Leonardo (Romancing the Weavers #5) - Kit Morgan Page 0,11
shook her head. “I don’t think I met her. Was she at Max and Lucy’s wedding?”
Savannah thought a moment. “Oh, I’m sorry, I met her at the Harvest Festival. You weren’t here.”
“Pity,” Leo said. “It was fun. Lots of dancing.”
Savannah laughed. “Yes, you only stepped on my feet a few times.”
“I remember. And I’d had dancing lessons beforehand. Just think if I hadn’t.”
“Ouch,” Parthena said. “How is you dancing now?”
To her surprise, he blushed. “Much better. At least I think I am.”
Savannah grinned. “Only one way to find out.”
He looked frightened. “I’m afraid there aren’t any dances coming up.”
Parthena hid a smile. Samantha did love to tease. Maybe she was flirting with him, who knew? She’d never seen Savannah flirt before, probably because no one in Clear Creek held her interest.
“Do the Rileys have a piano?” Savannah asked.
“Oh, I see what you’re planning,” Parthena quipped.
Leo, sensing he was being ganged up on, took a step back and almost fell off the steps. “We don’t need to dance in the Rileys’ parlor.”
“Why not?” Savannah said. “We’d have music. Parthena and I can both play.”
Leo glanced between them. “You do?”
“Yes,” they said at once, then giggled.
“I guess there’s no help for it.” Leo bowed to Savannah. “May I have this dance?”
“When we get there,” Savannah said with another laugh.
Parthena watched and smiled. They seemed to be getting along. Maybe Savannah had stopped trying to talk herself out of liking him. Good – she didn’t want to see her cousin go home with a heart full of regret. She’d never hear the end of it – Savannah could talk about something for ages.
“I think I remember your parents dancing,” Leo told Parthena. “At Max and Lucy’s wedding.”
“Hmm,” she mused. “Was that before or after your family tossed poor Max into the well?”
Leo grinned. “After.”
“And you did the same to Clinton?”
His grin widened. “Of course. Though he was smart enough to ride away and change his clothes first.”
“Will you get tossed in the well when you marry?”
He glanced at Savannah and back. “Naturally. Who am I to go against family tradition?”
Parthena smiled at her cousin. “Good thing they don’t toss the bride in as well.” She turned away, smiling, and went in search of her parents.
“Oh, but I do love a good wedding,” Leona Riley said for the fifth time. Savannah was counting.
Clementine, all of thirteen, set a piece of apple pie in front of Savannah. “I baked this myself.”
Savannah smiled at her. She was a pretty blue-eyed blonde like her mother Summer Riley. Clementine’s father, Clayton, sat at the head of the table talking with Uncle Colin. Belle was at the other end speaking with Summer and Spencer’s wife, Elle. Clementine’s older brother Fletcher and Spencer and Elle’s son Charles were animatedly discussing apple farming with Leo. Charles’ younger sister Kate had hardly spoken a word all evening – the shy thirteen year-old had brown hair and big blue eyes like her brother.
And all the while Savannah and Parthena sat across the table from each other, watching it all. Savannah noted Parthena watching Fletcher and wondered if she found him attractive. Of course, he was several years younger than them, but Leo was younger by almost a year. Age didn’t make much difference …
“What are you thinking?” Parthena asked.
Savannah looked up from her pie. “Nothing. Nothing important, anyway.”
Parthena poked at her own dessert. “Leo seems to be having a good time.”
“My brothers love talking about apples,” Kate volunteered. She smiled shyly. “Besides, it’s fun to talk to the Cucinottas. We like their accents.”
Savannah smiled. “So do we. It’s always fun to listen to Lucy talk.”
“She married your brother, right?” Kate asked.
“That’s right, Max. And my other brother is married to Melania.”
Kate turned to Parthena. “Are any of your relatives married to a Cucinotta or a Weaver?”
“No. But my older brother Jefferson married a girl from another town. They live in England now.”
“England?” Kate said with wide eyes. “Have you been there?”
“Not yet, but I hope to one day.” She glanced at Uncle Colin and back. “Savannah and I would both like to go. Our Uncle Duncan lives there – Jefferson and his wife Lorelei live with him.”
“I want to see Paris one day,” Kate said dreamily.
Savannah smiled. “Paris would be fun, but I want to see England first. Uncle Duncan can show us England. I don’t know if he’s ever been to Paris.” She looked at Parthena. “Has he?”
She shook her head. “I don’t think so. We should ask Father.”
Savannah nodded. “Uncle Colin?