揌oney, you抎 look good in a burlap bag tied up in the middle with a length of rope.?Risa looped her arm into Jessica抯 and led her toward the doors.
揥ell, damn it!?Jessica said with half a laugh. 揑f I抎 known that, I would have just borrowed a tow sack from Oscar, and not worried so much about how I look.?
Risa leaned over and whispered, 揑 saw Wade kiss you on the cheek. Does that mean anything??
揥e抣l talk about it later.?Jessica unhooked her arm and took a step back. She laced her fingers with Wade抯， and eyebrows began to raise.
揓essica is my date tonight, so I won抰 feel like the nerd I was in high school. From what I hear, folks at a class reunion always revert back to whatever they were when they were seniors, so tonight, I抦 a nerd who just happens to be friends with all the cheerleaders from the class a couple of years behind me,?Wade explained.
揧ou are so right,?Mary Nell agreed. 揑抳e only been back here for a couple of these things, but the smart alecks are still the same and the shy ones haven抰 changed much.?
揗aybe so, but tonight,?Wade said with a grin, 揑抦 going to be the envy of all the men in the room. I抦 walking in with four gorgeous women.?
揘ext week, the talk around town will be that you have a harem going out there at Danny抯 Place.?Mary Nell pushed a strand of red hair behind her ear.
揙h, crap!?Risa muttered under her breath. 揑 forgot that Mama graduated from Riverbend High School. This is our twentieth, so it抯 probably her fortieth, and she brags that she has never missed a reunion.?
揥ant to leave??Jessica asked as she peeled the back off the name tag a young girl handed her and slapped it on her right shoulder.
揧es, but I抦 not going to,?Risa answered. 揑抦 going to stay until the last dance is done and they shove us out the door.?
揋ood for you,?Wade said.
揥ade Granger? Is that really you??A woman with whiskey breath ignored Jessica and walked right up into his personal space. 揜emember me? Good God! Were you this sexy in high school, or did you change??She tapped her name tag, which read Brenda Covington.
揙f course I remember you, and I don抰 think I抳e changed all that much,?Wade answered. 揧ou graduated with my brother, Danny. Do you remember Jessica, Mary Nell, Haley, and Risa? They were cheerleaders back when y抋ll were seniors.?
揧ep, I remember all of you敆Brenda barely glanced at them before she gazed up into Wade抯 eyes棑but I remember you the best. Why didn抰 you ever ask me out??
揃ecause you would have said no,?Wade told her. 揈xcuse us while we find a seat. I think they抣l be serving the food in a few minutes.?
揥ho wants food when I can have you??Brenda laid a palm on his chest. 揑 hear you are opening up your own bar. When I come home next year for the reunion, I抣l be sure to come by and see you. But if you want to give me a little tour later tonight, I抣l gladly follow you home.?
Wade held up Jessica抯 hand. 揝orry, but I抦 taken.?
揥ell, darlin? if it don抰 work, you just call me. I抣l fly back here any weekend if you need a little rebound comforting.?Brenda winked and headed off to greet another guy who had just arrived.
揂nd you thought you抎 still be the nerd??Jessica teased.
揑 am, but now I抦 a nerd with a bar, and that appeals to folks who like to drink.?Wade led her over to a table that was still empty.
Jessica glanced around the room and didn抰 recognize many people, but then twenty years changed most folks. She felt Stella抯 glares long before she located her sitting at a table with several other older folks. Jessica pitied the woman. She had an amazing daughter and two lovely granddaughters, but because of the tension and hate in her heart, she was a miserable old woman.
Round tables for ten were located along the walls, leaving the center of the cafeteria open for dancing later. Nora Jones and her husband, Quinton, arrived, and came over to their table.
揧抋ll mind if we join you??Nora asked.
揘ot a bit,?Wade answered.
揑 hear that Melissa and Ginger really hit it off with your girls,?Nora said as she sat down across the table from Jessica. 揟he four of them have been texting and talking music all week. I抦 so glad y抋ll moved back to Riverbend. Our girls don抰 run with the popular crowd, thank goodness, and they need friends that are musical like they are.?
揌ey, did you save these seats for us??Linda Davis asked and sat down without waiting for an answer.
揝ure, we did,?Nora said. 揑 was just telling Risa that our girls have become pretty good friends, and they抮e going to church with us on Sunday.?
揥ell, I抦 glad to have Ginger running with good girls, and to tell the truth, I抦 happy they didn抰 get into the cheer squad.?Linda leaned forward. 揘o offense meant to you four, but things have changed since we graduated,?she said out the corner of her mouth.