evaporated. Directly across from him, of course, looking every bit as uncomfortable as he.
Their favorite waitress appeared to hand out menus, and Jack was grateful for the interruption, shooting Wanda an easy smile that earned him a sassy wink. “Well, well, I see the gang’s all here,” she said with a butt of her hip against his arm, “including Isle of Hope’s most eligible bachelor.” She teased him with a sexy look while she played with the hair at the back of his head. “So, what’s your poison tonight, doc?”
Without meaning to, Jack’s eyes flicked to Lacey’s and held, giving him a modicum of satisfaction when a blush stole into her cheeks before she looked away.
“Bring him a Red Bull, Wanda,” Matt said from the other end of the booth, “I need him sober since this is a working meeting, and he’s already had two.”
Sarah angled a brow. “Whoa, since when do you tip more than one, Dr. Jack? Don’t tell me med school drove you to drink?”
He shot a tight smile in Matt’s direction. “No, that honor belongs to Ball tonight, I’m afraid.” Draining the last of his glass, he pushed it away. “ Blue Moon , Wanda,” he emphasized with a narrow look in Matt’s direction, figuring Matt deserved it for not warning him about tonight. Ignoring the scowl on his cousin’s face, he draped an arm over Kelly’s shoulder. “Who else? My treat.”
“Sounds good to me.” Kelly inched closer while everyone else opted for D.P. and Coke.
When Wanda finished taking all the orders, Matt got down to business. “Nicki and I have been talking, and we’ve both decided to have the wedding and reception in Nicki’s backyard.”
Sarah bounced in her seat with a clap of hands. “Oh, I’m so glad—Nick’s backyard is absolutely perfect, especially as private as it is with Mamaw’s gardens overlooking the river.” She folded her arms on the table. “You are going to have a tent in case it rains, right?”
“You bet,” Nicki said with a gleam in her eye, “the whole nine yards. I got Mamaw to agree by telling her she’d get that gazebo and rock walkway she’s been wanting all these years, complete with landscaping.”
“Which is why we’re all here tonight, as a matter of fact.” Matt glanced around the table. “Nicki and I thought instead of you guys popping for a wedding present, renting tuxes, or buying bridesmaid dresses—which we’ll take care of—we’d see if you wanted to help build the gazebo and landscape Mamaw’s yard instead. We figure it shouldn’t take more than three or four get-togethers to get it all done, and Nicki’s dad’s paying for all materials.”
A silent groan clogged in Jack’s throat. Three or four get-togethers?
“Not to mention that Mamaw will be providing all food and refreshments,” Nicki added with a waggle of brows.
“Oh, man, count me in,” Nate said. He cast a hopeful look at Nicki. “You will tell her to make those red-velvet balls, right? And that seven-layer dip?”
Matt laughed. “If that’s what it takes to get you there, Sherman, you bet.”
“Then count me in too.” Justin draped an arm over Sarah’s shoulder. “Especially if Sarah agrees to make her famous cannolis.”
“Done!” Sarah said with a quick brush of her hands.
“Well, I’m certainly game.” Kelly cocked her head to peer up at Jack, her smile an invitation. “This sounds like a lot of fun if Jack’s involved.”
“Well, that’s the plan all around.” Matt snaked an arm around Nicki to pull her close while Wanda delivered their drinks. He zeroed in on Jack with a crooked smile. “And of course Jack’s involved—he’s the only one here besides me who knows how to use a hammer and saw—not to mention he owes me big time.”
Jack smiled his thanks at Wanda, then passed the various sodas around the table, eyes in a squint. “Yeah? How you figure, Ball?”
A twinkle lit Matt’s eyes. “Because I’ve covered your sorry butt on house chores for
Their favorite waitress appeared to hand out menus, and Jack was grateful for the interruption, shooting Wanda an easy smile that earned him a sassy wink. “Well, well, I see the gang’s all here,” she said with a butt of her hip against his arm, “including Isle of Hope’s most eligible bachelor.” She teased him with a sexy look while she played with the hair at the back of his head. “So, what’s your poison tonight, doc?”
Without meaning to, Jack’s eyes flicked to Lacey’s and held, giving him a modicum of satisfaction when a blush stole into her cheeks before she looked away.
“Bring him a Red Bull, Wanda,” Matt said from the other end of the booth, “I need him sober since this is a working meeting, and he’s already had two.”
Sarah angled a brow. “Whoa, since when do you tip more than one, Dr. Jack? Don’t tell me med school drove you to drink?”
He shot a tight smile in Matt’s direction. “No, that honor belongs to Ball tonight, I’m afraid.” Draining the last of his glass, he pushed it away. “ Blue Moon , Wanda,” he emphasized with a narrow look in Matt’s direction, figuring Matt deserved it for not warning him about tonight. Ignoring the scowl on his cousin’s face, he draped an arm over Kelly’s shoulder. “Who else? My treat.”
“Sounds good to me.” Kelly inched closer while everyone else opted for D.P. and Coke.
When Wanda finished taking all the orders, Matt got down to business. “Nicki and I have been talking, and we’ve both decided to have the wedding and reception in Nicki’s backyard.”
Sarah bounced in her seat with a clap of hands. “Oh, I’m so glad—Nick’s backyard is absolutely perfect, especially as private as it is with Mamaw’s gardens overlooking the river.” She folded her arms on the table. “You are going to have a tent in case it rains, right?”
“You bet,” Nicki said with a gleam in her eye, “the whole nine yards. I got Mamaw to agree by telling her she’d get that gazebo and rock walkway she’s been wanting all these years, complete with landscaping.”
“Which is why we’re all here tonight, as a matter of fact.” Matt glanced around the table. “Nicki and I thought instead of you guys popping for a wedding present, renting tuxes, or buying bridesmaid dresses—which we’ll take care of—we’d see if you wanted to help build the gazebo and landscape Mamaw’s yard instead. We figure it shouldn’t take more than three or four get-togethers to get it all done, and Nicki’s dad’s paying for all materials.”
A silent groan clogged in Jack’s throat. Three or four get-togethers?
“Not to mention that Mamaw will be providing all food and refreshments,” Nicki added with a waggle of brows.
“Oh, man, count me in,” Nate said. He cast a hopeful look at Nicki. “You will tell her to make those red-velvet balls, right? And that seven-layer dip?”
Matt laughed. “If that’s what it takes to get you there, Sherman, you bet.”
“Then count me in too.” Justin draped an arm over Sarah’s shoulder. “Especially if Sarah agrees to make her famous cannolis.”
“Done!” Sarah said with a quick brush of her hands.
“Well, I’m certainly game.” Kelly cocked her head to peer up at Jack, her smile an invitation. “This sounds like a lot of fun if Jack’s involved.”
“Well, that’s the plan all around.” Matt snaked an arm around Nicki to pull her close while Wanda delivered their drinks. He zeroed in on Jack with a crooked smile. “And of course Jack’s involved—he’s the only one here besides me who knows how to use a hammer and saw—not to mention he owes me big time.”
Jack smiled his thanks at Wanda, then passed the various sodas around the table, eyes in a squint. “Yeah? How you figure, Ball?”
A twinkle lit Matt’s eyes. “Because I’ve covered your sorry butt on house chores for
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