He slams his truck door and the sharp sound breaks me from my reno-lust. His head turns my way briefly and then away as he takes two steps but then I have to hold back a laugh when he almost gives himself whiplash to turn back around. His shocked eyes take in my hair and then make their way down my body and back as his fist comes up and he bites down on it. I keep on walking but put a little extra sway in my hips because I can. I’m not here for him or any of his relatives but I’m still a woman and that heat in his eyes at my new look amps up my confidence.
“Damn, Stormy. You’re a total smoke show! Just…damn.”
I give him a smirk and keep on walking past him. He groans at seeing my bare back and curses, “Fuck me!”
I toss over my shoulder, “In your dreams, cowboy.”
“Every damn day of my life since you turned sixteen, baby.”
I keep my head forward as I cross the side street so he won’t see the blush his reaction causes but when I reach the door to Dolly’s, I can’t help but look back his way. I bite my lip when I find him still standing there staring after me. I shoot him a wink that has that sexy smirk of his making an appearance, pull open the door and step inside.
I spot Maggie at one of the back tables and pout when I see she’s not alone. I really, really want to talk to her about something important. She’s got a tight little smile that doesn’t reach her eyes and when she looks up and spots me relief floods her face but is quickly overshadowed by shock. She’s up out of her seat and striding toward me in a blink and her eyes just get wider the closer she gets to me.
“Fucking hell, Rain. I mean…fucking hell! This isn’t proof of life. It’s, it’s proof of re-life? Revamp? Fucking hell!”
Judging by the admiration on her face I’m going to guess that it’s a good fucking hell and a giggle slips out. It’s such a girlish sound that it takes me by surprise. When was the last time I felt good enough to…giggle? I decide right there on the spot that I’ll have a new rule that I need to find something to giggle about at least once a day going forward.
“Thanks, Mags. I really needed a change. Listen, there’s something I wanted to talk to you about.”
She grabs my arm and starts pulling me toward her table. Her voice comes out low and harsh. “Well, stick a pin in it! Me first. I need you to run interference with Gladys. I mean it, girl. This is war!”
We get to the table and I paste on a smile as Hetter’s mom gets to her feet.
“Rain! Oh, my goodness! It’s so good to see you again. Oh! Don’t you look lovely?” She sighs as she takes in my outfit and hair, shaking her head with a bemused smile. “You look so elegant and stylish. Sometimes I wish we had moved to the city too.”
Maggie drags me down into the seat next to her. “I know, right? That’s why I’m so grateful Rain’s my maid of honor. She knows all the latest trends and will beinvaluablein helping with planning the wedding. Right, Rain?”
I turn to look at her and it’s like ten years disappear in a blink as we hold a silent conversation with our eyes.
“Me? Your maid of honor?”
“Of course, you! If you’ll still be here?”
“I will! Of course, I will!”
“Good, now help me fix this clusterfuck or I’ll make you wear orange taffeta!”
I struggle to hold back the snort of laughter and fix my gaze on Hetter’s mom.
“I’m so excited to help with the planning!” I gush. “I’ve been to so many weddings in the last two years I know what’s great and what’s not.”
Gladys’s eyes light up and she thrusts the fat satin wedding book at me. “This is going to be so much fun!”
She squeals like a teenager and I feel a pang of loss that I’ll never have a mom who cares about my wedding day like her. I push that feeling aside and send Maggie an “I got this” wink and open up the overflowing book.
Page after page is filled with big blockbuster wedding ideas and I let my smile slowly dim until I have a slightly bemused expression on my face. I feel a little bad manipulating Gladys this way but it’s Maggie’s day, not hers. I make a little hum of consideration in my throat and Gladys leans forward with a nervous expression.
“What? What is it? Do you not like something?”
Her eyes bounce from the book to my face and back again as I gently close it and give it a pat. I send her a sweet smile.
“No, no, that’s not it. I just wonder…”
“What? Tell me…us what you’re thinking.”
I look to Mags and give a fake compassionate wince. Kind of a bless-your-heart look.
“I mean, if this is your dream day then you shouldn’t worry about what’s trending right now.”
