Chapter 3

"So, what is it that you play?" I asked as I settled in on one of the three couches in the Peckford living room. I didn't fail to notice that Cameron chose to sit on a couch on the opposite side of the room, and that Dennis just happened to sit right next to her. Subtle. Even Sam and Beth didn't seem quite as eager to sit next to each other on their couch, and Jenn hugged the very end of mine as though she were afraid I was going to bite or something.

"I play drums, piano, guitar, trombone... you name it, I've played it at some point," Dennis answered with a laugh. "If you're asking what I'll be playing tomorrow, though, the answer is guitar."

"I remember when we were kids I thought you were the best guitar player I'd ever heard," Cameron said.

"Oh, you flatter me," Dennis said with a grin, reaching out to pat her thigh.

I took in his every move with an eagle eye. The way he was hovering around Cameron was really starting to grate. "So, let's hear it," I said. No harm in that, was there?

Apparently, Cameron thought there was. She shot me a look that I guess was supposed to make me cower and beg forgiveness for making such a forward suggestion. Yeah, like that was ever going to happen.

Dennis, on the other hand, jumped at the chance to show off his talent to a fresh audience. "Sure," he said, standing up and hurrying over to the far end of the room to collect his guitar. It was sitting there on a stand waiting for him, all nice and shiny.

He soon returned to our little circle and started strumming tunelessly as he sat down again. "Any requests?"

Sam, Beth, and Jenn all sat there twiddling their thumbs, but Cameron's face lit up like a light bulb. "How about... A Kiss to Build a Dream On?" she said. "I always loved it when you'd play that."

I rolled my eyes and looked once again for a bucket to puke in.

Once Dennis started to play it, though, I had to sit up and take notice. The kid might be an arrogant son of a bitch, but he was a good musician. Even his singing was pretty damn good.

Cameron sure seemed to appreciate it.

"Give me a kiss to build a dream on,
And my imagination will thrive upon that kiss.
Sweetheart, I ask no more than this,
A kiss to build a dream on."

She was eating it up.

I don't know why I did it. Actually, in hindsight, I guess I probably do, but at the time... it just sort of happened. Somewhere between the first and second stanzas, I rose to my feet, limped over to the piano that stood against one wall of the room, and sat down on the stool.

By the time Dennis had reached, "When I'm alone with my fancies, I'll be with you," I'd joined in.

My intention wasn't to steal the guy's spotlight or take over the song or anything, I just played quietly, letting my fingers trip over the keys in time to the pace he'd already set. The two instruments together actually sounded pretty good to my ear, and Dennis didn't hesitate in his singing or strumming, so I let myself just relax into it and enjoy the piece. It was funny, because I couldn't recall ever playing that song on the piano before, yet it seemed to come naturally to me once I got going.

It was over too soon. I sighed as I turned around to face the others... and froze when I saw that every eye in the room was on me.

I cleared my throat and shrugged. "Just thought I'd help out," I said.

Cameron had a look on her face that I couldn't quite read. "I... didn't know you could play like that," she said. She sounded... impressed?

My ego just about doubled.

I was just about to say something in response when Dennis stood up and took his guitar back to its stand. He looked slightly pissed. I couldn't say that I was sorry.

"Anyone care to take a walk along the beach before dinner?" he asked.

"Isn't it a little cold for that?" Beth asked uncomfortably.

"It's never too cold for the beach," Dennis said. He was smiling, but his chipper attitude seemed forced. Then he glanced over at me, and it was immediately replaced with a look of concern. "Oh wait... would you be able to do that?" he asked.

Okay... music or no music, I now officially hated the kid. "Do what?" I said with my best innocent air. "Walk?"

"Yeah. Well... on sand."

I glanced at Cameron, who seemed to be dying of embarrassment again. Then I looked back at Dennis and pasted a smile on my face. "I think I can probably manage it," I said.

No way was he getting away from me that easily.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Our little stroll turned out to be halfway enjoyable, even though Dennis and Cameron were the only ones who said much. They walked side by side at the front of the pack, each chattering away about stuff that had happened in their lives since the last time they'd seen each other. It seemed that they hadn't been in contact much since Cameron had entered med school, which I found interesting. That would mean that they'd known each other long before that - therefore, before Cameron's marriage to Terminally Ill Guy. It made me wonder whether Dennis even knew about it.

