Chapter 18 #2
“My parents are on the island,” Kara said, “and they’re hosting an engagement party for us tomorrow at the Summer House. I know it’s short notice, but they wanted to do it. Personally, I think engagement parties are stupid, but you can’t tell my mother that.”
“I have to check with Owen to make sure he doesn’t have plans or a gig, but we should be able to come.”
“Please feel free to bring the baby,” Kara said of Laura’s son, Holden.
“Your Honor,” Dan said to Laura’s father, Frank McCarthy, “we hope you can make it, too.”
“I’m Frank, Dan, and yes, we’d love to,” he said with a glance at Betsy, who nodded in agreement. Frank had been seeing Betsy Jacobson since she came to the island seeking information about her son Steve’s death in the boat accident.
“You’ll have to give me some time to get used to calling you by your first name,” Dan said to Frank. “I’m not conditioned to be so casual with judges.”
“I’m retired now.”
“Once a judge, always a judge.”
They said goodbye to Laura, Frank and Betsy and headed into Stephanie’s Bistro.
Dan stopped Kara before they entered the restaurant. “Hey.”
Kara turned to him, looking beautiful in a navy dress that did wondrous things for her sexy body. “Yes?”
“Don’t be stressed.”
“I’m not.”
“Don’t lie to me.” He took her hand and brought it to his lips. “It’s going to be fine. We don’t need anyone else—or their approval—to be happy.”
“They’re going to love you. I’m not worried about that.”
“Then what?”
“I just hate how fake it all is. After all this time, they finally decide to give a shit about me and my life, ironically after I become engaged to someone their country club friends would be impressed by. It’s so gross.”
“You think the country clubbers will dig me?”
She smacked his arm. “Is that all you heard?”
“Nah, I heard the rest, too, and I hate that for you, but let’s go through the motions with them so we can get back to living our very happy life, okay?”
“Yeah, okay.”
“Remember—they can’t hurt us unless we let them, and there ain’t no way I’m letting them hurt you.”
She finally cracked a small smile. “It’s really nice to have someone else who’s always on my side.” He knew the other someone else was Bertha.
Dan wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head. “That might be the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me.”
“It’s true. I grew up in a crazy scrum of kids with everyone competing for everything. It was exhausting.”
“There’s no competition anymore. You’re first on my list now and forever.”
“Thank you. You have no idea what that means to me.”
“Yes, I do. No matter what happens tonight or tomorrow at the party, we’ll go home together where no one can touch us. Okay?”
Kara pulled back from him and nodded. “Love you, Counselor.”
“Love you more.”
“No way.”
“Way.” He gave her a pat on the bottom to get her moving toward the hostess stand. “We’re meeting Mr. and Mrs. Ballard.”
“Ah, yes, right this way.”
The hostess led them to a table by the window where a distinguished older couple waited for them.
He’d seen pictures of Judith and Chuck, so he’d known what to expect.
What he couldn’t have anticipated, though, was the change that came over Kara when she greeted them.
It was like she lost all her sparkle or something.
Dan went through the motions of shaking hands with the people who’d be his in-laws as of next June, but he already wanted this dinner to be over. He wanted his Kara back.
“It’s such a pleasure to finally meet you, Dan,” Judith said when they were seated across from her and Chuck. “We’ve read such lovely things about you.”
“Thank you.” He wasn’t about to say he’d heard good things about them, too. They had to know that wasn’t the case.
Under the table, he reached for Kara’s hand.
“Let me see your ring, honey,” Judith said.
Kara extended her left hand.
“That’s gorgeous.” To Dan, she added, “Well done.”
He smiled at Kara. “It’s hard to improve on perfection.”
She smiled back at him and seemed to relax ever so slightly.
“You’re from California, is that right, Dan?” Chuck asked as he sipped from a glass of amber liquid that might’ve been bourbon.
“That’s right. Southern California. I grew up near Santa Monica.”
“Big family?”
“Not by your standards.”
That got a laugh from all three Ballards.
“Two older sisters and an older brother, who died in Afghanistan.”
“I’m so sorry for your loss,” Judith said.
“Thank you. It was a tough one. Still is.”
“Your folks must be excited about the wedding,” Judith said.
“They are. I’m taking Kara to meet them in person after the season ends. They’ve gotten to know each other on FaceTime, and they already love her.”
“She’s the best,” Chuck said with a warm look for his daughter.
Dan put his arm around Kara. “Yes, she certainly is.” He hoped he was sending the message that anyone who tried to screw with her going forward would have to deal with him.
Not that she wasn’t perfectly capable of taking care of herself.
But he’d throw himself between her and anyone who tried to hurt her.
After a dinner that turned out mostly pleasant, they walked back to his car with Kara leaning her head on his shoulder. “That was way less dreadful than it would’ve been if you hadn’t been there. I knew they’d love you.”
Dan squeezed her shoulder. “It’s like I told you… They can’t get to us unless we let them, and we’re not going to let them.”
“Like when you told my mom this is my wedding, and I’ll be the one planning it. Swoon.”
“No sense leaving her with any other impression of how this will go.”
“She really wants me to get married at home in Maine.”
“You’re getting married in the home of your heart, right here on Gansett Island.” They’d booked the former Chesterfield Estate for their big day.
“It’s kind of fun to be in the driver’s seat of my own life.”
“Where you shall stay for the rest of it. No more dealing with family nonsense. We’ll see them in small doses.”
“That sounds good.”
“I really want to meet Bertha in person. As much as I love FaceTiming with her, I want to see the boat and her place by the water.”
“We’ll do that at some point.”
“Let’s do it when your season ends. We’ll go up there just to see her.”
“And not tell the others we’re in town?”
“We won’t tell anyone unless you want to see them. You’re the boss, babe.”
“Yes, I am, and don’t let me forget that, okay?”
“Never.”