Summer Nights (Fool's Gold #8)

“Mama!” Rosabel said, holding out her arms.

“Duty calls.” Pia rose and collected her daughter. When Adelina also raised her arms, Pia turned to Charlie. “Can you get her?”

Charlie picked up the toddler and held her close. Adelina smiled at her. Chubby fingers reached for Charlie’s short hair and hung on.

“Not letting me go, huh, kid?” Charlie asked.

Adelina laughed.

The sound cut through her, making her happy and sad at the same time. Happy to be with the little girl and sad about the journey she would have to take to get a child of her own.

But it would be worth it, she promised herself.

* * *

“THE DISCO BALL IS a nice touch,” Annabelle said, staring up at the slow-moving silver ball.

“I found it at a garage sale,” Jo told her. “It seemed perfect for the party room.”

“Not the banquet room?”

“I thought party room sounded better.”

“It does.”

Annabelle glanced around at the big room. Jo had leased the space next to her bar. Her future plans were to break out a wall and expand the bar itself. For now, she’d cut in a doorway that led to stairs. On the second level was the party room. A big, open area with a view of the town and the mountains beyond. There was a bar in the back, a small stage, a great sound system and plenty of tables and chairs. Rumor had it one of the walls was really a false front, with a big TV behind it, but tonight it was covered up. The bridal shower would provide its own entertainment.

Annabelle and Charlie had spent most of the afternoon setting up. Balloons were tied together in clusters in the corners of the room. Paper tablecloths covered the round tables. Jo was providing all the dishes, flatware and glasses. Charlie had stayed in the room to accept the flower delivery while Annabelle had gone to get the cake. The two-tiered replica of a wedding cake was done in three kinds of chocolate and had a special place of honor near the front of the room.

By the window, a long table held the goodie bags and the supplies for the games. There were scissors and tape and a stapler to make a wrapping paper dress and inexpensive plastic tiaras so everyone could be a princess.

Jo picked up a clipboard from the bar and grabbed a pen. “Okay, just to confirm. You’re having champagne as your only liquor. I have twenty bottles chilled, but I’ll only charge what you use.”

Annabelle laughed. “Twenty? We’re only having about thirty people at the shower.”

“Uh-huh. Trust me. I’ll make sure everyone is either walking or has a ride.” She moved to the next item. “The menu. We have lasagna, fried ravioli, raw vegetables with dip so we can pretend to be healthy, garlic bread, cut fruit with melted chocolate, individual cups of tiramisu and cake. The champagne I mentioned along with soda, coffee and tea.”

Annabelle looked at the menu. “Where did the fried ravioli come from?”

“I’m trying it. That’s on me. I want to see if people like it.” Jo put down the clipboard. “I’ll be in and out all evening. I know I’m technically a guest, but I’ll want to check on the bar, as well. Two servers will be assigned. The sound system is set.” Jo went behind the bar and handed her a remote. “Adjust the volume with this. If anyone hates a selection, push the ‘next’ button and it will skip the song. You know where the bathrooms are, right?”

“End of the hall.”

“Then we’re good.” Jo glanced around at the banner proclaiming “Happy Wedding, Heidi,” the flowers, the cake and balloons and shook her head. “I was right to elope.”

“Not your style?”

“No, but it looks good on Heidi. Have fun. Call me if you need me.”

Jo left. Charlie came in with one of the servers. Both women carried buckets of ice.

“In case,” Charlie said.

She’d traded her usual firefighter uniform for dark wash jeans and a simple long-sleeved blue shirt. The top was fitted, as were the jeans. More so than Charlie’s uniform or her traditional casual look of a T-shirt and baggy cargo pants.

Annabelle took in her long, lean legs and narrow hips. Maybe it was nerves about the shower or carrying the ice up a flight of stairs, but Charlie’s face was slightly flushed, her eyes bright. The shirt deepened the blue in her eyes.

She had amazing bone structure. Annabelle wasn’t sure why she hadn’t noticed until now.

Charlie set down the ice and glared. “What?” she demanded. “You’re staring at me.”

“You look nice.”

Charlie grimaced. “Oh, please.”

“I’m serious. I never got it before, but you go out of your way to avoid dressing like a woman. You don’t wear makeup or act feminine at all. But you’re really very pretty.”

The grimace turned into a glower. “Don’t make me hurt you.”

“I’m unimpressed by the threat.” Annabelle continued to stare. “You downplay your looks because you don’t want attention.”