Summer Nights

by Susan Mallery

  “It does.”

  Annabelle glanced around at the big room. Jo had leased the space next to her bar. Her future plans were to break out a wall and expand the bar itself. For now, she’d cut in a doorway that led to stairs. On the second level was the party room. A big, open area with a view of the town and the mountains beyond. There was a bar in the back, a small stage, a great sound system and plenty of tables and chairs. Rumor had it one of the walls was really a false front, with a big TV behind it, but tonight it was covered up. The bridal shower would provide its own entertainment.

  Annabelle and Charlie had spent most of the afternoon setting up. Balloons were tied together in clusters in the corners of the room. Paper tablecloths covered the round tables. Jo was providing all the dishes, flatware and glasses. Charlie had stayed in the room to accept the flower delivery while Annabelle had gone to get the cake. The two-tiered replica of a wedding cake was done in three kinds of chocolate and had a special place of honor near the front of the room.

  By the window, a long table held the goodie bags and the supplies for the games. There were scissors and tape and a stapler to make a wrapping paper dress and inexpensive plastic tiaras so everyone could be a princess.

  Jo picked up a clipboard from the bar and grabbed a pen. “Okay, just to confirm. You’re having champagne as your only liquor. I have twenty bottles chilled, but I’ll only charge what you use.”

  Annabelle laughed. “Twenty? We’re only having about thirty people at the shower.”

  “Uh-huh. Trust me. I’ll make sure everyone is either walking or has a ride.” She moved to the next item. “The menu. We have lasagna, fried ravioli, raw vegetables with dip so we can pretend to be healthy, garlic bread, cut fruit with melted chocolate, individual cups of tiramisu and cake. The champagne I mentioned along with soda, coffee and tea.”

  Annabelle looked at the menu. “Where did the fried ravioli come from?”

  “I’m trying it. That’s on me. I want to see if people like it.” Jo put down the clipboard. “I’ll be in and out all evening. I know I’m technically a guest, but I’ll want to check on the bar, as well. Two servers will be assigned. The sound system is set.” Jo went behind the bar and handed her a remote. “Adjust the volume with this. If anyone hates a selection, push the ‘next’ button and it will skip the song. You know where the bathrooms are, right?”

  “End of the hall.”

  “Then we’re good.” Jo glanced around at the banner proclaiming “Happy Wedding, Heidi,” the flowers, the cake and balloons and shook her head. “I was right to elope.”

  “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 uniform for dark wash jeans and a simple long-sleeved blue shirt. The top was fitted, as were the jeans. More so than Charlie’s uniform or her traditional casual look of a T-shirt and baggy cargo 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 amazing bone structure. Annabelle wasn’t sure why she hadn’t noticed until now.

  Charlie set down the ice and glared. “What?” she demanded. “You’re staring at me.”

  “You look nice.”

  Charlie grimaced. “Oh, please.”

  “I’m serious. I never got it before, but you go 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 grimace turned into a glower. “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’m the tallest girl in the room. Trust me, that’s not attention I want.”

  “I’m short, so I know there’s an advantage to being the tallest girl. But you don’t use it.”

  Charlie drew in a breath. “I know what beautiful is. My mother. I’m nothing like her.”

  “There are all kinds of beauty.”

  But Annabelle could tell Charlie didn’t believe her. Charlie’s mother was a petite, graceful ballerina. That could intimidate anyone, let alone a tall, gawky girl. Add the horrible date rape to the mix and it made sense that Charlie avoided anything remotely feminine. But with their guests arriving in the next few minutes, this wasn’t the time for that conversation.

  They checked on the food, hit Play on the remote to start the music and then suffered through 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 champagne,” Charlie said, giving both women hugs.

  One of the servers opened the first bottle of champagne and started to pour. Annabelle passed out glasses.

  In the next twenty minutes the rest of the guests 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 Cameron, arrived with Julia Gionni of the feuding Gionni sisters.

  As more women arrived, Annabelle made sure she was by the door to collect the gifts and guide guests to the champagne. Conversation and laughter 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 room,” Annabelle corrected. “She’s calling it a party room.”

  Charity laughed. “Of course she is. I remember when I first moved here, I was so impressed by the idea of a bar catering to women. I wasn’t sure she could make the concept last, but she’s doing great.”

  “I know. The first time Charlie and Heidi suggested we have lunch here, I was shocked. I’m not exactly the bar type. But it’s great.”

  Charity’s brown eyes widened. “Not the bar type? Really? Because I heard you were dancing on the bar a few weeks back.”

