Read Online A Small-Town Reunion by Terry McLaughlin - Free Book Online Page B

is?”
    “It’s…there’s…” She huffed out an impatient breath. “I don’t want to think about it. Not tonight, anyway.”
    She stepped in closer to Mick and placed her palms against his chest. “I wish things had worked out differently. Why can’t things be simpler?”
    “Not even my daddy would have a saying to answer that question.” Mick took her hands in his. “Going to join me for a drink after the game?”
    “You buying?”
    “Tell you what. If I don’t hit a homer, the drinks are on me. But if I do, lady, you owe me a beer.”
    She smiled and nodded. “It’s a deal.”
    He squeezed her hands and let her go.
    Addie waited as he finished loading his toolbox, followed him to her door and then tipped up on her toes to brush a goodbye kiss across his cheek. “See you later, Mick.”
    He stepped outside and walked to his truck, a big, handsome man with broad shoulders, an easy gait and a way of making a woman feel cherished. She stood at her window, watching him drive away, and waited for her heart to break, just a little.
    But nothing happened. One dark blast from the past had proved she’d been fooling herself. She couldn’t wish deeper emotions into existence.
    Or wish them into disappearing.

CHAPTER SIX

    W HEN THE BELL OVER HER DOOR jangled early Sunday afternoon, Addie glanced up from a repair on an oval door window, hoping to see a customer. Instead, Charlie charged inside, a wide grin on her face. “I found a dress!”
    “Let me see.” Addie grabbed the tattered magazine page Charlie pulled from her jeans pocket and straightened it over a clean space beside the window. “Oh, it’s you. It’s absolutely you. I love it.”
    “I do, too.” Charlie dropped onto one of Addie’s work stools. “I thought I’d never find anything that wasn’t poofy or frilly or lacy or shiny, or too long or too tight or too—”
    “I know.” Addie smiled. “I’ve been there.” She studied the picture more closely, admiring the simple A-line chiffon with darling capped sleeves and subtle detailing on a modest bodice. “But this is beautiful. Perfect. Definitely worth all the looking.”
    “If you say so.” Charlie took back the page, staring at the model and worrying her lower lip. “At least it doesn’t cost as much as most of those gowns. What a waste of—”
    “You only get to be a bride once in your life. And Maudie will only get to be the mother of the bride oncein hers. She said she wanted to spoil you—let her do it.” Addie stepped behind Charlie to peer over her shoulder at the gown. “Has she seen this yet?”
    “She’s the one who found it.”
    “Go, Maudie.”
    “Yeah. She’s been freaked out I’d never find anything I liked in time for the wedding.” Charlie ran a finger over a crease. “I wonder what Tess will think.”
    “The same thing I do.” Addie wrapped her arms around her friend’s shoulders and gave her a happy, excited hug. “She’ll think it’s gorgeous. And you’ll be gorgeous in it.”
    Charlie snorted. “All I care about is that I’ll be wearing a fancy white dress, and now everyone can breathe a sigh of relief.”
    “You’ve still got to decide on a veil, if you’re wearing one. And how you’ll fix your hair. And shoes—you’ll need to find some special shoes.”
    “Come on, let me off the hook for the rest of the day, will you? You can start nagging me about all that other stuff tomorrow.” Charlie folded the page, leaned to the side and stuffed it into her pocket. “I heard the Wildcats won their game last night.”
    “It wasn’t even close.” Addie moved back to her work stool and picked up her soldering iron. “Mick hit another home run.”
    Charlie leaned her elbows on the table and waggled her eyebrows. “Did he hit one after the game, too?”
    “Not exactly.” Addie brushed flux over the joint and then touched the iron to the solder, melting the metal before scrubbing it away. She dreaded disappointing Charlie on the day