“Aw, hell!” Steve put his booted foot on Tall Cowboy’s chest and shoved. “Back off, Cowboy!”
The saloon erupted in whoops, jeers, and laughter as Steve stood up and put his arm around Kelly. “How about that dance now?”
“About time.” Kelly smiled up at him. They both tossed down their whiskies, then sauntered to the dance floor.
* * *
“Okay, pay up, pay up,” Greg said, rubbing his hands together.
“Hold yer horses,” Cowboy Charlie said as he counted out the cash and handed it around.
“It’s a pleasure doing business with you boys,” Curt said with a smile as he counted his larger wad of cash.
Tall Cowboy, looking none the worse for rolling on the saloon floor, was laughing with his friends and pocketing his cash.
“Easy money,” Marty said with a grin as he fingered the bills.
“Thanks, Kelly,” Pete said with a laugh, shoving the cash into his back pocket. Then he looked up and his mouth dropped open. “Man . . . tonight’s getting weirder and weirder. Look who’s coming.” He pointed toward the saloon entrance.
“You gotta be kidding,” Greg said as he pocketed his cash, staring in the direction Pete pointed.
Marty’s eyes popped wide. “I don’t believe it! There’s Megan!”
“Isn’t it illegal or something for the bride and groom to see each other before the wedding?” Greg asked and waved toward Megan, Lisa, and Jennifer, who were weaving their way around several cowboys as they maneuvered through the saloon.
“Howdy, gals.” Curt grinned at the three women as they reached the table. “Can’t say I’m surprised to see you.”
“Marteeee!!!” Megan squealed, louder than Blondie, and pirouetted toward her fiancé, arms spread wide. Unfortunately, her balance wasn’t the best, and she fell into Marty’s arms.
“Whoa . . . Megan!” Marty laughed as he captured his giggling fiancée on his lap. “Sweetie . . . what have you been drinking?”
“What hasn’t she been drinking!” Lisa proclaimed, giving Greg a hug. “Wine, champagne all day, beer at dinner.”
“And tequila,” Jennifer added as she and Pete embraced.
“Oh, brother . . .” Greg made a face.
“Megan! You drank all that?” Marty asked in disbelief.
“Uh-huh,” Megan giggled. Then she snatched Marty’s remaining stout glass and drained it before Marty could retrieve it.
“Not good,” Pete said, laughing softly. “Right before the wedding, too.”
“Believe me, we tried to stop her, but have you ever tried to stop Megan from doing anything?” Jennifer shook her head.
“Sweetie . . . you are so wasted,” Marty said, laughing as he cradled a drunken Megan. Megan giggled in reply and kissed him.
“Where’s Kelly . . . Steve?” Megan managed, speech slurring.
“You gals missed the floor show,” Curt teased.
“Don’t worry, I captured it all,” Pete declared, holding up his smartphone.
“What happened? Tell us!” Lisa demanded, squeezing Greg.
“You wouldn’t believe us if we did. You gotta watch it. Pete, you gotta put that on a file so we can watch on the big screen.”
“What was it?” Jennifer asked, still snuggled beside Pete.
“Kelly and Steve were talking at the bar when some blonde came up and tried to give Kelly hell,” Pete said with a grin. “You can imagine the rest.”
“And you got a video?” Lisa broke into a laugh. “Yesss!”
“My man,” Jennifer said with a grin and squeezed Pete in a big hug.
“Where are they?” Megan said, turning around and almost slipping off Marty’s lap.
“They’re continuing their conversation on the dance floor,” Curt said as he rose from his chair, looking across the saloon. “And it looks like they’re gonna need some privacy real soon. Judging from how close they’re dancing.”
Greg craned his neck. “Where? I’ll be damned . . .”
“I gotta get this,” Pete said, pulling out his smartphone again.
“Well, I’ll be moseying back home, folks,” Curt said, touching the brim of his Stetson. “I’ll see you all tomorrow, I hope.” He grinned toward Megan and Marty and headed for the door.