  “I keep telling everyone,” Annabelle said, exasperated. “I wasn’t drunk. I was demonstrating the dance of the happy virgin.”

  “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’m just along for the ride.”

  “Too bad. Because I’m guessing a lot of guys would pay to see the happy virgin dance.”

  Maybe, but there was only one she was interested in showing it to, she thought.

  Charity picked up her champagne, then paused. “Uh-oh. I know that look. Who’s the guy?”

  “What guy?”

  “I don’t know. The one making you look…” She paused.

  Nevada, sitting across from them, looked up. “Sappy,” she offered. “Trust me. I know the look. I get it every time I think of Tucker. It’s humiliating, but inescapable.”

  “There’s no look,” Annabelle said quickly, determined to think of something other than Shane. “No guy.”

  “That’s not what I heard,” Pia called from another table. “I heard there was travel and hotel. A night at a hotel.”

  Several women hooted.

  “Details,” someone called out. “We want details.”

  May winced. “Not too many. We’re talking about my son, ladies. There are some things a mother shou
ldn’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 champagne,” Charlie murmured, standing to join her. “You’re more likely to distract them with alcohol.”

  Fortunately there was a momentary lull in the music so everyone heard Mayor Marsha say, “…bought the radio station.”

  “Who bought the radio station?” Pia asked. “Why don’t I get the good gossip anymore? Is it having the kids? They’re worth it, of course, but I miss gossip.”

  Mayor Marsha glanced around the room. “A very interesting man has purchased the radio station on the edge of town. His name is Gideon.”

  “Oh, like the angel,” Heidi said, obviously feeling her champagne.

  “Ah, no,” the mayor said. “He has an interesting past, though. I’m sure you’ll all get to meet him soon enough.”

  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 something Heidi will love” as the gift suggestion. Lingerie was a given, and well represented. Mayor Marsha gave Heidi a beautiful set of antique cheese molds, perfect for a woman with goats 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 two weeks?”

  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 our milking lessons.”

  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 empty champagne 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 married Lewis, there wasn’t any of this. He thought 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.”

  “Who said anything about Shane?” Annabelle asked.

  “No one has to. We can all see it. You’re falling for him.”

  “I’m not.” She sighed. “Maybe. A little.”

  “Heidi swears Stryker brothers are the best,” Charlie told her.

  “I don’t question his character. He’s a great guy. But he has baggage and it makes me nervous.”

  “Nobody’s perfect.”

  “You’re telling me to follow my heart?”

  “I’m saying from where I’m sitting, falling in love sounds nice,” Charlie admitted.

  “Then you could, you know, start dating.”

  “I don’t think so. I can walk right into a burning building without blinking, but going out with a man?” She shook her head. “Not going to happen.”

  Annabelle reached out and squeezed her friend’s hand. Sometimes the solutions were obvious. Impossible, but obvious. Charlie should get off her butt and go out with a guy and Annabelle, well, she was less sure what she should do. Trust Shane came to mind. Believe in him to find his way.

  Because Charlie had a point. From where she was sitting, falling in love sounded very, very nice.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  “IS THAT A PIG?”

  Shane didn’t bother turning around. What was the point? There was only one answer to the question.

  “Yes.”

  “A real pig?”

  “His name is Wilbur.”

  Giggles exploded from behind him. He flinched like a cat being hit by rain.

  “From the book,” one of the girls said.

  “It’s Charlotte’s Web,” another offered. “Shane, have you read it?”

  He finished adjusting the saddle and then reluctantly turned around to face his class of beginning riders. “Yes, I know it’s a book. Yes, I know the name of it. Yes, I’ve read it.”

  Shane’s big plan that would give Wilbur a week with Priscilla and Reno had ended the second his mother seen the pig. Once she’d met Wilbur, it had all been decided.

  “Let’s get started,” Shane told the girls.

  They stood in line as he gave each one a lift up into the saddle, then pointed to the open gate on the left.

  “In there,” he said.

  They did as he asked, walking sedately into the ring. Before he could follow, his mother burst out of the house.

  “Did you tell them?” she asked eagerly.

  “Not yet,” he answered, over a chorus of “Tell us what?”

  “Sorry,” May said, not looking the least bit sorry. “I’ll be quiet while you tell them now.”

  Four pairs of eyes stared at him. Shane stood in the center of the corral and suddenly felt foolish. What if they didn’t want to be a part of things? What if he couldn’t teach them or the horses?

