You're Busting My Nuptials (Tizzy/Ridge Trilogy Book 2) by Ann Everett

tail they’d picked up in Tyler the last time. He also convinced her to wear an ear-bud in order to stay in contact with each other. She glanced behind her, and saw him park his Harley at the end of the street.
    Rayann pointed to the lawn littered with yard-gnomes. “Tell me that is not the house we’re looking for.”
    “Yeah, this is the one,” Tizzy said. “Four-forty-four Rosemont.”
    Rayann covered her face with her hands. “Oh no. I can’t get out. Look at all those gnomes. I don’t like gnomes. I’m afraid of gnomes.”
    “You’ve got to be kidding me,” Tizzy said. “First the clowns and now gnomes?”
    Synola leaned forward from the back seat. “Why are you afraid of gnomes? They look like baby Santa’s. How can you not like ’em?”
    “They’re scary. They have big eyes and they’re smiling all the time. They’re spooky,” Rayann said.
    “Good grief, Rayann. They’re cute. Look at that one. “Tizzy pointed. “She’s a biker-babe gnome.”
    Synola gestured toward a big oak tree. “Yeah, there’s one reading a book, and one climbing a ladder.”
    “You like Snow White, don’t you?” Tizzy asked. “Well, think of them as the seven dwarfs. See, there’s Sleepy, taking a nap.”
    “Yeah, and there’s Moony, with his bare-ass in the air,” Synola laughed.
    Rayann frowned. “There’s no dwarf named Moony. Y’all go without me. I’ll sit in the car. I can be the lookout.”
    Synola’s voice slipped into a sinister tone. “Suit yourself. I just hope none of them little gnomes come to life, crawl over the fence, and notice you sitting here all alone in the dark. I hope they don’t try to get in the car with you.” Synola pointed toward the edge of the yard. “That one, with the axe, could break the car windows out.”
    Tizzy cut her eyes over at Synola and shook her head. She knew Synola got the message, but didn’t seem to care.
    Synola lowered her voice to almost a whisper. “The gnome on the ladder might come over and help the others climb up and get through the broken window. You’d be trying to get out of course, but by then, they’d have you surrounded.” She took a quick breath. “Their eyes will get even bigger when they see a pretty little thing like you sitting here.”
    “Okay! Okay! I’m getting out, but y’all better stay right with me.”
    When they stepped from the car, Rayann wedged between her two friends. She hooked her arms in theirs. They walked toward the house and Tizzy pushed the metal gate open. The rusted hinges squealed. Dogs started to bark. Tizzy hesitated for a moment and waited for a ferocious canine to appear from around the house. When none did, they moved forward.
    Rayann unhooked her arms and pushed Tizzy and Synola close together, using them as a human shield.
    Tizzy glanced back over her shoulder and located Jinx again.
    The three women climbed the steps and when they reached the porch, a gnome by the door sang out; if you ain’t Tim McGraw, go away!
    Rayann screamed and jumped onto Synola ’s back. They both spun in a circle. Synola lost her footing, staggered, and fell forward. She coughed and choked as they hit the rough floorboards. Synola landed face down with Rayann lying on top of her, nose-to-nose with the motion-activated gnome.
    Rayann screamed again, rolled off Synola , and baby crawled back toward the steps.
    Tizzy ran and pulled her up by her shoulders. Rayann wrapped her arms around Tizzy. “I hate gnomes! I should have stayed in the car.”
    “You’ll be fine.” Tizzy adjusted her ear bud.
    “Everything alright up there?” Jinx asked.
    “We’re fine,” Tizzy said.
    Synola got to her feet and stood next to them. “Good God, Rayann, it’s only a recording. The damn thing ain’t real. Get a hold of yourself.”
    Rayann pulled away from Tizzy. “I’m okay,” she said, taking a deep breath. “I’m sorry I jumped on you, Synola. I promise I won’t do it again.”
    “Damn straight you won’t. Ring the bell,