Just on the other side of the far tree line was the jerk’s farm. The smokin’ hot jerk who’d made her body hum with anticipation with a single, sizzling kiss. Last night she’d told him he was right about her not liking him. That was a lie, but he had been right about another thing in the barn. She definitely hadn’t figured in the explosive physical attraction when she’d proposed their pretend engagement.
Do not think about him—or that oh-my-God-take-me-now kiss.
After a full minute, Jenny gave up with a rueful shake of her head. “All right, fine, I’ll go.” She sat forward to set her glass on the table, then straightened her spine all formal-like while tucking her shoulder-length auburn hair behind her ears. “Seeing as you two are my best friends, I wanted to ask you to be my maids of honor.”
Thankful for the reprieve, Joy grinned. “Both of us? Really?”
“Yes.” She glanced from one to the other as uncertainty filled her blue eyes. “I can do that, can’t I?”
“You can do whatever you want, and my answer is definitely yes.”
“Mine, too,” Tara added. “Now, tell us how the whole proposal went down—and don’t be a tease like someone else we won’t mention.”
Joy rolled her eyes, then smiled at the delight in Jenny’s face while she told how Grant planned a romantic picnic dinner down by the river and asked her to marry him beneath the stars. Her friend deserved every happiness after what her abusive ex-husband put her through. Joy didn’t begrudge her that one bit, but she also acknowledged feeling a little sorry for herself.
Her first fiancé had cheated her and cheated on her, and now she couldn’t even buy herself a second fake one. How pathetic was that?
Her gaze strayed toward the barn yet again. Thankfully, Logan had both Saturdays and Sundays off, so she had one more day before she had to worry about avoiding him, and keeping Grandma away, too. Humiliation still burned whenever she heard his voice echoing in her mind, telling her to “Go home.”
It was almost as bad as his smug, “You liked my kiss.”
“Time’s going to fly by,” Tara warned about Jenny’s wedding plans to come. “If you’re looking for help, Vanessa Martin is amazing and affordable. She was worth every penny Wes and I spent. I can send you her number if you’d like.”
“Yes, please. I was going to call her this week for a quote. I want to do a lot of it myself, but my calendar is already booked up to Christmas, if you can believe it.”
“Oh, we can,” Joy assured her. “You’re a great photographer.”
“Thanks guys. You know what, though? I do miss working at Coffee to Chai For. Carrie and Matt were great bosses, and entertaining as all get out. And…I probably shouldn’t admit this,” she added, lowering her voice, “but I kinda miss the gossip, too. I used to know everything that was going on around town.”
“You want the gossip, join the book club,” Joy advised with a wry grin. “Mrs. Langhart gives Motormouth Marv a run for his money.”
“She sure does,” Jenny confirmed. “Hey, speaking of the book club, did any of you
get Lindy’s newest release?”
Joy hadn’t had the time to read it yet, but the other two had, and according to them, it was one of Lindy’s alter-ego’s sexiest novels yet.
“Do you think Drew is her inspiration these days?” Tara teased.
“I ain’t answering that,” Jenny said. “Being newly engaged, the only man I think about that way is Grant.”
“Being newly married, I guess I have to say the same about Wes?”
“You asking us or telling us?”
“I wouldn’t trade one single thing about my sexy man, but come on, we all look.” Tara shrugged with a sassy grin as she turned to Joy. “As the only single one here, what do you think of Drew as romance novel material?”
“Oh, Drew fits the bill all right. So does Wes, and Grant, and Matt.” The three of them shared a smile-sigh over the former librarian. “Actually, when you think of it, we’re pretty lucky that a lot of guys in Redemption do. And your guys are all nice, too.”
“Very true,” Jenny agreed.
“Speaking of romance novel material, has that one gotten any friendlier? He fits the bill in the looks department, but he sure didn’t stick around long after us girls arrived last night.”
Joy followed Tara’s gaze to see Logan’s old truck turning into the drive. Crap. What the heck was he doing here on his day off?
Speculation-filled brown eyes swung back to her. “Come to think of it, didn’t you leave about the same—”
She jumped to her feet and reached for the lemonade pitcher. “I better go check on the ladies inside. Make sure they don’t need anything.”