Read Online If the Stick Turns Pink... by Carla Cassidy - Free Book Online

shape whenwe took it over and I hired a crew to work pretty much around the clock. It didn’t take long to transform it into Colette’s shop,” Tanner explained.
    â€œIt’s a baby shop, right?” Bailey asked.
    Colette nodded. “I carry everything a baby needs for the first four years of life.”
    â€œIs Melanie…” Tanner paused delicately.
    â€œNo, no,” Bailey hurriedly replied. “She isn’t pregnant right now, although she wants a baby as soon as possible.”
    â€œThen I hope you two will be a couple of my best customers,” Colette replied.
    â€œIs Gina still managing your store in Kansas City?” Gina was Tanner’s younger sister.
    â€œYes, and doing a wonderful job despite the worries of her big brother.” Colette reached over and lightly touched the back of Tanner’s hand in a loving gesture, then stood. “And now I’ll leave you two alone to man talk.” With a lingering smile of love for her husband, she left the dining room and disappeared into the kitchen.
    â€œSo, tomorrow is the big day,” Tanner said.
    â€œYeah.” Bailey wrapped his hands around his coffee mug.
    â€œIf you’d given everyone a little more notice, I’d have arranged a bachelor party.”
    â€œI didn’t want one,” Bailey replied. It was bad enough that Mellie’s friends and family had thrown her a shower this evening. He took a sip of his coffee, fighting the urge to come clean to Tanner, to tell himthat their marriage wouldn’t be a real one, that it was only temporary.
    â€œMellie and I wanted just a simply ceremony without any fuss or bother. Unfortunately, our families had other ideas,” he continued. The wedding was now to take place at the Baptist Church, with a huge reception to follow at the community center.
    â€œI’ll tell you one thing, Bailey. There’s nothing quite like marriage, nothing like exploring the secrets of the woman you love.”
    â€œMellie doesn’t have any secrets from me. Sometimes I think I know her better than I know myself,” Bailey replied.
    Tanner laughed as if enjoying his own private joke. “You’re in for a rude awakening, Bailey. Women have more secrets than old barn cats have fleas, and discovering them only intensifies the intimacy of the marriage.”
    Tanner laughed once again and reared back in his chair. “Listen to me, I sound like some sort of advertisement for the sensitive male of the century.” He leaned forward. “But honestly, Bailey, I’ve never been as happy as I am with Colette.”
    Bailey saw the happiness on Tanner’s face. It curved his friend’s mouth, shone from his eyes and for just a moment a shaft of envy swept through Bailey.
    He shoved the uncomfortable feeling away as he stood. “I hate to eat and run, but I do have a big day tomorrow.” The big slice of pot roast he’d just eatensat heavily in his stomach as he thought of the wedding the next day.
    Tanner rose as well. “I’ll walk you out.”
    â€œTell Colette thanks for the wonderful meal,” Bailey said as the two men stepped outside onto Tanner’s porch.
    â€œNo problem,” Tanner replied. “I hear the town council appointed you as the judge for the Miss Dairy Cow Contest.”
    â€œYeah. Why did you back out?”
    Tanner shrugged his broad shoulders. “The main reason was because I’d promised Colette the minute she moved here from Kansas City, we’d get her shop up and running. I wasn’t sure how much time that was going to require. So, have you seen SueEllen Trexlor naked yet?”
    Bailey shot a startled look at Tanner, who laughed. “How did you know?”
    â€œRight before I withdrew my name as judge SueEllen showed up here one night wearing a raincoat and nothing else.”
    â€œShe was in my shower the other day, waiting to help scrub my back,” Bailey