"I'm sure," Jack conceded, not looking that pleased.
"And Kai. The Eternal Sun will sooo love Kai," Elle said with a smirk. "A hunk without a shitty disposition? A gem in this place."
"A shitty disposition doesn't help here," Cole said, sitting by his pregnant wife, his hand on her distended belly. "It's never helped me."
"Last time we came here was salsa night, and Cole made the mistake of dancing with me," Christy explained with a smile. "Once these ladies found out he kicks ass at salsa, he was forced to demonstrate with all of them. They stomped all over Cole's shitty disposition."
"What's the plan for tonight?" Max asked, rubbing his hands. "Anyone checked the schedule? Salsa again?"
"There's line dancing in the common area after the senior health fair," James answered. "They are already putting up the tents. They run different tests in each one. Cholesterol level, glucose, blood pressure. Stuff like that."
"Finally, a sensible activity," Jack said.
"Don't get your hopes up," James told Jack. "I've been to these fairs. There's nothing sensible about them because none of these seniors give a damn about the results. The ones whose results are good think they can celebrate afterward. The ones whose results are bad figure they're about to kick the bucket anyway, so they might as well go out in style."
"Jesus fucking Christ," Jack grumbled.
"You are exaggerating, right?" Christy asked.
James shook his head. "Not really."
Christy turned to her husband and cupped his face. "Oh, they are going to hate you so much when we live here. They'll egg our place, I'm sure."
Paige was sure too.
Cole's face crumpled. "What? We're moving here? When?"
"I hope when you're senile enough not to know your left from right," Max answered.
"For once I agree with you, man," his oldest brother said.
"Maybe you guys shouldn't allow them to organize your wedding," Annie said. "I'm not one to get uptight, but I could contact one of my grandmother's secretaries and ask her down here. She'll keep them in line." Annie's grandma was Patricia Vaughan, a true Boston Brahmin, who was also attending the wedding, but she was staying at the classiest hotel in town, at the marina.
"Thanks, but I promised Rita and Violet free rein."
"I didn't, pet," Jack said.
"Come on, Borg. They've worked very hard. You saw the swag bags. How cute were those, huh? They're lovely ladies, harmless. How bad can it be?"
There was a collective male snort.
"Famous last words," Jack muttered.
* * * *
"That's fine dye work," Violet said, pointing at a strand of Paige's almost platinum hair as they exited the senior health fair, both carrying bags filled with promotional items. "Not frizzled. Perfect tonality."
"Thanks. You know hair."
"Some people are born to be doctors. I was born to be a hairdresser." Violet gestured toward her turban. "Worst part of getting old? Hair loss. Forget arthritis, tooth decay, or sagging skin. Those are nothing in comparison. When you look in the mirror and see your scalp? That's hell right there."
Paige smiled in commiseration. "I bet. I love going to the hair salon and getting pampered. Trying new things. It's relaxing. If I lost that, I don't know what I would do."
"I keep telling management we need a hair restoration booth in these health fairs, but they insist knowing our blood pressure is more important. Pardon my French, but I call bullshit. Hair trumps blood pressure any day."
The senior health fair had been exactly what James had warned them about and then some. On the flip side, and thanks to those overeager sales reps, she'd never run out of compartment pill cases, pocket magnifiers, or denture adhesives even if she lived to be a hundred.
"True," Paige said. "I'm thinking about dyeing the tips fiery red next. Or blue."
"Tell me when you make up your mind. I'm always ready for action, day or night."
Paige didn't doubt it. Elle had told her Violet was a chronic insomniac. She and Rita.
"You heading to the common area? Line dancing is about to start."
Paige mentally reviewed her look. Military boots. Spiked collar. Short black dress. Ears, brows, mouth, and tongue pierced. "I'm not much of a country-music girl."
"Me neither, but that's one of the few dances I can still do without risking a hip injury. At my age, you need to get your kicks wherever you can. Say, have I told you about my grandson?"
Paige chuckled. "Yes, you have."
Violet ignored her answer. "Tomorrow I'm going to a hotel downtown to deliver the swag bag for Annie's grandmother, so that she'll get it at check-in. Come with me. I'll call Jeremy. He lives nearby."