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“Not your style?”
“No, but it looks good on Heidi Have fun Call me if you need me”
Jo left Charlie came in with one of the servers Both women carried buckets of ice
“In case,” Charlie said
She’d traded her usual firefighter unifor-sleeved blue shirt The top was fitted, as were the jeans More so than Charlie’s uniforo pants
Annabelle took in her long, lean legs and narrow hips Maybe it was nerves about the shower or carrying the ice up a flight of stairs, but Charlie’s face was slightly flushed, her eyes bright The shirt deepened the blue in her eyes
She had a bone structure Annabelle wasn’t sure why she hadn’t noticed until now
Charlie set down the ice and glared “What?” she de at me”
“You look nice”
Charlie grimaced “Oh, please”
“I’o out of your way to avoid dressing like a woman You don’t wear makeup or act feminine at all But you’re really very pretty”
The grilower “Don’t make me hurt you”
“I’m unimpressed by the threat” Annabelle continued to stare “You downplay your looks because you don’t want attention”
“I’irl in the room Trust me, that’s not attention I want”
“I’irl But you don’t use it”
Charlie drew in a breath “I knohat beautiful is Mylike her”
“There are all kinds of beauty”
But Annabelle could tell Charlie didn’t believe her Charlie’s raceful ballerina That could intiirl Add the horrible date rape to there in the next few minutes, this wasn’t the time for that conversation
They checked on the food, hit Play on the reh three minutes of “What if everyone hates our party” jitters before Heidi and May arrived
“It’s perfect,” May announced, glancing around at the room “I love it”
“Me, too,” Heidi said “I’m nervous Why am I nervous?”
“Because you haven’t had chas
One of the servers opened the first bottle of chalasses
In the next twenty uests arrived The Hendrix triplets were there, along with their mother, Denise Mayor Marsha, Charity Golden, Pia and their resident famous author, Liz Sutton Rina McKenzie, recently married to the local vet Ca Gionni sisters
As more women arrived, Annabelle uests to the chahter drowned out the music
Once everyone had their drink, Charlie proposed a toast to the bride-to-be The buffet was set out and people lined up to get food The tables filled quickly as everyone settled in for dinner
Annabelle found a seat by Charity The city planner wore her hair in a cut bob with bangs
“You’ve done a great job,” Charity said as Annabelle sat next to her “I love that Jo’s opened this banquet room”
“Party roo it a party room”
Charity laughed “Of course she is I remember when I firstto women I wasn’t sure she could reat”
“I know The first tiested we have lunch here, I was shocked I’reat”
Charity’s brown eyes widened “Not the bar type? Really? Because I heard you were dancing on the bar a feeeks back”
“I keep telling everyone,” Annabelle said, exasperated “I wasn’t drunk I was dein”
“I wish I’d seen that Will you be doing it again at the Máa-zib festival?”
“No That will be the horse dancing I’ for the ride”
“Too bad Because I’in dance”
Maybe, but there was only one she was interested in showing it to, she thought
Charity picked up her chauy?”
“What guy?”
“I don’t know The oneyou look…” She paused
Nevada, sitting across from them, looked up “Sappy,” she offered “Trust et it every ti, but inescapable”
“There’s no look,” Annabelle said quickly, deteruy”
“That’s not what I heard,” Pia called froht at a hotel”
Several women hooted
“Details,” someone called out “We want details”
May winced “Not too s a mother shouldn’t know”
“Oh, good point,” Pia said “But you can give us generalities”
Annabelle sprang to her feet “Oh, look Heidi’s done eating Let’s open presents”
“I’d try cha to join her “You’re more likely to distract them with alcohol”
Fortunately there was a momentary lull in the ht the radio station”
“Who bought the radio station?” Pia asked “Why don’t I get the good gossip any the kids? They’re worth it, of course, but I ossip”
Mayor Marsha glanced around the roo e of town His name is Gideon”
“Oh, like the angel,” Heidi said, obviously feeling her chane
“Ah, no,” the h I’h”
Just then Jo arrived with the dessert and questions about the mysterious Gideon went unanswered
After everyone finished eating, the tables were pushed back and the chairs drawn in a loose circle Charlie collected the presents for Heidi to open
The invitations had gone out with “Bring soerie was a given, and well represented Mayor Marsha gave Heidi a beautiful set of antique cheese oats and a cheese business May, Heidi’s future mother-in-law, had wrapped two tickets to Paris
“For your honeymoon,” May said happily
Heidi stared at the gift, then looked up, obviously stunned “Paris? For teeks?”
Charlie sighed “Yes, and before you ask, Annabelle and I have already volunteered to look after the goats We’ll be by in a couple of days for ourlessons”
Heidi wiped away happy tears as she hugged them all
Later, while the guests created a wrapping paper wedding gown, Charlie pointed to the collection of ene bottles
“There are going to be less of those left over than we’d thought”
Annabelle sighed “I know, but it’s been fun What a great shower”
“Have a little bride envy?”
“Maybe When I ht it was silly and I pretended I agreed with him”
“Shane wouldn’t mind the party and later he’d want you to try on all the sexy outfits”