something that looked adorably silly.
She couldn’t help but notice that all the couples fit each other.
Just like Angelo and I fit… she realized.
This was another glimpse of the life she wanted, the life she could have had if not for her father. Friends, dancing, belonging… falling in love.
The ceiling suddenly started raining with blue and gold confetti which shimmered in the air like magical rain signaling the close of the night’s events. The crowd on the dance floor cheered and clapped. When the music final ended, Angelo whispered in her ear.
“I’ve got another surprise for you.”
“It had better not be more suitcases.” She warned playfully as he led her through the crowds saying good night to their friends.
They didn’t take the elevator down to the lobby, instead Asher followed them at a discreet distance to a private elevator bay where Angelo used a keycard to access the penthouse.
“Wait a second, are we—”
“Staying for the night? Yes. I promised you private swimming lessons. It’s why I had Shana help you buy a swimsuit.”
“Oh, but my swimsuit…”
“Is already here,” Angelo said as the elevator doors opened to a hallway. There was a single door at the end of the hallway that led to the penthouse. After Angelo opened the door, she found one of her brand-new suitcases sitting in the living room beside one of the green ones for Angelo.
“How on earth—” she just shook her head.
“Asher and Colton are closet romantics,” Angelo said with a shrug. “You should have everything you need in there. Including your bathing suit.”
He led her through the stunning suite which was a mixture of lavishly decorated and yet somehow felt comfortably lived in at the same time.
She spotted a guitar on a stand next to some very sparkly little girl boots.
She’d learned from Veronica that Thad played the guitar and sang.
He’d met Veronica at an open mic night at her coffee shop. The guitar had to be his.
“Are those kids shoes?” she asked.
“They’re Lyra’s,” Angelo said with a grin.
“Thad brings Veronica and Lyra up to the penthouse when they want to spend the night downtown. There are four bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen and of course the indoor pool.” He pointed to the foggy glass door ahead of them.
When he pushed the door open, she glimpsed a small pool and a hot tub built into the roof.
Steam rose up from the pool’s surface but thankfully didn’t block out the view of the stars through the glass ceiling above.