Finding Gracie's Rainbow (43 page)

“
You look great, Sis.”
Steven looked her over. “I have but one question.”

“
What’s that?” Gracie was
still watching Annie.

“
Why are you more
comfortable wearing that than the dress Paige picked out for you
yesterday?” Steven asked before he twirled her around.

“
I'm not the only one that
looks silly today.” Gracie smiled as Bea walked over to them.
“Besides I want to look like my daughter.”

“
She looks just like you.”
Steven did a double take as he looked from Bea to a picture that
was taken of Gracie at her age. “That is spooky.”

“
Focus on the eyes,
Steven,” Gracie walked away from them as the other guests started
to arrive. “Can we assign partners now?”

“
I think we had better.”
Jackson was watching as Christian kept trying to break the ice with
his cousin. “Maybe you should talk to her before Christian gives
up.”

“
Actually, I think that
Christian likes her enough to manage.” Gracie walked over and asked
Christian if she could borrow Annie, and they walked outside. “It
will be easier if you just admit that you like the guy.”

“
But I don’t.” Annie was
frowning as she looked over at Christian, who was talking to
Jackson.

“
Is that your tale?”
Gracie started smiling at her. “At least pretend that you like him,
because you've been assigned to dance with him.”

“
I’ve what?” Annie turned
her attention to her Gracie, “Who did that?”

Gracie shrugged her
shoulders as they both looked across the room. “You can dance great
if you partnered with Jackson. Show Christian a couple of moves.”
Gracie walked away from her and was met by Jackson as Addison
walked into the house with Dylan.

Addison walked over to
Gracie as she stared at Annie. “So how is that going?”

“
At the moment, it isn’t.”
Gracie laughed as she saw Dylan walk over to Christian. “You didn’t
tell him anything, did you?”

“
Who, little ol' me?”
Addison was smiling. “Not about them.”

“
That is a relief. Annie
can be stubborn.” Gracie walked with Addison throughout the
room.

“
And you would be one to
know about being stubborn.” Addison smiled as she looked at the
dress. “I like it.”

“
You should see Bea.”
Gracie turned as she heard Mr. Foster’s voice. “You’re kidding,
right?”

Addison turned around, and
her eyes got big as saucers. “I'm afraid not. He’s here with his
wife.”

Gracie looked over at
Sammie, who looked just as puzzled as she did. Sammie walked over
to her. “Who is that?”

“
That’s my boss, Mr.
Foster and his wife. Who sent out the invitations?” Gracie looked
at Sammie before she could answer.

“
That would be my mother.”
Sammie looked at Gracie with an apology in her eyes.

“
Gracie, you do look
nice.” Mrs. Foster walked over and greeted Gracie as Salem
smiled.

“
I told you I didn't waste
my time flying down here yesterday.” Salem greeted her before
looking around the room.

Gracie left them after a
few minutes and walked over to her sister. “This is some turn out,
Kim. I wonder why my boss is here from New York.”

“
I have no idea. I didn't
send him an invitation.”

Gracie looked over at
Addison, who was looking at her. “Addison.” She mumbled under her
breath.

Janet looked around the
room and smiled. “I think that it’s time.” She smiled at Chandler,
who stood and banged a glass with a spoon to get all of their
attention. Gracie looked up at him. “First of all, I wish to tell
my daughter and granddaughter Happy Birthday, and then I'm going to
call out partners.” He looked at Bea as she walked over to him, and
he had her step next to him as he talked. “One more thing, there
have been prizes donated which the winning couple will be able to
donate to charity. Thank you, Mr. Foster.”

Gracie glanced over to her
boss, who smiled at her.

“
So instead of this just
being a dance like we originally planned; it is now a charity
event. I hope we all have fun.” Chandler held out the crook of his
arm to Janet after he had assigned partners.

Addison and Dylan walked
over to Gracie and Jackson after Chandler finished. “I had no
choice. He wanted to know what we were doing today, and then he
donated the prizes. Your parents couldn’t refuse such an
offer.”

“
How big are the prizes?”
Jackson asked her as he took Gracie’s hand.

“
Let’s just say they're
sizable.” Addison turned to look as Christian walked over to Annie.
“What do think? Will she get along with him long enough to
dance?”

“
I would be more worried
with him being able to keep up with her. I taught her everything
she knows.” Jackson smiled as Annie walked off with
Christian.

Jackson handed Gracie half
a chocolate bar before the dance. “I remember you used to eat this
before we danced.”

She took it. “You do
realize that this is the only time I eat this stuff.” She finished
the chocolate. “Mr. Carter, are you ready to tango?”

“
I am.” Jackson smiled as
they walked out to the cement pad before the music started to play.
“Let’s win this thing.”

Gracie glanced over to
Annie and Christian as they danced. “I think that we have some
competition.”

“
I never knew he could
dance like that.” Jackson was smiling as they danced easily
together. “Just wait, Annie can still teach him a couple of things.
I'm sure.”

Annie was smiling as they
danced. “There is another side to you.”

“
Of course, there is.”
Christian looked down at her as they matched step to step. “I don’t
work all the time.”

“
I’m surprised.” Annie
looked around as they spoke. “I'm sorry that I snapped at
you.”

“
And about not answering
your phone?” Christian asked.

“
Somebody should have left
a message. I was interviewing mothers.” Annie explained to
him.

“
I guess I should
apologize. I thought you were just not answering the phone.”
Christian looked over at Gracie. “I'm not working today if you are
wondering.”

“
I think you've already
mentioned that, and I'm really glad to hear it since this is her
birthday party.” Annie looked up as the music stopped, “Not bad,
Detective.”

