“Let’s get going. Somebody is waiting for you downstairs. I’ll be there in a minute.”
Dani went down to the driveway to find a vintage white car and a chauffeur. She slipped carefully into the back seat so she wouldn’t ruin her dress.
“Hi, Dani,” a shaky voice said.
“Sam!” Dani threw herself at her best friend and immediately squashed her with a big hug.
“She made me come. I said you would never talk to me again, but she insisted,” Sam said, gasping for breath as Dani clutched her.
“I thought you were never going to talk to me again after I blew you off. I was horrible this summer. I was awful,” Dani said apologetically.
“Aren’t you mad? After what I did to you and Leila—”
“Yes, I was mad, but without you I never would have met my father.” Dani pulled back. “Look at you! Your hair got so long.”
“You want to talk about my hair? Now?” Sam rolled her eyes.
Dani laughed. “I’m so glad that Leila asked you to come.”
Sam shook her head. “Actually, it was your friend Kayla. I said you wouldn’t want to see me, but she wouldn’t take no for an answer. She sent me a plane ticket. She’s very stubborn.”
“Yes, she is,” Dani said, laughing.
“I want to tell you everything, Dani. I overheard Leila and Alan arguing one night.”
“Stop, Sam. We don’t have to do this now.”
“Yes, we do. I have to tell you. I heard them arguing, and Alan was pressing your mom to tell you about your father. He said that you were going to find out someday and that you should hear it from your mother. I couldn’t believe it when I heard Mark’s name.”
Dani nodded. “I figured you must have overheard them talking.”
“I thought of everything Mark could do for you, Dani, and how you would have that mystery in your life solved. I guess I was jealous, too. It seemed such a dream come true, right? I went to Leila after I got your email and told her everything. We talked a lot over those next few days. Somehow she forgave me. But I should still be hung up by my ankles for what I did.”
“You gave me my father, Sam. I’ll get over the rest of it. We’ve all made some bad decisions this summer, believe me.”
“Listen, when we get to the party, I won’t even talk to your father. I won’t look at him, okay? That’s how sorry I am.”
“Of course you’re going to meet him, silly. You’re my best friend.”
“Dani, you’re going to make me cry and I’ll wreck my makeup and your father will think I’m gruesome!”
“No, he won’t,” Dani said, as she wrapped her arms around Sam again. “He’ll think you’re incredibly fantastic.”
Chapter 47
“So, what do you think? Do you like it?” Mark asked Dani.
Dani stood at the entrance to the ballroom in awe. “It’s wonderful, Dad,” she said.
The decorations were extraordinary. Absolutely magical. A carpet of snow led to the hotel ballroom, and the walls in the room were draped in white fabric. White couches and chairs provided intimate seating and glowed under the blue lights that shone from the floor and ceiling. Tall, curly twigs filled silver vases throughout the room, and a little gourmet café served steaming cups of cocoa. Hundreds of sparkling glass snowflakes hung above the crowd, sending light dancing across the guests. Dani loved everything about the party. Just like the dress Mark had chosen, it was very her.
But this wasn’t the party that Mark had been describing to Dani for all those weeks. There were no giant stuffed animals, no wild ice sculptors, and there was no skating rink crowding the dance floor.
“Where are the furry hats and sleighs?” Dani asked, revealing her relief.
“Someone finally had the audacity to give me advice, and I finally listened.” Mark smiled and wrapped his arm around Olivia’s waist, pulling her close.
“Your father just needed a suggestion—or two. He had the right idea.”
Mark kissed both Olivia and Dani and disappeared into the party crowd.
“Olivia? Thank you,” Dani said. “Especially after everything I did to you. I feel terrible.”
“Just be happy you’re not making your grand entrance on a Zamboni.” Olivia laughed. “And, no, I’m not kidding.”
Dani smiled. “So it looks like you and Dad are okay?”
“Yes. I think there’s hope. And before I forget, this is for you. It’s corny, but certain occasions call for corny.” Olivia handed her a small bag, and Dani removed a silver charm bracelet with a photo of Dani and Mark in a locket.
“I love it. Thank you. For everything.” Dani hugged her.
“Thank you for everything.”
Dani felt a tap on her shoulder. “Some party, kiddo!”
“Alan!” Dani flung her arms around him.
“You look beautiful, Dani.”
“I hope you’re having fun. Is it weird being here with Mark?”
“We get along fine. And in case you were wondering, your mother and he seem to be getting along fine, too.” Alan pointed across the room to where Leila and Mark were sitting together on a couch. They were both smiling.