  He cleared his throat. “I thought it would be fun for you to be in the parade with Annabelle.”

  “Really?”

  “Can we?”

  “That’s so great.”

  “Yay!”

  “That was a yes?” he asked, holding in a smile.

  They all nodded.

  “Yes!”

  “Good. I’ve been working on what you could do on your horses. A few simple steps.”

  “And there’ll be costumes,” May added.

  Shane turned to look at his mother. “Excuse me?”

  “Costumes. For the girls.”

  There was more cheering. Shane felt the beginning of a headache. “I didn’t say anything about costumes.”

  “That’s because you’re a man. It’s a parade. They need costumes. I’ve seen what Annabelle is going to wear and I’ve made a few sketches. Now we just have to find someone who can sew.”

  “My mom sews,” one of the girls offered.

  “Mine, too.”

  May beamed. “See. Problem solved. I’ll talk to the girls after their lesson. Annabelle will be so happy.”

  Words deliberately designed to make him rethink any complaints. Because making Annabelle happy had become a priority with him.

  “Now you’re fighting dirty,” he told his mother.

  She laughed. “I do what I have to so that I win. You should respect that.”

  “Mostly it frightens me.”

  Still smiling, May waved at the girls. “Listen to Shane,” she called as she walked back to the house. “Don’t forget, he’s a real cowboy.”

  “Thanks for the endorsement,” he muttered as he turned back to his class. “Okay, let’s start practicing being in the parade.”

  Mandy raised her hand. “Can we wear lip gloss?”

  Shane’s almost-headache began to grow. “Excuse me?”

  “If you tell us we have to wear lip gloss, we will.” She bounced in the saddle. “Because my mom says I’m too young.”

  “Mine, too.”

  “But we want to.”

  “I’m not going to say you have to wear lip gloss.”

  Four ten-year-olds immediately began to pout.

  “Why not?” Mandy asked.

  “Because…” He sucked in a breath. “Because I’m not going to get your moms mad at me, okay? If your moms get mad, they might say you can’t ride anymore. Do you want that?”

  They exchanged glances, then shook their heads. Then Mandy smiled at him.

  “You like us.”

  Shane held in a groan. “Can we get started now?”

  “Okay, but just so you know, my mom says I can’t start dating until I’m fifteen.”

  * * *
>
  “THE MOST IMPORTANT THING is keeping everything clean and sanitized,” Heidi said, leading the way into the goat house. “And we’re talking about a goat here, so it’s not like you can count on her to cooperate.”

  Annabelle held a pad of paper in her hands, prepared to take notes. The offer to milk Heidi’s goats while she was on her honeymoon had been impulsive. It wasn’t that she was regretting it, exactly, but she was a little nervous about all the responsibility.

  “Do we really have to sell the milk while you’re gone?” she asked.

  Heidi laughed. “You’ll do fine. It’s not that hard. Trust me.”

  “It’s not so much an issue of trust,” Annabelle told her. “I don’t want to get it wrong.”

  “We’ll practice until you’re comfortable. Besides, Shane knows what to do.”

  “Are you sure? He’s more a horse guy than a goat guy.”

  “He knows and don’t let him tell you otherwise.”

  Heidi showed her where everything was kept. In a couple of days, Annabelle would arrive bright and early to practice on an actual goat. Charlie would do the same. At least they would take turns milking.

  “You’re not going to have to worry about the cheese,” Heidi told her as they headed back for the main house. “There are a couple of batches that need work, but May is taking care of that for me.”

  “Good. Because goats are about my limit.”

  They paused on the porch. Annabelle turned to look at the ranch. Up on the slight rise was Priscilla’s home. The elephant, Reno and Wilbur shared a big fenced-in area. Since May had put a notice in the Fool’s Gold Daily Republic, locals had been dropping off freshly pruned leafy branches for Priscilla. She enjoyed poplar, willow, maple and ash, along with several varieties of fruit trees. An elephant could go through a lot of branches in a day.

  Khatar was in his usual corral. He had shade, sun and plenty of water, along with a view of what was going on. She’d greeted him when she’d first arrived and, for once, he’d stayed in place.

  The riding horses clustered together in another corral, while Shane’s pricey pregnant mares were in a third. Heidi’s goats were out on loan, taking care of lawns and brush for anyone who signed up.

  Annabelle liked everything about the ranch. There was a sense of connection with the land, a feeling of belonging. She was happiest when she was here, although a part of that was probably because she was usually with Shane. She could spend her days scrubbing grout with him and still have a good time.