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He nodded. “Oh, it’s just fine, darlin’.” Before he could move out of the way a tall redhead came up behind him.
“Tex?” she asked.
Tex glanced over his shoulder. “Tildy’s here,” he announced.
The redhead gave him a sharp look, pushed him to the side, and smiled at Tildy. But there was something more to the look the woman was giving her. And the look she now gave Tex. Tildy frowned, feeling not only like she wasn’t in the joke, but that there was a very good chance she was the joke. Maybe Hawk had forgotten he invited her and had brought someone else. Or maybe Hawk’s comments about Tildy’s family having money had put them off her.
She glanced at Abby’s spaghetti strap top with the shirred body. Like Tildy, she was also wearing jeans. Tildy wasn’t really dressed any differently, except that her own shirt wasn’t quite as weather-appropriate as the other woman’s summer top. The woman also had a beautiful, gold necklace with rubies and diamonds arranged in a flower resting at the hollow of her throat. Tildy had seen enough of her mother’s jewelry to know that the necklace wasn’t cheap. Neither were the woman’s cowboy boots.
Tildy felt confident she could fit in here, if they gave her a chance.
“I’m Abby,” the redhead told her. “I didn’t get much of a chance to say hi last night.”
Tildy smiled at her. “I remember you.” She looked at Tex. “You’re together, right?”
Tex slid his arm around Abby’s waist.
“For now,” he replied.
Abby glared at him.
Tex raised his hands. “I’m not trying to manipulate you,” he told her. “But, baby, I don’t know if our relationship can withstand you voting for Slick’s chili over mine is all I’m saying.”
Abby crossed her arms in front of her chest. “I’ll vote any way I want to vote. You’ll just have to buy superglue for your shattered ego.”
“See!” he cried. “You’ve already made up your mind! It’s unfair. It’s biased. You haven’t even tried hers yet!”
Tildy giggled at the exchange. Hawk had indicated that there was some…strangeness… about Tex and Abby’s relationship, but Tildy couldn’t see it. They seemed normal to her.
Tex glowered. “They’ve turned on me, Tildy. They’re all traitors. Slick comes to town with her cookies and her sweet tea and setting things on fire and suddenly-”
Tildy’s eyes widened. “She set something on fire? That sounds like me. I can’t cook at all.”
Abby grinned. “Me neither. But I’m learning. Apparently, though, the fire thing was a dessert. It was supposed to be that way. I wasn’t around for that.”
“It was a fluke!” Tex yelled. “It’s all smoke and mirrors! She sets something on fire and the Neanderthals are all, ‘Oooooh! Fire! Fire good! Nom, nom, nom!’ And now she’s their favorite.”
The women laughed.
“You said you wanted Sarah to help you cook,” Abby reminded him.
“Yeah! But she’s not supposed to be better at it than I am!”
“Stop whining and get back to the kitchen,” Abby ordered.
Tildy wasn’t really sure who was spanking whom when the sun went down in this house. She blushed at the thought.
“Are you too warm, Tildy?” Abby asked. “That’s a heavy shirt.”
Tildy blushed harder, as though Abby had read her thoughts.
“A little,” she replied, fanning herself for good measure.
“Well, the air conditioner’s on, but the drinks are outside,” Abby informed her. She led Tildy to the living room. Off to the left was the open kitchen, where Tex was busy at the counter slicing avocados. Beyond the living room was a sliding glass door that led to the back yard where a crowd of people were milling around, talking and laughing. Tildy couldn’t see Hawk from where she stood, and instinctively took a step toward the door.
Abby stopped.
“Why don’t you sit here, where it’s cool, and I’ll bring you something?”
“Um,” Tildy looked from the door to Abby and back again. She realized that Abby hadn’t actually invited her to the party, and Abby, while being very nice, didn’t seem to want her here.
Not knowing what else to do, Tildy asked, “Is Hawk here?” Even though she knew he was.
Tex called out from the kitchen, “He’s-”
“He might be here,” Abby interrupted forcefully. “I don’t know, I’ll check.” Abby took off toward the back yard.
Tildy looked at Tex. She knew Hawk was here. She’d seen his Harley out front.
Tex grinned at her. “I’m pretty sure he’s out back.”
He had that look again, like something was funny. Tildy didn’t like it. Taking Tex’s word for it, she stepped out onto the back deck. There were a lot of people, none of whom Tildy recognized. Most of women were in various combinations of bikinis, shorts, and t-shirts. A lot of men stood around, beers in hand, and Tildy was certain they weren’t telling the same fishing story over and over again.
She spotted Abby several yards away, talking to Hawk, and neither of them looked happy. At that moment, Hawk glanced up at her. Instead of smiling, he scowled. Tildy’s heart sank. He had changed his mind about inviting her.