“
Thank you.” Christian was
relieved to take a break, “How long until the next
song?”

“
Now,” Annie smiled as the
music started playing again. “You can keep up with us, can’t
you?”

“
I can try and that's all
I can say.” Christian’s feet were already hurting as they started
again. He looked over to see Jackson smiling at him.

Jackson guided Gracie over
towards them as they danced. “Don’t worry, Christian. The last
dance is the Macarena, and the guys usually don’t dance
one.”

“
And just how many dances
are there between this one and the Macarena?” He watched as Annie
and Gracie started to laugh, “That many, huh?”

“
Should have put on your
dancing shoes, Detective.” Gracie was laughing as they danced away
from them.

“
Just so you know, Jackson
taught me how to dance after she got married.” Annie smiled as
Christian stared at her.

“
So Jackson didn’t quit
after Gracie went to Pennsylvania?” Christian looked
puzzled.

“
It didn’t last that
long.” Annie answered him honestly. “It was no fun for him after
Gracie left.”

Christian raised his eyes
as they continued to dance.

“
You promised not to
work.” Annie informed him as she watched him start to
think.

“
I did, didn’t I?” He
looked away from Jackson and back at Annie. “You're a lot better
than I am.”

“
Like I said. .
.”

“
I know. Jackson taught
you.” Christian started to laugh. “This is fun.”

“
And for a good cause. I
heard it was for battered women and children.” Annie listened for
the ending of the music.

“
That is a very cause.”
Christian agreed with her as his feet were allowed another break.
“Is it going to be like this for a long time?”

“
Just about thirty more
minutes. Can you hang in there?” Annie took a bottle of water and
handed him one.

“
I doubt it, but I can
make the effort.” Christian downed the water before Annie even had
her lid off.

Jackson and Gracie walked
over and watched them. “He is so going to regret that.” Gracie
whispered as Jackson handed her a bottle.

Jackson just shook his head
as Annie had watched him down the bottle. She looked over at
Gracie. “Is it too late to switch partners?”

“
Yes,” she was laughing.
“I hope he can hold his water.”

“
You know you have to stay
on the dance floor while we do the Macarena, don’t you?”

“
No potty breaks?”
Christian looked over at Jackson, who was shaking his
head.

The music started playing
again, and Annie looked over at him. “Just two more
dances.”

“
So that would be one and
then the Macarena?”

“
No.” Annie was watching
as Christian was already looking miserable, “Poor
thing.”

Christian looked over at
Jackson as they all watched the ladies doing the Macarena. “I
really can't watch anymore.”

“
I think that you handle a
couple more minutes.” Jackson was watching Gracie and Bea. “Don't
let my cousin down.”

“
This has nothing to do
with me?” Christian looked as miserable as he felt.

“
Not at the moment,”
Jackson was laughing at his old friend as Dylan walked up to
them.

“
So is that the woman who
gets on your nerves because she's always late?” Dylan was watching
him.

“
Yeah, so?” Christian
looked at him and Jackson as they both laughed. Steven walked over
to them before grabbing a bottle of water.

“
I hear that there’s a
bathroom right in the house.” Steven winked at Jackson. “We all
know who won anyway.”

“
We do?” Jackson looked
over at Steven.

“
You still don’t get it,
do you, Jackson?” Steven opened his water in front of Christian.
“I'm sorry, did you want this?”

“
Steven- right?” Christian
shot him an angry look. “Don’t you think I'm in bad enough
shape?”

He put the bottle down on
the table as Jackson grinned. “Let me put this down.” He left the
lid off and watched as the water dripped off the table. He sat down
after he picked up the empty bottle. “I think I like this guy,
Jackson.”

Jackson couldn't hold in
the laughter anymore. “You don’t have to stay out here during the
entire dance.” He listened as the last frames of music played. “Oh,
I believe the song is over.”

Christian ran to the house
as the guys all laughed out loud, and the girls looked over their
way as they watched Christian running.

“
What did you guys do?”
Gracie looked at Jackson, who was laughing so hard he had tears in
his eyes.

“
I swear it wasn’t me.”
Jackson watched as Dylan high-fived Steven. They watched as
Christian walked back out of the house.

“
Thanks, guys.” Christian
half grinned at them. “That was so funny I forgot to
laugh.”

Chandler and Janet both
looked over at the table after hearing all the laughter and
Chandler clanked his glass again. “At the request of my
granddaughter, there is one more dance.”

“
You’ve got to be kidding
me.” Christian moaned as he had just taken his shoes off to rub his
feet.

Gracie looked over at
Sammie, who was grinning after she said something to Kim. “What is
she up to?”

“
Gentlemen, this is a slow
dance, and I expect to see a few couples on the pad.” Chandler
looked over at his family and watched as Gracie walked away from
Jackson.

Jackson was puzzled and
walked over to her. “What is it now?”

“
I don’t slow dance.”
Gracie looked at him when he frowned.

“
And why is that? There is
no more contact in a slow dance than in any of the other ones that
we did.”

“
Jackson, I really don't
see a need to put myself to sleep.” Gracie picked up a bottle of
water.

Jackson took the bottle
from her. “You're going to slow dance for your niece. I thought you
liked making people happy.”

“
I do.” Gracie glanced
over at Sammie and then back at Jackson. “Fine. But don’t get too
close.”

“
What do you consider too
close?” Jackson smiled as he led out to where the others were
already assembled.

“
I'll let you know.” She
informed him as they started dancing. Gracie looked up at him after
the dance and smiled. “I guess that wasn’t as bad as I
thought.”