down the lane, really,” Charlotte murmured. She studied Annabelle from beneath her dark lashes. “I can tell you, if I wasn’t engaged and madly in love—”
“Not another word, either one of you.”
Thankfully, their waitress, Christy, a mother of four, interrupted, skidding up to the table to take their dessertorders. As soon as Christy strode off, Annabelle changed the subject.
“Let’s talk about something important. Like your wedding shower.”
That got Charlotte’s full attention, and she trained her gaze on her friends, apparently forgetting all about Wes.
“Tess and I need to start planning ASAP,” Annabelle continued. “You should go dance with Tim while we work out a few preliminary details.”
“But—here’s the thing.” Charlotte drew a breath. “Don’t be mad, but . . . I . . . I still don’t even know if I want a wedding shower. First I have to do a little more research and make sure it isn’t bad luck—”
Suddenly, though, she broke off, her eyes brightening as her gaze fell upon her fiancé, slapping high fives at the close of a game of pool. “Well, all right,” she declared, pushing back her chair. “If you insist, I’ll go dance with that handsome man over there. Talk amongst yourselves.”
Tess leaned forward after Charlotte rushed toward Tim and pulled him to the dance floor.
“So, Charlotte’s aunt Susie called me this afternoon. She offered to have the shower at her house. Charlotte’s mom will help with everything. Susie suggested ordering cupcakes from A Bun in the Oven, and she’ll make finger sandwiches—tuna salad, chicken salad, and cucumber–cream cheese bites, along with fruit and a veggie platter. I’ll bake a lemon chiffon pie and deviled egg casserole. Can you make your mom’s strawberry pie and her macaroni salad? And maybe some chocolates?”
“Way ahead of you.” Annabelle’s eyes sparkled. “I’m thinking chocolate hearts, bells, and tiny chocolate wedding cakes. And truffles. The pie, too, of course.”
“Love it!”
“We’ll need two or three party games and flowers for thetables,” Annabelle mused, but she broke off as John appeared suddenly and leaned down to kiss Tess on the cheek.
“Hear that?” he asked with a grin.
Randy Houser’s “Runnin’ Outta Moonlight” boomed from the jukebox. “Playin’ our song, honey. How about a dance?”
“Go on—dance with the man,” Annabelle ordered, as Tess glanced at her, hesitating. “I’ll guard your sundae when it gets here. Won’t even take a teensy taste, I promise. Go on.” She touched Tess’s arm. “Once that baby comes, you two might not get out much together for a while.”
After watching John put a protective arm around Tess’s waist and lead her to the dance floor, she found herself fighting off the urge to glance again at the table where Wes and Jake were seated. Finally, she allowed herself a quick peek across the room. They were deep in conversation. What could they be talking about?
And why do you care?
she asked herself crossly. Pushing Wes from her mind, she watched Christy set down a huge slice of gooey marshmallow fudge cake, along with the peach cobbler, two scoops of vanilla ice cream, and Tess’s peanut butter sundae.
Yum
. But even all that scrumptious deliciousness didn’t distract her for long. A moment later, she couldn’t resist glancing again toward the two men. Or rather, toward Wes, who was speaking steadily to Jake. He wore his jeans and boots well, she couldn’t help noting, and with the sleeves of his navy shirt rolled up, revealing darkly tanned, muscular forearms, he looked better than any dessert on the Double Cross menu.
He’s bad for you,
she told herself as she tore her gaze away.
All men are bad for you. And don’t forget it.
Chapter Nine
“Survival camp?” Jake Tanner’s eyes lit up. “Man, that’s a great idea. Especially in these parts. Damn, I wish I’d thought of it.”
Wes took a chug of his beer.
“Not another word, either one of you.”
Thankfully, their waitress, Christy, a mother of four, interrupted, skidding up to the table to take their dessertorders. As soon as Christy strode off, Annabelle changed the subject.
“Let’s talk about something important. Like your wedding shower.”
That got Charlotte’s full attention, and she trained her gaze on her friends, apparently forgetting all about Wes.
“Tess and I need to start planning ASAP,” Annabelle continued. “You should go dance with Tim while we work out a few preliminary details.”
“But—here’s the thing.” Charlotte drew a breath. “Don’t be mad, but . . . I . . . I still don’t even know if I want a wedding shower. First I have to do a little more research and make sure it isn’t bad luck—”
Suddenly, though, she broke off, her eyes brightening as her gaze fell upon her fiancé, slapping high fives at the close of a game of pool. “Well, all right,” she declared, pushing back her chair. “If you insist, I’ll go dance with that handsome man over there. Talk amongst yourselves.”
Tess leaned forward after Charlotte rushed toward Tim and pulled him to the dance floor.
“So, Charlotte’s aunt Susie called me this afternoon. She offered to have the shower at her house. Charlotte’s mom will help with everything. Susie suggested ordering cupcakes from A Bun in the Oven, and she’ll make finger sandwiches—tuna salad, chicken salad, and cucumber–cream cheese bites, along with fruit and a veggie platter. I’ll bake a lemon chiffon pie and deviled egg casserole. Can you make your mom’s strawberry pie and her macaroni salad? And maybe some chocolates?”
“Way ahead of you.” Annabelle’s eyes sparkled. “I’m thinking chocolate hearts, bells, and tiny chocolate wedding cakes. And truffles. The pie, too, of course.”
“Love it!”
“We’ll need two or three party games and flowers for thetables,” Annabelle mused, but she broke off as John appeared suddenly and leaned down to kiss Tess on the cheek.
“Hear that?” he asked with a grin.
Randy Houser’s “Runnin’ Outta Moonlight” boomed from the jukebox. “Playin’ our song, honey. How about a dance?”
“Go on—dance with the man,” Annabelle ordered, as Tess glanced at her, hesitating. “I’ll guard your sundae when it gets here. Won’t even take a teensy taste, I promise. Go on.” She touched Tess’s arm. “Once that baby comes, you two might not get out much together for a while.”
After watching John put a protective arm around Tess’s waist and lead her to the dance floor, she found herself fighting off the urge to glance again at the table where Wes and Jake were seated. Finally, she allowed herself a quick peek across the room. They were deep in conversation. What could they be talking about?
And why do you care?
she asked herself crossly. Pushing Wes from her mind, she watched Christy set down a huge slice of gooey marshmallow fudge cake, along with the peach cobbler, two scoops of vanilla ice cream, and Tess’s peanut butter sundae.
Yum
. But even all that scrumptious deliciousness didn’t distract her for long. A moment later, she couldn’t resist glancing again toward the two men. Or rather, toward Wes, who was speaking steadily to Jake. He wore his jeans and boots well, she couldn’t help noting, and with the sleeves of his navy shirt rolled up, revealing darkly tanned, muscular forearms, he looked better than any dessert on the Double Cross menu.
He’s bad for you,
she told herself as she tore her gaze away.
All men are bad for you. And don’t forget it.
Chapter Nine
“Survival camp?” Jake Tanner’s eyes lit up. “Man, that’s a great idea. Especially in these parts. Damn, I wish I’d thought of it.”
Wes took a chug of his beer.
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