Destination Wedding ~ A Novel by Deanna Lynn Sletten

about you, Janice? Do you see anything you like?"
    Janice looked up at Claire with a dry expression. "No. I don't see anything, yet."
    "Well, maybe you need to look harder," Jim said.
    Mandy's mouth dropped open and Janice looked at him with pursed lips. Claire glared at Jim, elbowed him in the side, and mouthed, "Stop it!"
    The drinks arrived and Jim told the waitress to keep them coming. He picked up his drink and downed it in one long swig. Mandy stared at him in disbelief. Claire held her breath. Jim had never been a heavy drinker. Whatever Diane had said to him on the phone had really set him off. But she wasn't going to let him ruin their night and upset Mandy and Craig if she could help it.
    After they ordered, Claire tried again to start a conversation. "Did you have an enjoyable day today?" she asked Janice.
    Janice looked up at Claire in that controlled way she regarded at everyone. She patted her short, processed, blond hair, even though every hair was in place and couldn't move from all the hairspray gluing it down. "Our day was okay," she said. "We walked around to the few gift shops they have here. I didn't really find much to buy, though."
    Claire just nodded, not quite sure how to respond. What did Janice expect to find? A shopping mall? "Well, it was a lovely day out. Anything is better than the cold weather we came from."
    Janice sniffed. "I thought it was a bit hot."
    Out of the corner of her eye, Claire saw Jim start to open his mouth and she quickly kicked him under the table. He glared at her, but shut his mouth.
    The waitress brought Jim another scotch and water and also two baskets of corn muffins for the diners.
    "Oh, those smell heavenly. I'm starving," Claire said, reaching for a muffin.
    Jim downed his drink and signaled for the waitress again.
    Everyone except Jim tried one of the warm muffins. Claire thought they tasted delicious, but she noticed that Janice wrinkled her nose after a small bite and set hers down. Good. More for me.
    "Is that coconut I taste in these?" Claire asked Mandy.
    Mandy nodded. "Who would have thought coconut would taste so good in corn muffins?"
    Craig agreed and took another one.
    Janice pushed her plate away.
    Another drink came for Jim, but this time Claire was quicker than he was. She grabbed it and set it out of his reach. "Why don't we just save this for after dinner?" she asked, staring hard at him.
    Jim glared back at Claire.
    Mandy spoke up. "Yeah, Daddy. You don’t want to get sick, do you? Tomorrow will be another beautiful day."
    Jim's face softened a little. "You're right," he said sweetly. Too sweetly. "Isn't it just wonderful, Carl, how the women in our lives have a way of telling us what to do?" He turned to Craig. "You just wait, my boy. You'll never have to think for yourself again."
    Mandy's face paled.
    "Jim!" Claire said angrily.
    Craig just stared at Jim with a blank look on his face.
    Carl spoke up. "Well, that may be true for you, Jim, but my wife never tells me what to do. Our marriage is an equal partnership."
    Jim glanced at Carl, an amused look on his face. "Whatever you say, old boy."
    Claire was so angry she could have pushed Jim into the harbor and held him under the water. She picked up the glass of scotch and slammed it down in front of him, sloshing liquid all over the tablecloth. "Here. Drink yourself to death for all I care."
    Jim stared at her for one long moment, but didn’t pick up the glass.
    Claire was relieved when the food came and they could all pretend to be too busy eating to talk. Claire's meal was delicious, and Mandy said hers was, too. Craig didn’t say anything about his and Claire guessed it was because he was too upset to enjoy it. She didn't know how to make things easier for Craig. She didn't understand why Jim was taking his anger out on everyone at the table, and Craig's parents were just plain difficult. She didn't envy Mandy for marrying into a family like that.
    Although tonight their family wasn't any