Jennifer glanced toward Megan, who was no longer giggling. She had her hand on her stomach. “How’re you doing, Megan?”
“I don’t feel so good . . .”
“Uh-oh . . . I was afraid of that,” Lisa said, releasing Greg.
“Honey . . . you okay?” Marty asked, staring at Megan’s pale face.
“Noooo . . . I feel sick.” Megan’s face puckered as if she was going to cry.
“I figured this would happen,” Jennifer said, walking toward Megan. “It was just a matter of time. We’ll stay with her tonight, okay, Lisa?”
“Yeah, we gotta take care of this. Marty, you and Greg will have to bunk in with Pete tonight. Megan’s place is full of her relatives.”
“You got it,” Pete said, giving a sympathetic nod. “Call me if you need a run to the drugstore.”
“Come on, sweetie,” Marty said, gathering Megan in his arms as he stood up.
“Matter of fact, you can grab some of the pink stuff when you leave here,” Lisa said as she followed after Marty, who was making his way through the saloon.
“Will do,” Greg promised.
“Keep filming.” Jennifer smiled, pointing to the dance floor. “I’ll keep you posted.”
“Got it,” Pete said as he clicked on his smartphone and headed toward the dance floor. “C’mon, Greg, we don’t wanna miss this. Two guys are holding their hats up so Kelly and Steve can kiss.”
“Just keep filming, Pete,” Greg said, following after him. “Just keep filming.”
Twenty-One
Kelly stood absolutely still, clutching a small bouquet of white roses, her attention focused on Megan and Marty, who stood on a raised platform a few feet ahead. Megan looked radiant, despite spending half the night kneeling beside the porcelain god, according to Jennifer and Lisa. Marty was grinning from ear to ear. Both bride and groom looked radiantly happy.
Kelly’s eyes grew moist, and she blinked to keep any tears away. She didn’t want to miss one second of the ceremony. The minister held up the rings, blessing them, before Marty and Megan slipped the wedding rings on each other’s fingers.
Kelly peeked at Jennifer and Lisa. Both had tears already. Mimi had been crying from the moment Megan walked down the flower-strewn grassy aisle toward the white-canopied wedding tent. Kelly had spied Hilda and Lizzie and several of Lambspun’s regulars seated in the white chairs inside the tent.
Marty’s and Megan’s friends were mixed in with rows and rows of Smith, Harrington, and Stackhouse relatives. Kelly had noticed smiles were everywhere she looked when she’d followed her fellow bridesmaids up the aisle, Marty and his brother waiting ahead.
She glanced toward the groomsmen, lined up like the bridesmaids around the bride and groom. She spotted Steve look her way. He winked at her, and she smiled just as the minister proclaimed “husband and wife.”
Megan and Marty barely waited for the minister to grant them permission before they embraced each other for a real kiss. The wedding guests showed their approval when they broke out in loud applause.
Kelly and the bridesmaids joined the groomsmen and guests and cheered the bride and groom. Having the ceremony outside at Jayleen’s gorgeous canyon ranch added to the informal atmosphere. It was a perfect match for Megan and Marty.
The string trio Megan hired struck up the first chords of a beautiful classical piece that sounded familiar to Kelly. The bridesmaids and groomsmen took that as their cue and turned, opening space for bride Megan and groom Marty to process down the long middle aisle of the wedding tent.
Kelly could detect the scent of food wafting through the air, tickling her nostrils. Marty’s and Megan’s parents had taken the bridesmaids and groomsmen to a full breakfast in the late
morning. The best way to ensure no fainting bridesmaids.
The matron of honor and the best man started off down the aisle, signaling the bridesmaids and groomsmen to follow suit. Steve and Kelly paired up, their eyes meeting as they started the slow stroll from the tent.
* * *
Kelly moved her mouth closer to Steve’s ear as they danced to the familiar melody. Slow dancing. The sun was setting over the Rockies in the distance, and strings of lights had come to life inside the white canopy tent. The deejay was shifting the playlist to slow and romantic.
“That was a beautiful ceremony, wasn’t it?” she said.
