Page 127 of Girl Between (Dana Gray FBI Mystery Thriller #5)

Neighbors lined the street, passing out Champagne to the parade-goers like they were running some sort of booze-fueled marathon.

Dana finished the first two cups like she was training for a gold medal.

By the time she found her way to her table at the reception, she’d lost count of how much she’d drunk.

But she was still parched so she gratefully drained the glass George handed her.

“Pro-tip,” came a familiar voice. “Fill your champagne flute with water so you make it to the bouquet toss.”

Dana whirled, a smile already splitting her lips. “Richter!” She threw her arms around the FBI veteran’s neck. “I didn’t know you’d be here. How did you get an invite?”

He gave her a devilish grin. “Look at me. I have wedding crasher written all over me.”

Dana laughed. But George leaned in, spilling the truth. “He served with my dad.”

“I knew it wasn’t just this,” Dana said, moving her hand in a circular motion around Richter’s freshly shaven face.

“Oh, you mean my roguish good looks?” Richter teased.

“Why are you still single?” she mused, teetering in her heels .

“Okay, I think we need to cut the good doctor off,” George suggested.

“No, no. She’s right,” Richter teased. “It’s hard to stay single when you look this good. What can I say? I haven’t found a lady who can handle all of this.”

Richter backed onto the dance floor wiggling his hips and Dana dissolved into a fit of laughter. It felt good to laugh. Good, but wrong. The dreadfulness of the case kept creeping into her thoughts, making it hard to enjoy the joyful festivities. The champagne helped, but only so much.

Dana dropped into the white folding chair in front of her place card. She couldn’t help noticing she’d been seated between George and Jake. Speaking of, she hadn’t seen her knight in shining Army blues since the church.

Glancing around the crowded backyard, she took off her heels. The grass felt warm and soft beneath her feet. For a moment, she was a child, running through the field behind her house picking wildflowers. An image of a red and gray tent popped into her mind.

She hadn’t thought of it in ages.

Closing her eyes, Dana let the memory wrap around her. How she’d loved camping with her father. A pang of sadness filled her as she thought of all the camping trips that had been stolen from her.

A warm hand on her shoulder made her jump. Dana turned in her seat to find George’s brown eyes surveying her. “Let’s get some food,” he suggested.

“I’m not hungry,” she said, suddenly forlorn.

“Let me rephrase that. You should eat something before I catch hell for getting a bridesmaid drunk at my baby sister’s wedding.”

“You don’t have to take care of me, George. You’re not my date.”

He looked around the reception, probably wondering where Jake was, too. “Noted, but I’m gonna do it anyway. Be right back.”

“Hello, gorgeous.”

Dana grinned when Lena took the seat George had vacated. “Lena! Hey!” She hugged the coroner with unabashed affection.

“Whoa! Somebody’s in a good mood,” Lena said .

Frowning, Dana shook her head. “Actually, I can’t stop thinking about the case. I’m so happy for Cadie and Neville, but getting swept up in all this joy … it feels wrong, ya know?”

“I do,” Lena said. “But that’s precisely the reason we need to celebrate. The world can be a dark place. Especially in our line of work. That’s why we need to cling to every shred of light that comes our way. We gotta find a balance. That’s the only way we can keep doing what we do.”

“You’re right,” Dana said. She’d found herself having the same thought at the ceremony. It was nice to know she wasn’t alone in her perspective.

No one did their best work when they were depleted. And Dana couldn’t think of a better way to recharge than at this beautiful celebration. Besides, hadn’t she promised Jake she’d do that tonight? Put everything aside and just be?

“You looking for tall, dark, and dangerous?” Lena asked.

“No.”

“Girl, tell your face.”

Dana laughed. “I think I hate that catchphrase.”

Lena gave a shrug. “Then do something about it. He’s right over there.”

Dana followed Lena’s gaze to where Jake stood, staring lasers at her.

Leaning closer Lena whispered, “That boy’s been giving you the look all night.”

“What look?”

Lena huffed a laugh. “The one that says he wants to be anywhere but here, with you.”

“What do you mean?”

“Girl, he’s undressed you with his eyes so many times I feel violated just sitting next to you. Go put him out of his misery already.”