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Contents ( 66)
  1. Cover
  2. Books by Valerie Fraser Luesse
  3. Title Page
  4. Copyright Page
  5. Dedication
  6. Contents
  7. Map of Florida
  8. one
  9. two
  10. three
  11. four
  12. five
  13. six
  14. seven
  15. eight
  16. nine
  17. ten
  18. eleven
  19. twelve
  20. thirteen
  21. fourteen
  22. fifteen
  23. sixteen
  24. seventeen
  25. eighteen
  26. nineteen
  27. twenty
  28. twenty-one
  29. twenty-two
  30. twenty-three
  31. twenty-four
  32. twenty-five
  33. twenty-six
  34. twenty-seven
  35. twenty-eight
  36. twenty-nine
  37. thirty
  38. thirty-one
  39. thirty-two
  40. thirty-three
  41. thirty-four
  42. thirty-five
  43. thirty-six
  44. thirty-seven
  45. thirty-eight
  46. thirty-nine
  47. forty
  48. forty-one
  49. forty-two
  50. forty-three
  51. forty-four
  52. forty-five
  53. forty-six
  54. forty-seven
  55. forty-eight
  56. forty-nine
  57. fifty
  58. fifty-one
  59. Epilogue
  60. Keep Reading for a Preview of Valerie Luesse’s Next Book!
  61. Prologue
  62. one
  63. Acknowledgments
  64. About the Author
  65. Back Ads
  66. Back Cover

“What does los nuevos mean?”

“It means ‘the new ones.’ Alejandro had an orchestra that played with him before the war, but he couldn’t get ’em back together after so many of ’em got drafted. I guess he didn’t have time to think of a name for his new players, so . . . los nuevos.”

Peyton laughed as they found Finn, who had come to the VFW on homemade crutches and was saving them a seat. He had already bought a glass of wine for Aunt Gert and a Coke for Peyton.

“Finn,” Peyton said, “what’ve you done to me? She’s gonna make me dance in front o’ all these people because o’ you. Sure you’re not fakin’ it?”

Finn slapped the table and laughed. “That’d be just like me, now wouldn’t it? But no, my bum ankle is the genuine article.” He caught Aunt Gert talking to one of the other ladies at the table and slipped a flask out of his hip pocket. “Take a swig,” he said. “It’ll give you courage.”

Peyton held up his hand in protest. “’Preciate it, Finn, but that stuff didn’t do my daddy any favors.”

“Fair enough.” Finn took a quick sip and slipped the flask into his pocket before Aunt Gert turned to Peyton and said, “Shall we?”

“Yes, ma’am.” Peyton stood and offered Aunt Gert his arm. He was hoping for a slow song, which would be easier to dance to, but just as they made it onto the floor, Alejandro got a request for “Sing, Sing, Sing.” Peyton and Aunt Gert were about to jitterbug.

The dance floor was packed, which actually took some of the pressure off. Nobody was staring at him. They were too busy trying not to step on each other. And Aunt Gert hadn’t exaggerated—she really was a great dancer. The steps were coming surprisingly easy to Peyton, who had never jitterbugged in his life. He fumbled a few turns, but Aunt Gert righted him, and before long he was having as much fun as she was.

They danced four straight numbers before Aunt Gert said she needed to rest a bit.

“What’s that?” Peyton asked her as they returned to their table, where a line of seven or eight women had formed—all of them old enough to be his grandmother.

“I smell a rat, and his name is Finn,” his aunt said.

“Ah, Gert!” Finn stood up with his crutches. “Welcome back!”

“What’s all this?” Gert pointed to the women in line beside the table.

“Why, they all want a dance with the boy!” he said with a big grin.

“No,” Aunt Gert said to Finn. “And no to you too,” she said to the line of women.

“But we already paid!” one of them objected.

“Paid?” Aunt Gert glared at Finn. “You sold my nephew to these women?”

“Of course not!” Finn appeared to be conjuring his best innocent face, but it wasn’t playing well with Aunt Gert. “I’m shocked you would suggest such a thing! I only . . . rented him, so to speak.”