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Bec paled. “Oh, no. Not the piglets! That’s awful.”
“That’s life,” Lily said. “You can’t stop it.”
“Oh, I just can’t bear to think of those cute little piggies being made into sausages!” Bec wailed.
Tyler looked at her. “On the bright side, at least you don’t have to serve meat to anyone right now.”
She shot him a grateful look. “I appreciate that, you know.”
“I saved the day, didn’t I?”
Tyler wandered off with his tray of roast chicken, looking pleased with himself. Lily almost laughed but managed to keep a straight face. She turned to Bec.
“You’d better treat him like the hero he clearly thinks he is.”
“Flattery will get you everything.” Bec winked, then headed for the table with a grin.
Lily hid a grin of her own. Tyler and Bec were playing an innocent game, but her instincts told her it could turn into something more. They just didn’t know it yet.
Jesse came up to her mobile kitchen a few minutes later. She put down the fruit balls she was putting the final touches on and went to see what he wanted.
“Do you need anything?” she asked.
“No, I just wanted to say that everyone is really enjoying the food. Thanks for all your hard work. I’ll tell everyone what a wonderful job you’ve done.”
She felt her cheeks burn at the unexpected compliment. “Thank you,” she replied. “Positive reviews and word-of-mouth recommendations make such a big difference to a business.” She paused. “Is your wife enjoying herself?”
Jesse grinned. “She sure is. She freaked out a bit at first, but now that she knows everything is taken care of, she’s having a blast. She’s dancing with her friends right now, so I thought I’d take the chance to come over and say thank you.”
“It’s my pleasure,” Lily beamed.
She glanced around the barn and had to admit that Bec had done an excellent job of decorating. Hay bales were tastefully arranged for seating, along with regular chairs in cozy groups. The buffet table was against the wall on one side, while a large clear space in the middle was full of dancers. The band had brought their own small stage and set up in one corner, and there was more seating outside for those who needed a break from the music and noise inside. Bec had made artful use of common objects found on a farm, and the country theme even carried through to the clothes the guests were wearing. The party had certainly been a great success.
Bec marched back purposefully with an empty platter a few minutes later.
“See that tall man in the white hat talking to Ashton?” she asked, pointing at the oblivious man with an outraged finger.
“Yes, what about him?”
“He asked Ashton about buying the piglets!” Horror and indignation raced across Bec’s face.
“What did Ashton say?”
“He said that someone else had already asked him, so it would depend on how many the other man wanted.”
“Oh, no, a fight over the sausages of the future,” Lily said before she could stop herself.
Bec gasped. “Lily, how could you say such a thing? They can’t be made into sausages. They just can’t! Have a heart.”
“I do. But this is a farm, Bec. The piglets belong to Ashton, and he’s raising them to sell. It happens all over the country.”
Bec looked mutinous. “But I know these ones personally. They deserve a better fate than that.”
“How do you know anyone is buying them for meat? Maybe they’ll be breeders or pets. Have you thought about that?”
“Oh, come on, Lil. Who’s going to believe that for a moment? They’ll be turned into sausagesfor sure.”
“Maybe not,” Lily countered. “Bacon and ham are also possibilities.”
