Annabelle shot a look to the little lady being spun around the room by Ethan. Neat as a pin, Elizabeth Heath had the kindest heart of anyone she knew, and rarely was she seen with a hair out of place.
“Lizzie said that to you?”
Walt laughed, then shook his head, causing his snow-white hair to flutter. “I was self-indulgent, Annabelle. She was right, but I realized one thing that day: I wanted that little lady and I knew to get her I needed to change.”
Walt spun her into two turns. “You saying I need to change, Walt?” Annabelle said when she was facing him again.
“I’m saying you’re independent and strong, Annabelle Smith, but you’re also a woman meant to have a mate. Someone to share your life with, and God willing, give you children. Don’t let your past stop you from living your future, girl, that’s what I’m getting at in a roundabout way. I knew Lizzie was for me, but I could have walked away from the challenge, but in doing so I would have missed out on the love of my life.”
“Oh, Walt, that’s so sweet,” Annabelle sniffled. She’d like to come across a woman who wouldn’t when faced with words like the ones he had just spoken.
“Don’t shut the door on something, girl, before you’re sure it’s not for you.”
Annabelle planted a loud kiss on Walt’s cheek. “Promise.”When hell freezes over will I consider Ethan Gelderman the Fifth, she added silently.
“Stop hogging all the hot women, Mr. Heath.”
Buster stepped in as Walt turned and took Branna into his arms. Annabelle heard him ask how his favorite Irish girl was doing.
“Buster, you can’t dance this stuff and you know it.”
“Can too.”
She laughed through the next two dances as he attempted to move with her as she instructed him. This was her little piece of the world, right here with her friends. Yes, she had problems, but right here and now she was home, safe and secure, surrounded by the people who loved her.
“You paid them to do this!” The music changed to soft rock, and Buster exhaled and took a step back and started to dance freestyle. Just as in every other aspect of his life, he didn’t display any excessive movements, just nice and contained—but he had rhythm. She’d give him that.
“I have no idea what you mean, Annabelle.” Buster gave her what constituted a smile in his world. “I can’t help it if Mandy, the lead singer, likes my caramel cream muffins.”
“You making the sauce for the ribs again this year?” Annabelle said as she danced around him.
“As I’ve made it every year for the last five, I’m thinking probably.”
The annual last cookout for the season was tomorrow, down by the lake. There was always plenty of food, but Buster’s ribs were the best. They played ball, laughed, and the entire town turned out to have fun before they hunkered down for the winter.
“Pull that stick out of your ass, Griffin. I was just checking.”
“You making the sweet potato salad, Smith?”
“Yes, Buster, and no, you can’t have the recipe.” She kept her eyes on her dance partner as Ethan danced behind him. “What’s with you, anyway, all secretive with your own recipes but feel it’s your right to have everyone else’s?”
“I’m doing a civic duty here, Annabelle. I feed the masses.” He tapped his chest. “You all should want to help me with that.”
“Idiot.” She danced and laughed. One minute she was with Jake, the next Branna was twirling in front of her, and the next she was in front of Ethan again.
“You ever tire, Smith?” Ethan asked.
“Not when I’m dancing. The pace too hot for you, Tex?”
He wasn’t sweating like some of the others on the dance floor; his eyes were bright and he wore a sexy smile.
“Honey, any pace you set I’m up for.”
“Women seriously don’t fall for that BS, do they?”
“It’s a natural, God-given talent, sweet cheeks. What can I say, we Texans are just born smooth.”
“I bet you struggle to fit that ego under a Stetson,” Annabelle said. She was enjoying sparring with him way more than she should.
