Her Lifelong Dream (22 page)

She couldn't remember the last time she had gone dancing-it seemed like forever. Dancing was something Leedy loved dearly but rarely was able to do. For a fleeting second
Leedy remembered how much Brian disliked dancing. It
was then she realized that this was the first time since the
breakup that she had thought about Brian and not felt sad.
It was liberating to no longer feel sad about her exboyfriend. There was no sorrow and no regrets. In fact, she
thought about Brian and his new fiancee and wished them
both happiness. Things were not meant to work out between her and Brian. Both of them were meant for someone
else.

Terry led her across the floor, and they danced as gracefully as a couple who had danced every day of their lives.
They moved to the steady beat of the music, their bodies
in perfect rhythm to each other. They danced to everything
the band played. From pop to jazz to the Electric Slide and
even the Chicken Dance. They danced until they were out
of breath and thirsty and longing for their cozy table for
two in the corner.

"Hey, you two," Brittany said, sliding up next to them
on the dance floor. "Are you having fun?"

Terry gave Brittany an affectionate kiss of the cheek and
shook Mark's hand.

Leedy gave Brittany a gigantic hug. "You're the most
beautiful bride I've ever seen," she whispered in Brittany's
ear. "And I owe you one."

"Yes, you do," Brittany said, returning the embrace.
Then she turned her attention to Terry. "Isn't Leedy
pretty?" she asked him, grinning her pixie's smile.

"Yes, she is," he said, smiling gratefully.

"We have to keep moving," Brittany said, hugging Leedy
again. "We want to say hello to everyone and not all of
our guests are as easily entertained as you two."

"We'll talk more later," Leedy promised as Brittany and
Mark waved goodbye.

"Maybe we can all get together for dinner?" Brittany
suggested. "After we get back from the honeymoon, of
course."

"That sounds terrific," Leedy said. "You two have fun!"

"You too," Brittany called.

Terry led Leedy back to their table. "That was fun," he
said. "You're a great dancer."

"You too!"

"We'll have to do this more often then," he said.

"I'm game, if you are."

"Oh, I'm game."

They sat down and he scooted his chair closer. "Would
you like to go to a movie with me and Deanna tomorrow?"
he asked. "And, of course, my new friend, Chris?"

"Yes," Leedy said. "Are you sure Deanna will not mind
me tagging along?"

"Of course not," he said. "She wouldn't mind a bit. She
doesn't know about Chris yet, but it was her idea to invite
you. In fact, she was insistent."

"Okay then," Leedy said. "I would love to go."

"It is our Sunday tradition," he said. "But Deanna gets
to pick out the movie, I'm afraid. She told me this rule
isn't open to negotiation. Something about some obscure
Wisconsin child protection law. I find it's best not to argue."

"I can see that," Leedy agreed.

"I must warn you though, her movies usually involve a
lot of gun play and exploding oil tankers. I hope you didn't
have something more romantic in mind."

Leedy grimaced. "I hate chick movies," she said.

"You do?" Terry said in mock surprise. "You're beautiful, smart, and you hate chick movies! Where have you
been all my life?"

"Here and there," she said, smiling.

"So you will join us?"

"It sounds like fun," she said.

"I'll pick you up at five, and we'll go back to my place
and wait for the kids."

Bradley appeared and refilled their wine glasses. He was
true to his word. He took care of their every need, but they
barely noticed he was there.

"Remind me to offer him a job," Leedy said, clinking
her glass with Terry's.

"I will," he said. "In fact, that brings up something I've
been wanting to tell you all night."

"What's that?" she asked, enjoying the taste of the good
Chardonnay.

"I was going to wait until Monday when we could have
Jo Anne with us, but ..."

"What is it?" Leedy asked.

"I shouldn't say."

"Oh, come on. You brought it up!"

"All right," he said, holding back his excitement. "I'm
going to explode if I don't tell you. Are you ready?"

"Yes!"

"Your loan application was approved," he said, his face
breaking into a huge grin. "The approval committee met
last night. The director called me this morning and told
me. 11

For a second, Leedy sat staring at Terry as if she had
not heard what he had said. "What did you say?" she finally
asked.

He carefully repeated every word he had just said, but
she was still unable to fully grasp the importance of the
message.

"Are you sure?" she stammered, blinking.

"You heard me!" Terry exclaimed. "Leedy! Your loan
was approved!"

She looked at him blankly, trying to comprehend the
enormity of his announcement. "Say it again," she said.
"Say it slower this time. I want to be sure I get every single
word!"

"You, Miss Leedy Collins, along with your partner, have
been approved for a small-business loan," he said. "You
know. Remember? There was some mooning about a lifelong dream of owning a restaurant? That loan?"

Leedy leaped up from her chair and screamed "Yahoo!"
She threw her arms around him and squeezed him with all
of her might, nearly knocking him off his seat, not caring
that people seated at the tables nearby were looking at them
curiously. "We did it!" she shouted, grabbing hold of his
shoulders and shaking him. "We did it! We did it! We did
it!"

"You did it," he said, jumping up with her. He wrapped
her in his arms and twirled her in the air.

"You helped me!" she cried. "I couldn't have done it
without you!"

"No," Terry said. "The only thing I did was give the
Approval Committee my recommendation. They made the
final decision to approve it. You did it, Leedy! You and Jo
Anne."

"We couldn't have done it without you though," she repeated, hugging him tightly.

"It was the least I could do," he said. "I mean, after all,
you're the woman I adore."

"You ... adore me?"

"Yes," he said, the look of longing returned to his blue
eyes. "I want to be a part of your lifelong dream, too,
Leedy. Whatever it happens to be. I love you."

She looked at him, too happy to speak. The news about
the restaurant was good, but the words coming from his
lips were even better.

"Say it again," she said. "Only say it slower this time. I
want to be sure I get every single word!"

"Leedy," Terry whispered, holding her close to him.
"I'm madly in love with you. I have been since the first
time I laid eyes on you. Ever since the day you walked
into my life. You're beautiful and smart and exciting and
I want to spend the rest of my life with you." He leaned
forward and kissed her. "I love you," he whispered softly
in her ear.

He kissed her again and she felt it all the way to her
curled toes. "I love you too, Terry," she said, fighting back
the tears of joy. He kissed her again, and again, his lips
pressing against hers with an insistence that made her knees
feel weak. Her mouth yielded to the delicious touch of his
sweet kisses as her desire drove her deeper and deeper into
his arms.

Suddenly the sound of applause was ringing in her ears
and she reluctantly pulled away from him. Maybe it was
time for Brittany and Mark to make a toast or something.
Leedy looked up, instead to find that the entire reception
hall was looking in their direction, applauding, hooting and
cheering wildly. Leedy noticed Brittany standing next to Mark, her eyebrows raised in mock horror, a victorious
smile on her face.

"Maybe we should find a more private place to do our
kissing," Leedy whispered in Terry's ear.

"You're right," he said, slipping his arm around her waist
and facing them both out to bow for the crowd. "Maybe
we should. And I just happen to know of the perfect place."