“I can’t think of a place I’d rather be married,” she said, leaning against him, enjoying his arms around her waist. Annie spied Peaches skulking about in the yard, darting looks her way, obviously aware that her owner was still furious over the debacle with Fleas. Probably wondering if she was going to miss a meal over it, Annie thought.
The cat walked over to the peach tree and climbed to the lowest branch, which was no easy feat for a twenty-two-pounder. All at once, Peaches went limp and fell to the ground with a loud thud. She rolled over several times and came to a dead halt on her back, all four legs pointing skyward, head lolling to one side, tongue hanging out.
“I think I’ll have a slice of that cake now,” Annie said.
“I’ll get it for you.” Wes stood and went inside the house.
Annie sat there for a moment, enjoying the quiet. Suddenly she shivered as a gust of cool air swept over her, raising goose bumps along her arms and sending tingles along her backbone. Something moved just outside her peripheral vision, and she turned quickly. Nothing there. She felt her gaze drawn to one of the ballroom windows. The drapes parted, and Annie could feel someone watching her intently, a sense of knowing that she had experienced many times before.
Only nobody was there.
EPILOGUE
“Stop running, dammit!” Annie shouted the next morning as Erdle dashed down the back steps.
“He sure runs fast for a no-good drunk,” Theenie said.
Erdle ducked behind one of the massive oaks. “You are not going to make me drink any more of that nasty stuff!” he yelled, pointing to the new bottle of castor oil in Theenie’s hand. “I’m calling Lamar to come take me to jail.”
Annie planted her hands on her hips. “You are not leaving this house with my ring in your, um, system. Don’t make me get my rolling pin.”
“You’re a crazy lady, you know that?” he shouted. “Mean and crazy. And you wonder why I drink.”
From the back door Destiny and Lovelle watched. “I can’t believe Dee Dee was able to deliver a nine-pound baby boy and Erdle can’t pass a one-karat ring,” Destiny said. “Men can be such wimps.”
“We’d better go out there and give the girls a hand,” Lovelle said. The two started down the steps.
“Oh, good, we’ve got backup,” Theenie said.
The four women circled Erdle, who clung to the tree as a drowning man would to a life raft. Theenie uncapped the bottle. “You three grab him, and I’ll pour it down his gullet.”
Suddenly Erdle’s eyes widened. He winced and grabbed his stomach. “Argh.” He doubled over and groaned.
Theenie put the cap on the bottle and patted his arm. “Follow me, dear,” she said. Erdle nodded and staggered across the yard, sweat beading his brow. “And don’t worry about a thing,” Theenie said, “because I’ll take good care of you. Did I tell you I was once a nurse’s aide?”
Destiny turned to Annie. “Looks like it’s just a matter of time.”
Table of Contents
Cover Page
Title Page
Copyright Page
Table of Contents
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
EPILOGUE
Full Bloom Page 26
