at least six feet tall and nearly as broad. Wearing denim overalls and a straw hat, she smiled widely when she saw Skeeter. She had to be a foot taller than him.
The two of them embraced like they hadn’t seen each other in years.
“It’s better if you don’t look,” Nolan said, forcing Amanda to suppress a desperate need to laugh.
“You’re the sex-toy lady,” Dude said.
“I suppose I am. I’m Amanda. Nice to meet you.”
Dude’s handshake nearly crushed Amanda’s hand. “Likewise. You ready for a dog yet, Landon?”
“Not quite, Dude. I still work too many crazy hours to have a dog.”
“You let me know when you’re ready. I’ll hook you up.”
“Will do.” He put his arm around Amanda. “We’d better get going. Izzy is expecting us.”
“Have fun,” Nolan said, grinning.
“Don’t tell me you’re getting out of this,” Landon said to his brother-in-law.
“Nope. The three of us are up tomorrow. Can hardly wait.”
“Don’t let him fool ya,” Skeeter said. “He’s excited to be a model.”
“Shut it, Skeeter,” Nolan said. “I am not.”
“Are too.”
“Not.”
Landon and Amanda left them to fight it out as they headed for the Grange.
“This town is the most entertaining place I’ve ever been,” Amanda said.
“That can’t possibly be true.”
“It is! You don’t meet people like Skeeter and Dude in the city.”
“They’re unique. I’ll give you that.”
“I wonder what it’s like when they—”
Using the hand on the arm he had around her, he covered her mouth. “If you finish that thought, I’ll never forgive you.”
Amanda dissolved into helpless giggles that she’d barely contained by the time they reached the Grange.
“Are you going to be okay?” he asked.
“I think so. Now, about that dog…”
“What about it?”
“If you’re living with someone who works mostly from home, you’d be able to have one, right?”
“I suppose so. Why? Do you want a dog?”
“I’ve always wanted one, but not having a home makes that somewhat difficult.”
“Huh, well. We should talk to Dude, then. We call her Snow White because all the animals follow her around.”
“Really? We can get a dog?”
“Sure. I’d love to have one, but my hours are so crazy that it didn’t seem fair to the dog.”
“I suppose I should make sure Stella’s not allergic or anything.” When he would’ve opened the main door to the Grange, Amanda stopped him. “I just want you to know that all this, everything that’s happened since the fire…”
“What, honey?”
“It’s so good. It’s all so good that I worry it can’t possibly be real.”
“It’s real, and it’s your life now, if you want it to be.”
“I do. I want it. I want you. I want it all.”
Landon dropped his forehead to rest against hers. “I want it all, too. Everything about this with you feels so good.”
Amanda looped her hand around his neck and kissed him.
A throat clearing behind them had them pulling apart a few minutes later. Had they really engaged in a full-on make-out session out in the open where anyone might see them? Apparently so.
“Sorry to interrupt.” A tall, smiling woman with long, curly blonde hair held a takeout coffee and had a camera bag hanging from her shoulder.
“Hey, Iz.” Landon kissed his cousin’s cheek. “Good to see you.”
“You, too. This must be Amanda.”
Amanda shook her hand. “It’s so great to meet you. I’m a huge fan of your work.”
“Thank you. I’ve heard great things about your work, too.” Izzy punctuated the statement with a wink. “You’ve got the whole town buzzing.”
Amanda laughed. “That’d be me.”
Izzy gestured to the door. “Shall we?”
“Let’s get this over with,” Landon said.
“Oh, come on!” Izzy gave him a push through the door. “This’ll be the most fun you’ve ever had.”
“Somehow, I doubt that.”
“Have some faith, cousin! When have we ever not had fun together?”
“True.”
“Sorry we’re late,” Cameron said as she came in with Lucy a minute later.
“We just got here, too,” Izzy said.
“Right this way, Landon and Amanda,” Cameron said. “We’ve got you all set up in the restrooms.”
They showed Landon to the men’s room and Amanda to the ladies’ room, where clothing had been hung for them. Amanda changed into a denim dress that wasn’t something she would’ve chosen for herself, but she liked the way it looked in the full-length mirror that had been brought in for the occasion.
“I knew that would be perfect on you,” Ella said from the doorway.
“Where’d you come from?”
“I was running late thanks to morning sickness. It blows. Literally.”
“That’s miserable. I had it bad when I was expecting my daughter.” It was still new to say the words my daughter out