Not so with Lily, though. 揋ranny Stella, it抯 not very Christian of you to short us on nachos just because you抮e mad at us.?
Stella glared at her granddaughter. 揇on抰 you tell me what抯 Christian and what抯 not, young lady, and you don抰 deserve what you抳e got in those baskets. You don抰 respect your elders, and棓
揕ove you, Granny Stella,?Daisy said, cutting her off. She picked up a couple of the baskets. 揅ome on, Mama. We抳e got drinks to get, and she抯 not going to tell us that she loves us anyway.?
揓esus says I have to love you, but He didn抰 say I have to like any of you,?Stella snapped. 揘ow, go on, so I can wait on these other people.?
揑抦 sorry,?Jessica told Risa.
揟hanks, but I抦 not sorry.?Risa got in line to get drinks. 揑抳e never been happier in my life, and I mean that. I抦 totally at peace living with Haley and working at the bar. I keep finding myself humming while I抦 cooking or helping with whatever needs to be done. It抯 like a heavy weight has been lifted off me.?
揂nd we love our new world,?Daisy chimed in.
揑 just wish I could tell our cousins about Texas and this rodeo.?Lily sighed. 揑 know that Rachel, Sarah, and Myra would love to be here with us.?
揂in抰 never goin?to happen,?Daisy assured her as they all headed back to the bleachers.
Wade hung back with Jessica, bringing up the rear. Another burst of dust flew up in the arena, and the crowd jumped to their feet and roared. The announcer in the press box sounded as excited as the rest of the folks when he announced the name of the young man who抎 stayed on the bronc抯 back for the full eight seconds.
揥e should both count our blessings that we had good parents. You might have to hold me back if Stella makes good on her threat to show up in our parking lot trying to convert our customers,?Jessica said for Wade抯 ears only.
揌oney, I抣l be out there with you, not holding you back,?Wade told her. 揑f I抎 known Stella was going to be here, I would have suggested a movie and ice cream afterwards, rather than this rodeo.?
揕ike Risa said, she can抰 run from her mama,?Jessica told him. 揝he抯 actually taking all of this a lot better than I am.?
Wade glanced over at her for the hundredth time that evening. She wore a pair of tight-fitting jeans and an off-white shirt that hugged her body like a glove. Her blonde hair floated on her shoulders, and she smelled like the beach梒oconut suntan lotion, vanilla, and maybe a little pi馻 colada thrown in. At that moment, he wished that he and Jessica weren抰 business partners.
When they reached the bleachers, places had shifted, and now Jessica was sitting between Wade and Oscar.
揑 was proud of the way the twins and Risa handled things,?Oscar whispered.
Haley leaned around Oscar so she could hear better. 揥hat happened when y抋ll went to get something to drink??
揝tella is working the concession stand, selling nachos for the church,?Oscar answered.
揝weet Jesus!?Haley groaned. 揧ou think she poisoned the ones we ordered??
揙nly if words dripping with ugliness can poison them,?Oscar said. 揜isa held her own, so you don抰 have to worry about her.?
揟hat抯 more than I would have done, and it could always be a bluff, but I抦 here for her if she needs to talk about it. As far as that goes, I抦 always here for any of the team,?Haley assured him.
揥e抮e lucky to have you,?Wade told her.
揟hanks, but the feeling is mutual.?Haley smiled.
揂nd that抯 the last event of the evening,?the rodeo announcer said. 揥hile we抮e waiting for the band to get set up for the dance, let抯 give our rodeo clowns a big hand. Their job might look easy, but believe me, it抯 a tough one, so let抯 hear it for them.?
The clowns all came out, lined up, and took a bow. The crowd gave them a standing ovation complete with whistles and ringing cowbells. The dust settled somewhat but was still hanging in the air a few minutes later when the band struck up the first notes of an old country song, 揌eaven抯 Just a Sin Away.?
Wade stood up and extended a hand to Jessica. 揗ay I have this dance, partner??
She put her hand in his and said, 揑 might be a little rusty, but I抣l give it a shot.?
His inner voice warned her against dancing right out in public with Jessica, but he ignored it. He didn抰 give a tiny rat抯 rump what people thought of the church being a bar or of him and Jessica being partners梠r if they banned her from riding on a float at homecoming, either, for that matter.
That song had ended by the time they reached the middle of the area. The lead singer started singing 揗y Church.?Wade wrapped his arms around Jessica and drew her close for a fast-moving two-step.
揝eems fitting for our first dance, doesn抰 it??Wade said.