The blue eyes changed from censor to delight. “Oh, Peg, you’ve always had a way with words, love.” She reached up and patted her daughter’s cheek. “Too bad you were stuck with the giraffe look, though. It should have been your brother, if anyone had to have it. Boys don’t care much about it.” Her mother’s words weren’t harsh or mean. Just true.
“Yeah, well, that’s how the cookie crumbles,” Peg said.
“The apple bounces from the tree,” her mother agreed.
“The ball bounces,” Peg’s father corrected, joining them.
“And the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree,” Peg’s brother and his wife added as they came into the little circle.
“You know what I mean, dears,” her mother said with a smile in her voice.
“Shut the front door!” Rico shrieked, rushing to Peg. “O-M-G! You look gorg, girl!” He rubbed his hands down her covered arms and skimped them over her hips. “You’ve got a hot bod!”
“Holy smokes, Rico! What were you thinking? This dress creeps up more than a thong. I gotta move in this. By the end of the night, this thing is gonna be wrapped around my neck.”
He smacked her on the arm. “Oh, wouldn’t that be something to see.” Leaning close, he said, “Maybe then you won’t have to advertise for a date anymore.”
She rolled her eyes and snorted. “They’ll run the opposite way after seeing that.”
“Oh, I don’t know about that.” Austin’s voice came from behind her.
Peg twirled around. The hem inched higher. Looking at him, all six foot three of his hotness, she gulped hard. Automatically, she tugged the fabric back into place.
His eyes traveled to where her hand was. He raised his brows. “Nice.”
Warmth dashed over her cheeks. Somewhere she heard Rico say he’d usher her family to their table and leave the two of them alone. Her family’s murmurs and well wishes lingered. But, it was his holy hotness that kept her riveted to the spot.
He’d changed. Black boots, black jeans, and a black shirt with rolled up sleeves. But it wasn’t only the clothes that were different.
Shoving his hands in his pockets, he said, “I can’t seem to stay away from you.”
Her heart stopped, and then thumped. “Yeah, I’m like a bad dream. Can’t shake me.”
The room was filling up, the voices mingling and getting noisy. Glassware clinked. She had things to do. But his half-smile tugged at her to stay.
“Buttercups and buttons, look at the time.” She didn’t even bother to check the small clock attached to her clipboard. “I gotta keep these guys in line, so I’m outta here.” Her feet were frozen to the spot.
“I’ll help—”
“No can do. You’ve done enough.” To my heart, too, she realized as an ache shot through her. Holy crap, Batman, she’d just fallen head over heels with Austin Rhoades!
***
Austin watched her rush away, still tugging the hem down on her slinky black dress. He whistled under his breath.
“You, Rhoades,” Griffin said, coming up to him. “Don’t.”
He held up his hands. “Busted. All right.”
“If you weren’t Evelyn’s brother, I’d throw you out.”
“Well, I’ll have to thank her for that one. Look, Griff, I’m not about to—”
A crash sounded. The voices stopped.
Griff left with a parting shot. “Door’s that way.”
But Austin wasn’t going anywhere. He promised to play a song or two and he would do that. He’d hauled his guitar into the backroom a few minutes ago, ready to strum and sing after dinner was over. Rodney and The Kid would be joining him, too.
In fact, not only was he staying tonight, he’d decided he had eight weeks coming to him. And Dallas was just as good a place to hang out as any right now.
The lawyer was flying out tomorrow to meet with the remaining members of the band. Then a plane would take The Kid back to his grandmother. Rodney would ride on the bus back to his home.
In the meantime, Austin had the urge to write a new song. He hadn’t felt like doing that for the last year and a half.
Smiling, he made his way to the table Peg’s family sat at now.
***
Peg Newbury had no idea how to stoop in the dress, but she discovered where there’s a will, there’s a way. She been running, bending, kneeling, and fetching for hours now. All that and she’d yanked down on the hem so many times, she had a little rhythm going now. “Rico, your day is coming, bub, just you wait and see.”
Thankfully, her clipboard had only two unchecked items left on the agenda. Dessert. Entertainment. The Bosses were happy, the soldiers and their families were delighted, and everyone enjoyed themselves. Except her.