“Yeah, but not as beautiful as this,” Steve said, pulling her even closer.
Kelly laughed softly. “We’d better watch it. Curt already threatened to throw a bucket of water on us.”
Steve chuckled. “Good. That’ll give us an opportunity to take up Jayleen’s offer of temporary accommodations. We could dry off upstairs.”
Kelly laughed again and snuggled closer. “I love you,” she said softly against his neck.
“I love you, too,” Steve whispered. “I never stopped.”
“Me, either.”
Steve moved his mouth to Kelly’s ear. “I don’t need to see a ring on your finger, Kelly. You know that. I just want us to be together. For always.”
Kelly pulled away just enough to look into Steve’s dark eyes. “For always,” she whispered, then slid both arms around Steve’s neck and kissed him. Steve pulled her closer as they continued to dance to their own music.
La Boheme Shawl
FINISHED MEASUREMENTS IN INCHES:
Approximately 50" wide x 25" long
MATERIALS:
Approximately 1 ball of bulky yarn to get gauge, approx. 165 yards
Needles:
US # 13 circular needles, 32" length (or desired length for maximum shawl width)
Gauge:
2 sts. / inch
ABBREVIATIONS:
K = Knit
P = Purl
YO = Yarn Over
sts = stitches
P2 tog = Purl 2 stitches together
INSTRUCTIONS:
Start: Cast on 3 sts.
Pattern:
Increase one stitch at beginning of every row to make a triangle by doing a YO before the first stitch of each row.
Row 1: YO, knit to end.
Row 2: YO, purl to end.
Row 3: Repeat row 1.
Row 4: Repeat row 1.
Row 5: YO, *P2tog, YO*, repeat from * to next to last stitch. P1.
Row 6: Repeat row 1.
Repeat these 6 rows until piece measures desired length. Bind off loosely.
Pattern courtesy of Lambspun of Colorado, Fort Collins, Colorado Pattern designed for Lambspun by Larissa Breloff
Here are the three Best Hot Appetizer recipe winners from my recent Knitting Mysteries Appetizer Contest
Very Simple
For one dozen dates: Take a whole date, stuff it with 1⁄2 walnut or pecan. Wrap the date with 1⁄3 strip of uncooked bacon, and secure the bacon with a toothpick. Bake on a cookie sheet for 20 minutes in a preheated oven at 375 degrees F. Remove from oven, then stand back, because these will go incredibly fast.
Contributed by Grant Case
Hot Cheddar Bean Dip
Mix the following: 1⁄2 cup mayo, a 16-oz can refried beans, 2 cups shredded cheddar, a 4-oz can diced green chiles, and 1 tsp hot pepper sauce. Combine all ingredients in ovenproof bowl. (I keep 1⁄2 cup of the cheddar to sprinkle on the top.) Bake at 350 degrees F in a preheated oven for 30 minutes or until bubbly. Serve with tortilla chips.
Contributed by Lynne Wesenberg
BANG!
(To start your party off with a Bang!)
Ingredients: 1 round block of Edam or Gouda cheese, peeled; dry sherry; 1-2 cloves of garlic, minced; 1 can refrigerator biscuits. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a 9" glass pie plate, sprinkle sherry and minced garlic over the bottom; sherry should cover the bottom of the pan. Place peeled Edam (or Gouda) in the center and surround with the biscuits, which have been cut in half (semicircle). Looks like a sunflower. Bake for 15–20 minutes until biscuits are golden and cheese is melted. Serve as is. Pull apart and spread cheese on hot biscuits.
Contributed by Maryfrances Charnley
Berkley Prime Crime titles by Maggie Sefton
KNIT ONE, KILL TWO
NEEDLED TO DEATH
A DEADLY YARN
A KILLER STITCH
DYER CONSEQUENCES
FLEECE NAVIDAD
DROPPED DEAD STITCH
SKEIN OF THE CRIME
UNRAVELED
CAST ON, KILL OFF
Anthologies
DOUBLE KNIT MURDERS
Cast On, Kill Off (A Knitting Mystery) Page 25
