“Pretty fancy,” Ross said, eyeing the assortment of ices that dominated the first two tables. There were coconut ices in real coconut shells, orange ices in oranges that were cut in half and hollowed out, lemon ices and peach ices in a similar presentation, and banana ices that were shaped like bananas and served in a miniature bunch of three. Hannah especially admired the pineapple ices that were served in hollowed out rounds of pineapple.

The usual array of desserts filled the tables that remained. There were pies, cakes, tarts, cookies, and sweet treats in puff pastries. Hannah was about to call Uncle, and give in to her urge to try the pineapple ice in its pineapple round, when Ross moved up behind her and put his arms around her waist.

“Eat first and then dance? Or dance first and then eat?”

“Dance first,” Hannah said. The siren call of the desserts was strong, but she was enjoying the feeling of being in Ross’s arms even more.

What a diet! she thought as he led her to the dance floor in the center of the dining room. I could name it the Dance Diet and rent out handsome men to whirl overweight women away at mealtime as an alternative to eating. It would work with men, too. Most guys would give up a meal to dance with a gorgeous woman. And then, as Ross took her into his arms and they began to move to the slow, romantic music, the new diet craze she’d just invented became the furthest thing from her mind.

“Thanks for snagging a table!” Hannah said, sitting down with a sigh. “It feels so good to be off my feet.”

Michelle laughed. “I didn’t think you were ever going to stop dancing.”

“Neither did I.” Hannah slipped off one shoe and glanced at the bottom. “I thought for sure I’d need them resoled by now.”

“Ross, Mike, Norman, Lloyd, and Clark. And after that it was Mike, Ross, Norman, and Burke.”

“You’re in charge of my dance card?” Hannah asked with a laugh.

“No, Mother is. She’s keeping track of your partners.”

“That figures.” Hannah picked up the pitcher of water on the table and poured herself a glass.

“I was watching Burke dance with you and the expression he was wearing was priceless. I wish I had a picture.”

“I didn’t notice. What did he look like?”

“Like he was the only boy in the world and you were the only girl.”

“You’re kidding!” Hannah was surprised, not only by the observation but also by her baby sister’s use of such dated song lyrics. “But we talked while we were dancing and Burke didn’t say anything in the least bit romantic.”