Downhome Darlin' & The Best Man Switch by Victoria Pade Page A

Emily was finally shocked.
    â€œI owe him. For all he didn’t do last night,” she admitted, not going on to let them know that she was as nervous about it as if it were her first date ever.
    â€œSo do you like him?” Emily asked.
    Abby shrugged. It wouldn’t do to like him. And she wouldn’t admit that she did. Not to her sisters. Not to herself.
    â€œHe’s nice. Nicer than you’d expect for as good-looking as he is. He isn’t arrogant or conceited. But it doesn’t really matter. I’m just going to pay him back for taking me home last night and not doing anything while I was nearly passed out in his bed and at his mercy. And then that will be that.”
    â€œWhat makes you so sure?” Bree asked, her voice full of possibilities.
    â€œCal Ketchum isn’t interested in someone like me. He acts like he saw through the wild-woman thing, but I’m sure he still thinks that a little of it was real. You know when he realizes the truth he’ll be on to someone exciting.”
    â€œWhat are you? Dull as dishwater?” Bree asked.
    Abby shrugged again. “Let’s be honest, Bill wasn’t off the mark when he complained about me. I am shy and quiet and steady and predictable and provincial. Even last night I couldn’t pull off the wild-woman thing. And this morning I was terrified I might have done something I couldn’t face. Or promised something I couldn’t follow through on. Maybe I’m not dull as dishwater...I hope I’m not. But I’m also not the kind of woman a man like that bothers with. I’m just not the type a world-class ladies’ man wastes his time with.”
    â€œOh, Abby,” Emily said in a moan. “I’d like to chop Bill Snot-grass into tiny pieces for making you doubt your appeal to anybody.”
    â€œBill Snot-grass?” Abby repeated with a laugh.
    â€œWell, that’s what he is. Among other things. I still don’t buy his reasons for calling off the wedding. I think he just got cold feet, chickened out and then laid the whole thing on you because he wasn’t man enough to admit it.”
    â€œOr worse,” Bree said under her breath.
    â€œOr worse?” Abby asked.
    â€œI can’t help feeling he had something else up his sleeve. Maybe something he had a guilty conscience over and it made him feel better to pick at you.”
    â€œBut I am all the things he said,” Abby reminded, wishing she had more than last night and one kiss by the rear-end cowboy to refute it. “Anyway the good news is, being shy, quiet, steady, predictable and provincial isn’t fatal. It isn’t really bad at all. I’m okay with it. It just won’t keep Cal Ketchum coming around. And that’s good because I don’t want him coming around. I just want to get tonight over with so my debt is paid and I can go on with my own business. Without a man to confuse things. I need a break from men for a while. Like maybe the next ten years.”
    â€œIt’s good to take some time for yourself. Regroup,” Emily agreed.
    â€œBesides, rebound relationships never work out,” Bree added.
    â€œSo let’s just not make a big deal out of what isn’t a big deal. I did something dumb last night, but luckily I was with a man who didn’t take advantage of the situation. Tonight I’ll pay him back by showing him the sunset. I’ll be home before ten without even a peck on the cheek to say good-night, and that’ll be that.”
    Both her sisters nodded their heads as if they thought she was absolutely right.
    She thought she was absolutely right
    But somehow she couldn’t help wishing that she wasn’t.
    Because for no reason she could begin to understand, the whole lily-white scenario she’d just laid out for the coming evening made her feel oddly downhearted.
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    â€œCOME ON OUT, GIRLS,” Cal urged. “I have a date and you all