instantly sold. No need to consult a menu.
Ruby said, in her Saucy! tone, “I’m not even gonna
tell you. I know you’re gonna want it anyway, so I’ll just put in the order
without you having to waste my time.”
As it was, the place was packed, and more diners filtered
into the large entryway. Sky asked, “Are the others here?”
“I’ve got you set up in the corner by the windows.”
“We’ll find our way.” Sky gave her aunt a peck on her plump
cheek. “So good to see you.”
“Don’t you dare leave without popping into the kitchen to
give Mike a hug.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it. In fact, that’ll be my first stop.”
She left her party and sought out her uncle. After a few
minutes of catching up, she returned to the dining room—to the overwhelming
greeting of everyone there. She made the rounds, hugs and kisses and all, until
she reached the corner where several tables had been pushed together to make a
long one that accommodated their group.
Ryan Bain swept her into a tight bear hug that lifted her
off the ground a few inches.
“Good Lord,” she said. “How’d you get so big?”
“I eat my veggies.”
He set her on her feet, and she said to his new bride
Ginger, “Damn, aren’t you still just the prettiest little thing?” All
five-foot-two of her.
“Marriage suits me,” Ginger said with a radiant smile. “You
should have seen the dress. Good Lord, I barely made it out the double doors to
the event lawn at the inn, my skirt was so full!”
“I bet you were stunning. Sorry I missed the wedding.”
“You were on tour. I understand.”
Still, a hint of regret lingered that she’d missed so much
of her friends’ adult lives.
Sky brushed aside the dismay and greeted Jess and George
Mills. To Jess, she said, “I swear you’d never guess it by the looks of the
reverend’s wife, but Lydia Bain and a pair of scissors is right up there with
Michelangelo and a paintbrush. You have the most stylish hair in all of Texas.”
Jess beamed, but said in a conspiratorial tone, “It was touch-and-go
there for a while. Lydia and the reverend rode a morality crusade that
inadvertently caused some serious hardships in this town, and I had to make a
coiffure truce with her, or go all the way to Austin for a cut and color. And
you know the stylists in that city are not cheap.”
“Reese told me all about the trouble the Bains caused. I’m
so glad they both came around.”
“Thanks to Ginger,” Jess said with notable relief.
Sky moved farther along, to where Jack Wade stood, a cocky
grin on his devilishly handsome face.
She said, “Boy, you are one good-looking son of a gun. I
can’t believe you got hitched before I came back to town.”
He gave her a tight squeeze, then released her. “Couldn’t
wait forever, darlin’.”
She waved a dismissive hand in the air. “I suppose that’s
for the best. I hear you found yourself the perfect woman.” Her gaze landed on
a striking brunette. “You’re too damn beautiful for this scoundrel.”
Liza laughed. “I like you already.”
They hugged. Sky added, “There’s nothing more heartwarming
than seeing good friends happy. And anyone who can keep Jack Wade in line is
aces in my book.”
With a grunt, Jack said, “Let’s not go into all the
wild-child behavior the three of us once exhibited.”
Yes, he and Sky—along with Lydia, long before she’d gotten
involved with the reverend—had had their fair share of crazy times, which
they’d eventually pulled good-girl Reese into.
The group settled at the table. Ruby brought over several
bottles of chianti, on the house. Then she and another server delivered the
special to everyone—Uncle Mike’s famed sweet ’n spicy sausage and peppers. For
Sky, however, her uncle had prepared a sampler plate. She inhaled the rich
aroma as the others stared at her with envy.
Pasta bolognese, lasagna, manicotti and eggplant parmesan.
Her favorites. With a coy smile, she said to Sam, “I’ll
Ruby said, in her Saucy! tone, “I’m not even gonna
tell you. I know you’re gonna want it anyway, so I’ll just put in the order
without you having to waste my time.”
As it was, the place was packed, and more diners filtered
into the large entryway. Sky asked, “Are the others here?”
“I’ve got you set up in the corner by the windows.”
“We’ll find our way.” Sky gave her aunt a peck on her plump
cheek. “So good to see you.”
“Don’t you dare leave without popping into the kitchen to
give Mike a hug.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it. In fact, that’ll be my first stop.”
She left her party and sought out her uncle. After a few
minutes of catching up, she returned to the dining room—to the overwhelming
greeting of everyone there. She made the rounds, hugs and kisses and all, until
she reached the corner where several tables had been pushed together to make a
long one that accommodated their group.
Ryan Bain swept her into a tight bear hug that lifted her
off the ground a few inches.
“Good Lord,” she said. “How’d you get so big?”
“I eat my veggies.”
He set her on her feet, and she said to his new bride
Ginger, “Damn, aren’t you still just the prettiest little thing?” All
five-foot-two of her.
“Marriage suits me,” Ginger said with a radiant smile. “You
should have seen the dress. Good Lord, I barely made it out the double doors to
the event lawn at the inn, my skirt was so full!”
“I bet you were stunning. Sorry I missed the wedding.”
“You were on tour. I understand.”
Still, a hint of regret lingered that she’d missed so much
of her friends’ adult lives.
Sky brushed aside the dismay and greeted Jess and George
Mills. To Jess, she said, “I swear you’d never guess it by the looks of the
reverend’s wife, but Lydia Bain and a pair of scissors is right up there with
Michelangelo and a paintbrush. You have the most stylish hair in all of Texas.”
Jess beamed, but said in a conspiratorial tone, “It was touch-and-go
there for a while. Lydia and the reverend rode a morality crusade that
inadvertently caused some serious hardships in this town, and I had to make a
coiffure truce with her, or go all the way to Austin for a cut and color. And
you know the stylists in that city are not cheap.”
“Reese told me all about the trouble the Bains caused. I’m
so glad they both came around.”
“Thanks to Ginger,” Jess said with notable relief.
Sky moved farther along, to where Jack Wade stood, a cocky
grin on his devilishly handsome face.
She said, “Boy, you are one good-looking son of a gun. I
can’t believe you got hitched before I came back to town.”
He gave her a tight squeeze, then released her. “Couldn’t
wait forever, darlin’.”
She waved a dismissive hand in the air. “I suppose that’s
for the best. I hear you found yourself the perfect woman.” Her gaze landed on
a striking brunette. “You’re too damn beautiful for this scoundrel.”
Liza laughed. “I like you already.”
They hugged. Sky added, “There’s nothing more heartwarming
than seeing good friends happy. And anyone who can keep Jack Wade in line is
aces in my book.”
With a grunt, Jack said, “Let’s not go into all the
wild-child behavior the three of us once exhibited.”
Yes, he and Sky—along with Lydia, long before she’d gotten
involved with the reverend—had had their fair share of crazy times, which
they’d eventually pulled good-girl Reese into.
The group settled at the table. Ruby brought over several
bottles of chianti, on the house. Then she and another server delivered the
special to everyone—Uncle Mike’s famed sweet ’n spicy sausage and peppers. For
Sky, however, her uncle had prepared a sampler plate. She inhaled the rich
aroma as the others stared at her with envy.
Pasta bolognese, lasagna, manicotti and eggplant parmesan.
Her favorites. With a coy smile, she said to Sam, “I’ll
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