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“That’s great, Sky.”
“I’ve had some meetings lately that have me really excited for the new year. One with the ad agency that’s going to put together our Super Bowl commercial this year.”
“Did you go with the same company as last year, like I suggested?”
“Actually, the marketing team and I decided on another company. Their pitch was better, and they were much more organized when it came to budget and production timeline.”
Sebastian nodded his approval. “Sounds like you’ve got it under control.”
Skylar caught Dad’s eye, and he winked at her. She could see he was happy with how she’d stepped into her role, and that’s all she wanted, for her father to be pleased with the way she was running things.
The instrumental music which had been playing during dinner ended then, and a band took to the stage and started playing popular songs from the 80s and 90s.
“Are you ready to hit the dance floor, Mabel?” Franky asked Grandma.
Her face lit up. “I certainly am.”
Franky stood and held his hand out to her. “May I have this dance?”
“Yes, you may.”
He helped her up, and the two of them headed across the room. Franky looked back over his shoulder at Skylar and smiled.
Seeing him dance with her grandmother was heartwarming. They talked and laughed as they swayed. He spun her out like he had Skylar at the regatta gala, only not in quite as lively a manner as those dances from the 1920s. When the song ended, they kept dancing for another and continued their conversation. Skylar was dying to know what they were talking about so seriously.
The music picked up after that, and Skylar made her way to the dance floor, where Franky was dancing like a wild man with some of her younger cousins. She joined in for a while, but couldn’t possibly keep up with them, so she returned to her seat for a break.
Skylar’s clutch suddenly began ringing, and she opened it to check her phone. Adelia. Just who she needed to talk to.
“Hello!”
“Happy birthday to you,” Adelia singsonged.
“Thank you. I wish you were here. I need your sage advice.”
“If I could’ve taken a break from filming, you know I would’ve been there in a heartbeat.”
“I know.”
“Why? What am I missing?”
Skylar glanced across the room to make sure Franky wasn’t within earshot. “Franky’s being all sweet and attentive tonight. He keeps watching me and giving me these adorable smiles that make me melt. I wish I knew what it all meant. I can’t read him.”
“Are you wearing the red dress like I told you to?” Adelia asked.
“Yes.”
“Ha! It totally worked then. He’s finally seeing you for the gorgeous, sexy woman you are.”
“Or it means nothing and he’s just being extra nice because it’s my birthday.”
“Nah. He’s falling in love.”
“One can only hope.”
“I wish I was there to see it with my own eyes. Your relationship is like a movie script I’d totally act in sometime.”
“You’d play the role of the mom, right?”