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But Jax was wild as the West Texas wind, and Mary Catherine had convinced herself long ago he could never be part of her life. But that didn’t mean her friend still didn’t carry a torch for him.
Or a four-alarm blaze.
“You trying to set records, Jose Cuervo?”
Mary Catherine gave her a glassy-eyed grin. “Maybe. Did you meet my new friends?”
Georgia pulled her friend’s hand from the chest of one guy. “I did.”
“They’ve been protecting my ’tegrity,” MC slurred before laughing at her inability to pronounce the word.
“Got it,” Georgia said before giving the five men clustered around MC a viperous look. They disappeared. “You have a fitting tomorrow, remember?”
“Yeah,” Mary Catherine said, her gaze shifting to the assorted bottles glowing under the lights of the bar, growing still... and somehow sad.
Georgia glanced past the bottles to Jax and his harem.
“You sure marrying Brad is what you want?” Georgia said softly, pushing a hank of blond hair from where it had stuck to her friend’s cheek.
Mary Catherine nodded. “Absolutely.”
“Because you can still change your mind, you know?” She tucked the strand of hair behind her friend’s ear. “It’s not too late.”
“I want to. He’s good for me. He makes me be a better person.”
“If you say so,” Georgia said, catching Jax watching her friend. The hunger in his eyes blanketed the entire bar.
Trouble.
“Hey, girl,” someone drawled behind her. She felt a hand at her waist and turned to find Rodney grinning at her... and listing a bit to the left. “I’m ready for that dance.”
“Maybe later,” Georgia said, tugging his hand from her waist. “I need a sec with my friend.”
“Awww, come on,” he cajoled, batting his brown eyes. “You left me hanging earlier.”
Georgia wanted him to go away so she could talk to Mary Catherine. “Go grab me a beer, and then we’ll dance.”
“You know what buying drinks means, don’t you?” he said, grinning as big as the belly on the guy next to him. Which was considerable. The descriptive phrase “nine months along” came to mind.
“Uh, I get a free beer?”
“Oh, it ain’t free, darlin’. It’s gonna cost you.” He dropped his gaze to her mouth.
“Know what? Never mind then. I can buy my own,” she said, turning back toward Mary Catherine, dismissing him with her backside.
Rodney laughed. “Oh, come on. I’m just kiddin’ with you. Besides, I like a gal who plays hard to get.”
“Oh, goody,” Georgia breathed, refocusing on Mary Catherine, who had signaled for another shot. “Forget the booze. Let’s shoot some pool. I haven’t had a good game in years.”
Mary Catherine shook her head. “I’m not in the mood.”
“Sure you are. We’ll play for wishes.”
Mary Catherine smiled wistfully. Back in high school, the three friends had snuck out of the Double H Ranch at midnight, slipping barefoot to the ranch next door, where the Choctaw River threaded between two small bluffs. They’d close their eyes and toss coins representing wishes into the deep inlet that kicked off the lazy river. It was a place where they’d once skinny-dipped, where they’d spread towels to catch the rays of the Texas sun. They’d been the best of friends, splashing each other, planning prom, and gossiping about guys. But most of all it was a place where they’d dreamed, tossing coins, believing wishes could come true.
“I’m out of wishes, George,” Mary Catherine said, looking back at Georgia, suddenly too sober. “I grew up.”
Georgia swallowed hard because at that moment, she understood. Mary Catherine had turned into a “have-to” person. “That’s so sad.”
