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“I hope so.” She looked around with an air of satisfaction. “I like it, even if no one else does,” she decided.
“They’ll love it,” he assured her, looking around at the country theme she’d been working on. “Hey, do you want to take a break and help me feed the piglets? I promised to help Lily bring in some boxes from the van, but after that, I’m heading outside to feed the animals.
Bec looked at him in delight. “Really? Oh, yes, please! That would be wonderful.”
Ashton grinned as he set down his box. At least someone appreciated his presence.
5
“Are they ready for the mini tacos?” Lily asked, surveying the crowd mingling in the barn.
The western-themed party was going well, and she was pleased that everyone seemed to be enjoying the food.
Bec paused, a tray of roast corn in her hand. “I think so. They seemed to enjoy the steak & bacon bites.” She shuddered. “I couldn’t bear to think of all the cute pigs that got made into bacon so people could eat them. I’m glad Tyler is helping to serve. What would we have done if Jesse hadn’t hired him?”
“I guess you’d have had to shut your eyes and think of something else,” Lily said.
Bec looked outraged. “But that would be against my principles!”
“As you said, it’s a good thing you don’t have to worry about it since Tyler is helping.” She glanced across at Ashton’s younger brother, who was having a wonderful time chatting to people as he wandered around with a tray of chicken bites. “He’s good for business,” she added.
“He’s actually kind of cute,” Bec said, then clapped her hand over her mouth. “Oh, no, did I really say that?”
“Don’t forget that he’s the brother of the evil Ashton,” Lily said with a faint grin. “I wouldn’t want you to suffer the same fate as I did.”
“Oh, but I would apologize,” Bec said serenely as she popped a carrot stick in her mouth. “So it wouldn’t be the same.”
Lily glared at her. “There’s no need to rub it in. Your halo might fall down and choke you. Besides, you haven’t actually been in the same situation, so how do you know what you’d do?”
“I already made up my mind that I wouldn’t hold a grudge,” Bec said. “So even if the boyfriend I don’t have said mean things to me, I’d kiss and make up.”
Lily rolled her eyes. “You’re hopeless. Where’s your dignity?”
“I don’t have any,” Bec grinned. “That’s why I’m hopeless. But you really should just forgive him and then at least you won’t have to keep avoiding him.”
Bec had a point, but Lily refused to acknowledge it. Avoiding Ashton was just hard work, although she consoled herself with the thought that after the party, she could go back to her life and wouldn’t have to see him again. Which was almost a pity, because he was still eye candy. Not that she actually looked, of course. But she couldn’t help catching glimpses of him out of the corner of her eye, could she? He’d been around quite a lot over the past two days, and each time she saw him, her heart had skipped a beat, although she wasn’t sure why. They still weren’t on friendly terms, after all. They spoke to one another as much as was necessary and that was all.
She sighed and turned back to put the finishing touches on the next course. It seemed that everyone was having a wonderful time, and that was the best she could hope for out of this experience.
Bec came hurrying up, Tyler right behind her. The band in the corner struck up another tune, drowning out what they were saying, but they both burst out laughing. Lily wished she could feel at ease enough to enjoy the event the way Bec was.
“What’s funny?” she asked as she picked up a platter of roast vegetables to give to Bec to take to the buffet table.
Bec and Tyler looked at each other and burst out laughing again.
“One of the guests looks just like a character from the Three Little Pigs,” Bec chortled. “It’s amazing how people can look like cartoons. And Tyler could see it too.”
Lily looked in amazement at Tyler. He was red-faced from trying to hold in his laughter, but despite his best efforts, another bellow of mirth escaped.
“That’s not even the funny part,” Bec gasped, wiping her eyes. “I lost it when he started talking to Ashton about buying some pigs.”
Bec and Tyler doubled over again, trying to bring their giggles under control.
“He probably wants to make sausages,” Lily said.
Bec’s head shot up and she stopped laughing. “Sausages? Out of Ashton’s piglets?”
“Probably. That’s what people do with them, you know.”
