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“You’re welcome. Do you want me to grab a gas can and take you back out to your car?”
“Actually, I don’t have time right now. I’m supposed to be—”
“There you are,” the feminine voice rang out from the entrance to the hotel. “I was worried sick about you.”
Georgia turned toward the woman standing on the porch of the Imperial, a smile breaking out on her face. “Claire Bear!”
“Don’t you dare try to distract me by calling me that stupid name,” Claire Campbell said, hurrying down the steps, looking frazzled but smiling despite her proclamation.
“Ah, you’ve always been my Claire Bear,” Georgia said, taking two huge steps and wrapping the mayor’s daughter in an enormous hug, lifting her off the ground. “Hey, you feel light as a feather. Where did the rest of you go?”
Reed climbed out of the truck, shutting off the engine and walking around toward the women.
Claire pinched Georgia, who immediately dropped her friend. “We don’t have time to talk about that. We have to get the ballroom decorated before you-know-who gets here and takes over, and we’re running forty-five minutes behind schedule.”
“Nice to know you’re happy to see me,” Georgia said.
“Sorry. Just had to deal with my mother.”
“Enough said. But I have to do something about my car before I can help. I ran out of gas out near the old Jeter Mill, then there was no cell service and then Reed here”—Georgia jerked her thumb toward him—“gave me a ride, but we had to stop at the Milligans’ and deliver a foal.”
Claire wrinkled her freckled nose. “Uh, is that what I smell?”
Georgia lifted her boots. “That and cow shit.”
“Nice, George. You might want to consider a shower.” Claire looked over at Reed. “If I get Tyler Holly to ride with you, can you give him a lift to George’s car so he can bring it back here?”
“’Course I can,” he said, doffing his hat and extending his hand toward the woman who single-handedly organized the Christmas parade, conducted the cantata at the First United Methodist Church, and sewed the Pilgrim hats for all the first graders at Holly Hills Elementary. Claire was exactly the kind of woman he’d envisioned as his future bride... except there was zero attraction between them.
Tyler Holly stuck his head out of the front door of the hotel. “Uh, where you want the last of those boxes, Claire?”
A faint blush covered Claire’s fair cheeks as she turned toward the former rodeo star. “You can set them on the kitchen counter, and then if you don’t mind, I need you to ride out with Reed to get Georgia’s car.”
Tyler’s eyes found Georgia. “Well, if it ain’t ol’ Long Tall.”
“Shut the hell up, Tyler,” Georgia drawled, though she did smile at Mary Catherine’s younger brother. He’d grown into a fine-lookin’ cowboy, but to her he’d always be the little turd who froze her bra at sleepovers.
“Good to see you, too, Stretch.”
Georgia rolled her eyes and turned back to Reed. “I have to go, but thanks again for coming to my rescue.”
“Yeah, not many guys get to do that,” Tyler quipped, ducking his head, turning the scarred side of his face away. “Stretch likes to handle things herself.”
Georgia smirked. “He never got over me besting him at the shooting range. Men and their egos. So delicate.”
“Hey, give us a break. We have to cling to something, and an ego’s as good as anything.” Reed set his Stetson back on his head and then jerked his head at Tyler. “I’ll wait out here.”
With a nod, Tyler ducked back inside the hotel as Claire said, “Seriously, we have to go, George. Still need ribbon on the tables and the white poinsettias need trimming.”
“Gotta go,” Georgia said to him, extending her hand. “It’s certainly been interesting.”
He placed his hand in hers. “You could say that.”
“See you around maybe,” she said.
“Yeah, it’s a small town.”
“Don’t remind me,” she said, dropping his hand and turning, presenting him with a nice view of her backside. Then Georgia stalked up the stairs after her friend, with no wiggle or sashay. Just a direct no-nonsense loose-limbed glide.
