We go to a party
And everyone stops to see
This beautiful lady
Walking around with me
And when she asks me
Do you feel all right
I say yes
I feel
Wonderful tonight …
Eric Clapton, “Wonderful Tonight”
The group from Cam’s limo entered the hotel’s 
ballroom. It was beautifully decorated with iridescent snowflakes and silver streamers, and silvery glitter was liberally spread over all the tables and the floor.
A tall Christmas tree stood in the corner, its white lights twinkling gaily. On the tables were boxes containing blown glass ornaments in various shiny colors, bearing the names of all the guests to act as place cards. Rutner employees had been asked to RSVP and give the names of the guests they were bringing, as well as to make a notation about anyone they would like to be seated at the same table with.
As luck would have it, the tables were set up for six guests apiece, so Taryn, Cam, Gregor and all their dates found their ornaments on the same table.
“Wow, does Rutner know how to throw a party,” Gregor said, taking a glass of champagne from the tray of a passing waiter before he sat.
“No kidding,” Lindsey agreed. “This is totally amazing!”
Although a string quintet would be playing at intervals during the night, at that moment Christmas music was being spun by a disc jockey. As Taryn and Isaac sat down, a new song started and Taryn listened intently for a minute. She caught the familiar strains of “Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home)” from the “Snowed In” album that she and Iris had been listening to religiously for the past month.
“Is that you they’re playing?” she asked Isaac.
Isaac grinned. “Actually, it’s Taylor singing, but yeah, it’s us.”
Taryn smiled back. “Ever danced to yourself?”
“Not with a woman,” Isaac confessed.
Taryn and Isaac stood up and made their way to the crowded dance floor, followed closely by Cam and Lindsey.
Taryn was impressed with how well Isaac could dance. Most guys his age, she assumed, would just know how to dance by themselves to a fast song, but Isaac took her in his arms and actually danced. She followed his lead, and they laughed and danced as Taylor sang.
“I knew he’d find a way to be here,” Isaac joked. “He’s way curious to find out how this weekend goes.”
“That makes two of us,” Taryn said.
“Three. Four if you count Zac.”
“Five if you count Iris.”
Isaac laughed. “I’m surprised we can have as much fun as we do with all this pressure put on us to perform,” he said.
As the song ended, Isaac dramatically dipped Taryn, who cracked up.
“You dance divinely, Fred,” she said.
“I’m only as good as my partner, Ginger.”
As they prepared to leave the dance floor, the string quintet took to the stage and began to play. Their first number was Pachelbel’s Canon in D.
“This is my favorite classical piece,” Taryn said. “It’s so romantic.”
Isaac eyed her. “Would you like to dance? I can waltz.”
Taryn was taken aback. “You can?”
“Sure.”
“I would love to dance.”
Isaac gently took Taryn in his arms, and they began to waltz with the other couples on the floor.
“God, Isaac,” she said. “Is there anything you can’t do?”
Isaac decided he should make a confession.
“I guess now would be a good time to tell you when exactly I learned to waltz and who I learned with,” he said.
“Huh?”
“I learned last week,” Isaac said.
“Last week?”
“When you said this party was black tie, I figured there would be ballroom dancing,” Isaac began. “I panicked, and I figured the waltz was probably a pretty good one to know.
“So, I got some classical CDs, bought a book and came home and made Taylor dance with me,” he said.
Taryn was getting a pretty funny mental picture.
“You waltzed with Taylor?”
“I tried all the others,” Isaac said. “For being a drummer, Zac has no coordination. He can’t dance worth beans. And Jessie and Avie were too short. Tay was the only one left.”
“How did you find him to dance with as compared to me?” Taryn teased.
“He wasn’t nearly so much fun to put my arms around or hold hands with,” Isaac said. “But he is pretty smooth.”
Taryn dropped her head against Isaac’s chest. “You’re too much.”
“I try.”
As the number ended, Isaac and Taryn’s eyes met. They barely heard the string quintet announcing that they were going to begin playing dinner music, as the meal was about to be served.
Cam and Lindsey were leaving the dance floor, and Cam tapped Isaac on the shoulder as he passed.
“You guys joining us?”
Brought quickly back to earth, Isaac and Taryn dropped their arms.
“Sure,” Taryn said. She smiled knowingly at Isaac, who offered his arm to escort her back to their table.