“Good. I’m glad they’re not being weird with each other.”
“Quite the contrary.” Alan frowned and continued staring at Leila.
“Alan, you’re not worried about the two of them, are you?” Dani laughed.
“No, of course not.” He waved his hand. “Anyhow, go enjoy your party. We’ll have time to catch up later.”
Dani saw Sam and sat down with her. Kayla, Violet, and Chelsea were on the dance floor with other people whom Dani knew from the beach club. Ava and Pete were having their picture taken in front of a wintry mural.
And then she saw Nathan.
“Is that him?” Sam asked.
“Yeah. That’s him. He won’t look at me.” Dani turned away. “I don’t know why he even came.”
“If it’s any consolation, he doesn’t look very happy. He is adorable.” said Sam.
“I know. Thanks for reminding me.” Dani said. “Here comes his father.”
Evan approached the girls. “I have a little going-away present for you, Dani. Actually, it’s for you and your father, but I had a feeling you might want to tell him about it.”
“My dad got the part, didn’t he?”
Evan grinned. “He did. And you were right about him. He had an incredible audition, one I never would have expected from him. I’m looking forward to working with him”
Dani impulsively kissed him on the cheek. “Thank you!”
“You’re the one who believed in him, Dani.” Evan winked and then left the girls.
“Look. Your dad is going to the mic.” Sam pointed to the stage. “Come on.”
Dani made her way through the crowd until she was standing near her father. The evening had already felt like too many goodbyes, but this goodbye would be the hardest of all.
“Don’t kill me for saying this, but your father is devastatingly gorgeous,” Sam said.
“Gross, Sam!” Dani could understand Sam’s appraisal, but it was still weird. “That’s my dad. He looks…fatherly.”
The music softened. Mark took the microphone in his hands. “Thanks to all of you for being here tonight with Dani and me. A few months ago, when I discovered that I was a father, I didn’t know what to expect. I didn’t know anything about being a father, and maybe I still don’t,” he said with a shy smile. “But I do know that I never imagined that my daughter would be such an amazing person. Dani, I know that I’ve made some mistakes along the way, but thank you for standing by me. Thank you for everything.” He looked at his daughter. “Your mother and Alan will shoot me for this, but I can’t bear the thought of saying goodbye. It’s selfish of me, I know, and I have no right to ask you, but…”
Oh, no. Dani held Mark’s gaze. In front of all these people, he was going to ask her to stay in California with him. How would she answer? As much as she wanted to go home to M
ichigan, it was killing her to leave Mark behind. Dani looked directly into his eyes and silently pleaded. Don’t ask me to choose.
Mark hung his head for a moment and hesitated. He cleared his throat and slipped his hands into his pockets. “I know that I have no right to ask, but I’m wondering… if you might visit me again next summer?”
Dani looked across the room and caught her mother’s eye. Leila nodded. Dani grinned at her father and shouted, “Yes!.”
Mark smiled back. “While I’m up here, I have one more question for you, Dani, but you can take as long as you want to answer….”.
What now? Dani shut her eyes and braced herself.
Mark laughed. “May I have the next dance?” He hopped off the stage and embraced his daughter. Then Mark took Dani’s hand and led her to the center of the ballroom. Dani wiped her eyes and beamed at her father. Slow music started, and she wrapped an arm around his neck. They began to dance.
“I love you, Dad.”
“And I love you, Dani.”
He held her gently as they danced, and then, to Dani’s amazement, snow began falling.
“Is there anything you can’t do?” she said with a laugh.
Mark looked up and let the flakes fall across his face. He twirled Dani. The guests applauded. Soon the floor was filled with dancing couples.
“Dad, I have something to tell you.” Dani smiled at Evan, who was watching them dance. “You got the part.”
Mark hugged Dani. “I’m not sure that I deserve it after the way I behaved this summer.”
“That makes two of us.”
Mark whispered in her ear, “As much as I love dancing with you, I think there is another boy who has been waiting for you all night. Don’t make him wait any longer.”
Dani turned and saw Nathan behind her. “You’re still here,” she said breathlessly.
“I wouldn’t dream of leaving,” he said.
Dani could feel her heart pounding. “I wanted to say goodbye.”
“That’s the last thing I want.” Nathan stepped forward and put his hand on Dani’s cheek. “So let’s not say goodbye until the party is over.” He drew her in close and kissed her, and this time neither of them pulled away.
