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Claire sat up. “Then Georgia and I are happy for you.”
Speak for yourself, Claire Bear.
Claire made an insistent face at her. “Right, George?”
“Right. We’re peachy keen happy,” Georgia said, trying to look believable, but Mary Catherine wasn’t buying it. She jabbed a finger at Georgia, made a face, and turned her back on them.
Claire gave Georgia another dirty look.
Georgia shrugged. She couldn’t fake how she felt. She didn’t understand why Mary Catherine forced herself to play some weird Stepford wife–like role. It wasn’t about pleasing Marilyn. Mary Catherine tolerated her stepmonster because life was smoother to go with the grain on unimportant issues—that had always been her policy. But her marriage to Brad and her new lifestyle didn’t ring true to Georgia. She worried that Mary Catherine was living her life as everybody else wanted, not how she wanted. “I’m coming to the barbeque tonight with Reed McCormick,” she said, changing the subject so she didn’t do any more harm between her and Mary Catherine.
“What?” Claire asked, standing up and smoothing down a green tunic over her denim leggings. For once, Claire wore clothes that fit her. Her cheeks were rosy, hazel eyes dreamy. She looked different. “Reed McCormick? You sly fox.”
Mary Catherine cast a look over her shoulder. “Reed’s not your usual type. Not that I know him that well, but Tyler thinks a lot of him. He’s a nice guy.”
“So not for me, right?” Georgia drawled.
“No,” Claire interrupted. “He’s exactly for you.”
Mary Catherine rolled her eyes. “Oh, come on. Georgia’s a barracuda and Reed’s a baby lamb.”
“Baby lamb?” Georgia snorted, thinking about the way the man kissed, about the way he could control any situation without overtness. More like a fox. A stone-cold fox.
“Well, you know what I mean.”
“Pass the mint sauce. Yum,” Georgia purred, falling into her vampy persona because it was easier to be that Georgia than the one she’d been in the diner Monday night.
Claire giggled. “Oooh, lucky Reed.”
Mary Catherine leveled a gaze that saw too much at Georgia. “Be careful.”
Georgia knew her friend intended it as a warning against messing with a nice man’s heart, but the thing was, Georgia felt too close to feeling more than lust for Reed. And it scared the pants off her... which could be a happy byproduct for Reed.
But it made Georgia want to call the whole thing off.
Because Mary Catherine was right—the handsome vet wasn’t her type with his preference for wide-open space and down-home sensibility. But he made her want things she’d never wanted before.
He made her want to fall in love.
* * *
Reed reined in Amigo,moving him toward the center of the street as parade-goers waved and called out for candy. He’d scanned the crowd looking for Georgia but hadn’t seen her yet, and the parade was nearly at the end.
A date with Georgia.
For the remainder of the week, he’d vacillated between excitement and regret. Georgia wasn’t part of his plan—she was a speed bump. And who really liked a speed bump? He should have asked Claire out. She was the perfect girl... and she actually lived here.
But he didn’t want Claire with an inexplicable hunger he couldn’t control.
Shit. Why was he overanalyzing? It was a date. People had dates every day. No big deal.
“Reed!” Carlene called out, waving from the sidewalk. Cooter stood behind her, looking as if he was trying to enjoy the parade and wearing a Christmas sweater. Guess the man’s apology included humiliation.
“Hey, Carlene,” he said, tossing her some candy from the saddle bag holding treats for the kids. Carlene was too sweet to deny.
And then he saw Georgia standing on the sidewalk behind the crowd. She caught his eye and heat flooded his body. Speaking of too sweet to deny.
Though Georgia Hightower was anything but sweet.
