Page 58 of The Forever Christmas Tree

They both burst out laughing then, knowing full well that when a woman was involved, men did the craziest things.

Just then Laura poked her head out the door. She looked like Santa’s little hottie elf in a green velvet dress that was scooped low in front and ended about midthigh with a pair of four-inch black high heels that would be killer at the North Pole. “Gaaabe,” she said, “can you come help me with a little problem we’re having in the kitchen?”

“Sure,” he said, giving Ethan a wink to show that, despite his venting, he was more than okay.

To Ethan, she added, “Did you discuss our idea for the Bell Forge treasure-hunting venture with Gabe?”

“Um . . . not yet,” Ethan said.

“What?” Gabe said.

“Nothing to worry about now, Gabe. Now, the garbage disposal is another matter.” Laura batted her eyelashes at Gabe.

“I’m an architect, not a plumber.”

As their voices faded and Ethan was left outside, gaping at the two of them, several cars pulled up. It was the gang from the Patterson house. Wendy, her California military friends, Aunt Mildred, and the other seniors. He smiled at Wendy and went over to help get Harry’s wheelchair out of the back of the SUV.

This was supposed to be a casual event, and the men were dressed accordingly in slacks with sweaters, or dress shirts and sport coats. The ladies wore mostly pants and glittery tops.

If Laura had looked like Santa’s hottie elf, Wendy was the Christmas Fairy in a shimmery sky-blue jumpsuit edged in silver braid. It was long-sleeved and the legs were full, but that was the only thing modest about the outfit. It came to a deep vee in front, hugged her waist and hips, and ended in strappy silver high heels which matched a silver chain loop belt.

It was the kind of outfit that gave a man ideas, and Ethan already had a few of those. Like that belt wrapped around a pair of wrists tied to a headboard, or a bare-naked body, except for silver stilettos, against crisp white sheets . . .

“Hello, Ethan, good to see you again,” Aunt Mildred said, jarring him from his inappropriate reverie. “Is Eliza with you?”

“No. She went to Manteo to see the Winter Lights.”

“Ah,” Aunt Mildred said with a knowing little Mona Lisa smile.

“I have some good news,” Wendy said, coming up to him. Even with the high heels, he still had a good three inches on her, but it put them on more level footing.

He grinned. He couldn’t help himself. Images of an empty house, fresh pressed sheets, and other things came to mind. “Oh?” he said with as serious an expression as he could muster on his face.

“Get that look off your face, cowboy. I’m referring to the pool at Sunset Dunes Health Club. It’s open tomorrow from nine to five, then Wednesday through Saturday next week.”

“Don’t blame me for ogling, Wendy. You can’t dress up like Tinkerbell, all grown up and sex on a silver hoof, and expect a guy not to notice.”

Her jaw dropped with surprise.

“But that is good news about the pool. Cassie couldn’t stop talking about it on the way home this afternoon. So, tomorrow work for you?”

She nodded, hesitant now that he’d mentioned his attraction to her.

“It’s a date then? If we leave about ten, we could have lunch and spend a few hours at the pool, or we could go there directly and have a late lunch.”

“I wouldn’t exactly call it a date,” she was quick to clarify. “Not with the three of us.”

“Did someone mention a three-way?” JAM said, coming up and throwing an arm over Wendy’s shoulder companionably. “I’m game. We could make it a four-way, if you want.”

“Get real,” Wendy said, shrugging out from JAM’s arm. “Both of you!”

“What? JAM was the one who suggested a foursome. I didn’t mention anything about sex,” Ethan protested, and recalled that JAM was the one who’d advised Wendy to screw his brains out, for closure. You couldn’t hate a guy who thought like that.

“Yeah, but you were thinking it,” JAM pointed out as Wendy huffed away and up the steps. They were both watching her butt as the blue fabric hugged her heart-shaped curves each time she raised a foot. “It’s obvious every time you look at her, man.”

“I’m that obvious?” Ethan felt like a teenager caught having illicit thoughts about a hopelessly out-of-reach cheerleader. Not that he’d ever had those about anyone else, not with Wendy around.

“Oh, yeah! But not to worry. Wendy changed her outfit four times before settling on that Tinkerbell Does the Christmas Tree Farmer space suit.”