Love On Call

“Okay, I’m still here,” Carson said loudly. “Sisters, remember? And I already know how gorgeous they are. I had to grow up in their footsteps.”

Carrie patted her knee. “Believe me, if you had been headed in that direction, you’d have been fighting off the girls.”

Carson laughed. “Yeah, I’m the outlier. Well, I don’t know about Margie at this point, but I’m the boring straight one.”

Everyone laughed and Mari let herself be drawn into the closeness, the easiness of being who they were, the acceptance of difference. And when her image of a sexy woman didn’t conjure any of the Rivers sisters, she didn’t resist. Just for a minute.

“Speaking of gorgeous women,” Carrie said, “I believe I hear a truckload of them on their way.”

A big dusty black pickup truck rumbled into the far end of the yard, the doors swung open, and few seconds later, Harper, Flann, Glenn, Blake, and Margie clambered out and trooped across the yard.

“What did Lila make for breakfast?” Margie called, hopping up onto the back porch.

“Too late,” Carrie said. “The bread basket is empty.”

“No,” Blake and Margie shouted at the same time.

Laughing, Carrie pointed to the screen door. “Cinnamon rolls and blueberry muffins. There might be one or possibly two left.”

Margie and Blake slammed into the house. Flann leaned down and kissed Abby as Harper slid over by Presley’s rocker.

“Is everyone done with the planning?” Harper asked as she cupped Presley’s nape, long fingers stroking her throat.

“You know, we could probably find some chores for you to do,” Presley said, sliding her fingers over Harper’s. “It’s really not fair that you just need to show up and look handsome at the wedding.”

“Hey,” Harper protested, “I’m helping my mother with the guest list. Believe me, that’s work.”

“An excuse,” Presley said, “but a good one.”

Mari lost track of the playful back and forths, too busy watching Glenn brace her arms on the railing and lift herself up onto it in a quick fluid move. She perched at the edge of the gathering, watching, laughing occasionally, now and then making a comment. As much as she was a part of everything, she was also alone. An island. Her solitude called to Mari in some deep place and she desperately wanted to be beside her, to ask her…anything—how her night was, if she’d heard about Blake’s surgery, if she thought the clear blue sky was as amazingly beautiful as Mari found it.

Glenn glanced over and met Mari’s gaze. The pull on her consciousness was so fierce, Mari swore Glenn knew what she was thinking. She couldn’t even pretend her next move was against her will, not when she rose, skirted the ring of rockers, and leaned against the railing on Glenn’s far side, out of earshot of everyone. “Hi.”

“Hi,” Glenn said.

“I can’t believe everybody was piled into that one pickup truck. Why didn’t you all bring more cars?”

“I’m designated driver for anybody who needs a ride after the barbecue today. Well, the kids won’t be drinking, but the others might want a beer or two.”

“I could do that,” Mari said. “I’m on call tonight, so I won’t be drinking. If you wanted to have a drink.”

“I can take it or leave it,” Glenn said. “But thanks.”

“If you change your mind, just let me know.” Mari started to move away and Glenn caught her hand. She stilled, every muscle in her body instantly frozen midmotion, lest she move too far away and the contact disappear.

“If you want to ride over to the barbecue with me, I can get the kids to ride with Carrie. Flann and Harper will probably ride over with Presley and Abby.”

“Thanks,” Mari said. After all, that’s what friends did, right? Enjoyed each other’s company. “I’d like that.”

For one endless moment, Glenn’s hand tightened around hers before slipping away. “Good. Me too.”

Chapter Nineteen

“Are you about ready to head over?” Glenn asked when Mari returned to her side during a lull in the animated exchanges about caterers, menus, tents versus no tents, and the advisability of elopement. Currently the latter was off the table.

“Whenever you are,” Mari said, “but I should check with Carrie first. Make sure she doesn’t need me. I came over with her earlier.”

“Sure. No rush.” Glenn was content to sit with the sun on her back, listening to her friends plan the future and watching Mari slowly becoming one of their group. She had an easy way about her, joining in the conversations where it was natural, easing back from the personal exchanges, and absorbing the good-natured teasing that flowed between siblings and old friends in all directions indiscriminately. When Mari laughed, her face glowed and her pleasure rippled over Glenn’s skin like warm currents of summer air. She wasn’t just beautiful then, she was indescribable.

“Did you eat?” Mari asked.

“Eat?” Glenn flailed, still lost in the image of Mari with her head thrown back, red lips parted on a full-throated laugh. It wasn’t hard to imagine her fingers trailing down that sleek throat, her mouth covering those full, moist lips. “Breakfast, you mean?”