Dani wrapped her arms around him and looked into his eyes. “I thought I was too late.”
“It’s never too late,” he said, smiling. Nathan leaned in, kissing her again and again.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jessica Park grew up in the Boston area and then went to Macalester College in frigid St. Paul, Minnesota. During her freshman year, there was a blizzard on Halloween, and so after graduation, she decided that she was not cut out for such torture. So she moved back to the east coast where, she'd forgotten, it still snows. Oops. She now lives in New Hampshire with her husband, son, bananas dog named Fritzy, and two selfish cats. When not writing, she is probably on Facebook , pining over 80s rock stars, or searching for the nearest Dunkin' Donuts. Oh, and she's a complete Gleek.
Her newest book, FLAT-OUT LOVE (April 2011), is a great all-ages read.
About FLAT-OUT LOVE: Flat-Out Love is a warm and witty novel of family love and dysfunction, deep heartache and raw vulnerability, with a bit of mystery and one whopping, knock-you-to-your-knees romance.
Something is seriously off in the Watkins home. And Julie Seagle, college freshman, small-town Ohio transplant, and the newest resident of this Boston house, is determined to get to the bottom of it.
When Julie’s off-campus housing falls through, her mother’s old college roommate, Erin Watkins, invites her to move in. The parents, Erin and Roger, are welcoming, but emotionally distant and academically driven to eccentric extremes. The middle child, Matt, is an MIT tech geek with a sweet side … and the social skills of a spool of USB cable. The youngest, Celeste, is a frighteningly bright but freakishly fastidious 13-year-old who hauls around a life-sized cardboard cutout of her oldest brother almost everywhere she goes.
And there’s that oldest brother, Finn: funny, gorgeous, smart, sensitive, almost emotionally available. Geographically? Definitely unavailable. That’s because Finn is traveling the world and surfacing only for random Facebook chats, e-mails, and status updates. Before long, through late-night exchanges of disembodied text, he begins to stir something tender and silly and maybe even a little bit sexy in Julie’s suddenly lonesome soul.
To Julie, the emotionally scrambled members of the Watkins family add up to something that … well … doesn’t quite add up. Not until she forces a buried secret to the surface, eliciting a dramatic confrontation that threatens to tear the fragile Watkins family apart, does she get her answer.
Jessica has also written five Gourmet Girl mysteries (as Jessica Conant-Park) that are set in the Boston restaurant scene. The series follows the romantic, culinary, and investigative adventures of twenty-something Chloe Carter, and all books come complete with recipes
She also has a few eshorts available for download, including FACEBOOKING RICK SPRINGFIELD (AND OTHER MUSINGS OF A SCATTERED WRITER):
About FACEBOOKING RICK SPRINGFIELD: Am I the best, most knowledgeable Rick Springfield fan out there? I’ll be honest: No. Not really. I do not know all the gritty details of his life the way that some fans do. But what I lack in messy specifics, I like to think that I make up for with enthusiasm. Look, should I win the lottery, I’d probably follow him around on tour and plaster my house with expensive memorabilia. And obviously my ass would be on that Rick Springfield Cruise every November. But until then, the advantage of being a writer is that I have a decent imagination, and my fantasy Rick life placates my need for, you know, actual encounters with the cherished one. I’m pretty content to worship him from afar. So here is a collection of blogs that I’ve done (now expanded), most of which have a focus on the most charming rock god of all, Rick Springfield. The few that are not entirely Rick-centered are still funny, but less insane.
Also available are two volumes of What the Kid Says. “The first is a collection of weird discussions that I have with my nine-year-old son, taken from my blog and centralized in one downloadable location to be easily used against him when he is a teenager. Conversation topics include: God and hoodies, whether or not I killed the Thanksgiving turkey, rooting through the neighbor's recycling bin and discovering a Victoria's Secret catalog, anthropomorphizing food items while I'm cooking, butlers, how to get girls, and the kid's obsession with hot tubs.” The second, What the Kid Says 2: At Least He Asked, “delivers all new humorous conversations that I have with my son. Topics include: first crushes, school lunches, word confusion (Concord vs. conquered), clones, swearing while driving, the pros and cons of television, and the kid's interpretation of holidays. With plenty to make you laugh, and a bit to make you cry, this download has something for all those who love kids.”
http://flatoutlove.blogspot.com
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http://whatthekidsays.blogspot.com
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Twitter: JessicaPark24
Jessica Park, Relatively Famous
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