IN FOR A PENNY (The Granny Series) by Nancy Naigle, Kelsey Browning Page B

move.
    Maggie skidded to a stop next to a trio of women.
    “Look like a bunch of jackasses, don’t they?” one woman said.
    “I heard she’s from Cal- ee-forn-i-a,” another added. “And you know what they say about those women.”
    Wait a minute. Maggie might still be trying to make up her mind about Sera, but these women had no cause to be talking behind her back. “No, what do they say?”
    “They’ll steal your menfolk in a New York minute.”
    Maggie pointed to the group, where half the men, chests heaving, had collapsed to the grass. “You think she wants to steal the likes of that?”
    The woman frowned and nudged her friend. “She’s got a point.”
    Maggie marched across the lawn. “Sera,” she called. “Can I talk with you for a minute?”
    “Friends, please move into triangle pose and I’ll be back.”
    Maggie drew her out of folks’ earshot. “I need your help.”
    “Of course, anything,” Sera said.
    “You have to pretend to be Lillian and ride in the Torpedo during the parade.”
    “But that’s dishonest. Why can’t you just explain that Lillian is in jail and can’t be here?”
    “That’s not the way things work in a town like Summer Shoals.” Steam gathered in Maggie’s head and trickled out her ears. There was no time for debate. “Look here, Lillian brought you into the bosom of her home during your time of need and one good turn deserves another.”
    “But—”
    “But nothing. Lillian has a reputation to uphold. If you want to stay at Summer Haven, you have to be loyal to her.”
    “Fine, but I’m not wearing shoes.”
    “Deal.” Maggie’s knees went loosey-goosey. We can do this. Everything will be A-okay.
     
     
    While the entire town milled around Summer Haven waiting for the parade to start, Teague stood by the fountain, but he kept his hands—and his loose change—in his pockets this time.
    He eyed the whole damn fountain with suspicion. His last wish had apparently conjured up Serendipity, and he could do without any more mention of his sac chakra.
    The water spewed high into the air, rode the breeze and sprinkled down on the kids nearby. They squealed and ran away, but came right back.
    Nash Talley was around the other side tossing in pennies one after the other. Teague meandered over, but Talley had his eyes closed, apparently concentrating on all those wishes.
    “What’cha wishing for?” Teague asked.
    Talley’s eyelids popped open. “I can’t tell you.”
    “Why? You got illegal wishes?”
    Talley swallowed. Why did skinny men have such big Adam’s apples? “No…no, of course not.”
    Teague slapped him on the back. “Just messing with you.” He nodded at the shiny coins filling Talley’s hand. “Looks like you’ve got a few more to go.”
    The guy nodded, but his eyes darted as if Teague had shined his flashlight into them. “Look, the parade’s starting.”
    The kids and adults alike lined up along the side of the driveway.
    Teague stepped closer. As she had every year since he’d moved to Summer Shoals, Miss Lillian rode on the back of her daddy’s convertible. But this time, she shaded herself with a giant red and white golf umbrella. She turned his way to wave at the crowd. If he hadn’t known who she was, he wouldn’t have recognized her in those huge movie-star sunglasses and with her hair covered with some kind of wild-patterned scarf that clashed with her patriotic jacket.
    The children shouted and begged for the candy Lillian always tossed from the car. As she smiled and flung a handful, her jacket hiked up and something at her midsection winked in the sunlight.
    Teague said to Talley, “Did you see that?”
    “See what?”
    “Nothing. Never mind.” Like he was going to tell the guy he thought Miss Lillian was wearing a belly button ring. Reelection wouldn’t be so easy if folks thought he was losing his mind.
    “Aww,” whined a nearby child. “What’s this? Where’s the suckers and chocolate?”
    All the kids