Behind them walked Sam and Beth. If I hadn't already been told they were engaged, I would have thought they were perfect strangers from the way they acted with each other, though I did catch them sending each other rather sympathetic glances every time Dennis mentioned one or the other of them. My guess was that big brother didn't approve of little brother's choice for a mate. I almost wished there were a way I could find out I was right without actually asking.

Jenn walked along beside me, which was really kind of nice. I wouldn't exactly call her hot or anything, but she was a sweet kid and knew when to stop with the small talk and just walk in silence. I found out during our short conversation, though, that she wasn't involved with Dennis at all. In fact it seemed that she could barely even stand him, and she already had a boyfriend who worked as a cop in Trenton. She'd come for the festival because she liked the music and knew that Cameron would be coming. I found myself feeling a little sorry for her, as Dennis seemed to want Cameron all to himself.

Not that I wasn't feeling sorry for myself for the same reason.

Pretty soon, we started back to the house. It was then that Dennis turned around to look at the rest of us and locked his gaze on me. "Still with us, Greg?" he asked.

I was very tempted to thwack him on the leg with my cane so that we'd have matching limps for the rest of the walk, but I figured that probably wouldn't be such a good idea. "No, I think you lost me a few minutes ago," I said, glancing back the way we'd come. "I don't see me anywhere."

He seemed to find that very amusing. What an idiot.

Cameron didn't look all that impressed, however. She flipped her hand to get my attention, and when I looked at her face it was shouting, "Best behaviour!" at me.

I just shrugged and shot her a helpless look. Ask a stupid question, get a stupid answer. How could I possibly help it?

"You know, maybe tomorrow we can go for a walk along Cape Island Creek," Dennis said. He spoke loud enough that all of us could hear, though he was obviously extending the invitation to Cameron and Cameron alone. "I know of some beautiful..."

"We'd love to," I jumped in.

Cameron looked at me, then at Dennis, and then back at me. She seemed undecided as to what to say. "I... yes," she said. "That would be lovely." She forced a smile for Dennis' benefit, but as soon as he looked away from her she sent yet another glare my way.

I was starting to get used to it.

Once we were back at the house, we were all given the opportunity to clean up a little before we headed into the dining room for an early dinner. Cameron seemed to disappear after we'd gone inside, but she was already sitting at the dining room table when I entered the room a few minutes later.

And of course, Dennis was with her.

As soon as I walked through the door, Dennis looked up and said, "Greg, tell me... is it true that you were the one who saved John Henry Giles' life a couple months ago?"

I glanced at Cameron before I answered, and she was actually looking at me with a pleasant expression on her face for once. "Yep, that was me," I said as I sat down in the chair across from Cameron's.

"Well, then, the world of music owes you big time," he said. "He's been one of my idols for as long as I can remember."

I felt as though I was expected to say something else, so I nodded and said, "Good taste."

He laughed, and then resumed whatever conversation he'd been having with Cameron.

I, meanwhile, tried not to die of boredom.

Before long, Sam, Beth, and Jenn had joined us, so we were free to get down to the business of eating. The food was damn good, I have to say, and it isn't every day that you're waited on by servants while you eat stuff that would cost a hundred bucks or more per plate in a fancy restaurant. The only problem with the meal was the company I was keeping.

I tried to be good, I really did. I kept as quiet as I possibly could and just minded my own business as I enjoyed the meal, but dammit if Dennis didn't keep trying to suck me into the conversation.

"So, how long have you and Allison been working together?"

"My father's best friend once worked at Princeton-Plainsboro, did you know him? He was about your age..."

"Have you ever come across a case that you just can't figure out? That has to happen sometime, right?"

"How did you train yourself to use your left foot on the pedals when you're playing piano? That must be what you do, right? What happened to your leg, anyway?"

By this point, I'd begun to tire. Can anyone really blame me? Being surrounded by false cordiality all day long was my idea of hell, and I really wasn't in the mood to talk about my physical limitations with this guy. Before I had time to think twice about it, I put down my knife and fork and said in a mock cheerful tone, "Well, that was a wonderful meal, but I'm afraid I can't eat another bite. Would you excuse me?"

Dennis' face fell for a moment, but then the smile bounced back onto his face. "Sure, make yourself at home. Just remember that we're leaving for Convention Hall at eight."

I scooted out of there as fast as my cane would carry me, and breathed a sigh of relief as soon as I was shut safely in my room. Thankfully, I had a couple hours of sweet solitude ahead of me so I could recharge my batteries and hopefully not feel like squashing young Mr. Peckford like a bug the next time I saw him.

Well... at least not act on it.

To be continued...