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Lord help, the man smiled a lot. He was the flipping Ryan Seacrest of Magnolia Bend.
Abigail managed a nod. "Sure, drop by anytime and Birdie can show you.”
“Anytime? I could come now. It's about supper time and I heard you're a good cook."
''Are you hungry?" Abigail had been knitted together with a strong thread of Southern hospitality so guilt pecked at her for not welcoming Leif and the other Laurel Creek residents with banana bread or cookies. But she wasnotinviting him for supper.
The thought made her feel too warm …too nervous.
"I'm just joking, Abigail. You seem a little tense." His gaze moved over her once again.
Abigail tugged her cardigan closed and gave him the smile she usually reserved for her brothers. "I'm not tense. It just didn't sound like a joke. I grew up with three brothers so I know jokes."
"Well,I'll be more careful around you, then. Might end up popping open a can of snakes or sitting on a whoopee cushion." Leif’s eyes danced, and even though she wanted to smile, she didn't.
She held on to prickliness like a cape protecting her from being silly. She'd tucked away being lighthearted. Hadn't worked out for her. Besides the hot weirdo who strummed a ukulele at the local coffee shop and practiced tai chi in his yard wasn't the kind of guy to let her guard down with. Too different from her. "Don't worry. I'm an adult and no longer put crickets in my brothers' trucks."
"Oh, that's a shame." He said it like he was truly sorry for her. Why? Because she didn't do asinine things anymore? Because she didn't crack jokes? Or wear flowers in her hair? She crossed her arms as he added, "I like your cardigan, by the way. Angora?"
"Are you making fun of me?" Abigail asked, a dart of hurt nicking her.
"No. Why would I?"
"Because I'm wearing... Because I don't frolic in my underwear."
Birdie closed her eyes. "Oh, God."
Leif's eyes widened. "I don't frolic in my underwear."
Abigail opened her mouth, then shut it. Silence as comfortable as a prostate exam descended. Not that she knew about prostate exams ...but she could imagine.
Just as she was about to prod Birdie again, the squeal of tires sounded. All three turned their heads to see a bright red Mustang hurtling down the street. Another squeal of tires and the vehicle swung into Leif's driveway, halting with jarring skid of tires.
"What the-" Leif muttered as the tinted driver's window rolled down to reveal a pretty brunette who looked... worried.
Abigail tugged Birdie back, but her daughter pulled away, obviously engrossed in the frantic pantomiming of the driver.
"Sorry about this, Leif," the driver said as the passenger door opened and a ball of white fluffy tulle emerged. "Marcie made me do this. I mean, I was supposed to be her maid of honor. I was obligated.”
Maid of honor?
Abigail glanced at Leif; he looked gobsmacked, blinking his eyes a couple times before repeating, "Maid of honor?"
And that's when the fluffy ball flipped over her veil and sneered. "Yeah, maid of frickin' honor. Today was supposed to be our wedding day, asshole."
LEIF'S MIND WHIRRED,random numbers lining up like on a slot machine. December sixteenth. Today would have been his and Marcie's wedding day.
Oh, crap.
Marcie's veil was pinned to her heavily sprayed blond tresses and one side had fallen down to wag against her sweaty face. Mascara ran beneath her eyes, reminding him of someone in a horror movie.
"Marcie-" He couldn't even figure out how to ask why his ex-fiancee had put on a wedding dress and tracked him all the way to Magnolia Bend. They'd ended their engagement five months ago, and he hadn't heard a peep from her until now... and of course it was when his very proper neighbor stood on his front walk, looking on with disapproval.
This might make theMagnolia Bend Herald,or, at the very least, the Facebook hall of fame.
"Ohhh," Marcie slurred, wriggling around the car in the tight mermaid gown she'd raved about for weeks last summer, nearly tumbling to the ground despite hiking up the dress. "You remember my name. Well, ain't you sweet?"
"What are you doing here?"
