if she had been acceptably tall, she wasn’t model material. She just didn’t have the exotic look that Grace did. Her curves certainly stood out, but who needed curves when they weren’t being used?
She wanted to tell herself that if she stopped comparing herself to other people, maybe she’d appreciate what she did have. Didn’t quite work. But she wasn’t without good points, and she knew it. She examined her deep emerald eyes critically. She’d always wanted to have blue eyes that shone like the sun reflecting on a lake, but she could live with green. In fact, a friend had once told her that her eyes were her best asset. Sage had laughed at the time and glanced pointedly at her chest. Men seemed unable to look past her cup size long enough to notice anything about her eyes, and she’d always been irritated by that. She refused to date a guy who couldn’t pick her face out of a lineup. Hmmm, was that why she’d hardly ever dated?
She ran a finger over her full lips and smiled once again. At least her lifelong diligence in wearing sunscreen had spared her from a superabundance of freckles, but she’d have killed for the ability to tan. Darn Celtic blood.
“We have to leave, Sage,” Bethel called out from the kitchen.
“Coming.” Sage turned her back to the mirror, squared her shoulders, and walked out of the bathroom.
“You look beautiful, dear,” Bethel said as she surveyed Sage’s outfit. Her granddaughter wasn’t dressing up, dang it, but then again, no one really did at these country parties. The evening had cooled as soon as the sun had set, so Sage wore her favorite pair of jeans and a thick sweater over a modest blouse.
“You look great, too, Grandma. Do you have a hot date tonight or something?” Sage had been teasing, and was shocked when her grandma turned a shade of pink. Wow. The young woman’s eyes grew wide as she realized the woman who’d raised her might actually be sweet on someone. “Uh . . . are you . . . dating someone, Grandma?”
“No, no, nothing like that,” Bethel replied hastily, then rushed over to grab her purse and jacket.
Sage wanted to fire questions at her, but she could see she’d flustered the poor woman, so she let the subject drop. She’d be keeping an eye on her grandma tonight, though. She wanted to know who had her acting like a teenager going to her first boy-girl dance.
The idea of sharing her grandmother with someone else sparked a smidgen of jealousy in her, but Sage pushed it back. She wasn’t always around, and if Bethel could have someone to love her, she more than deserved it. Plus, this meant her grandma might not be so opposed to Sage’s plan of moving in with Grace.
Her grandfather had been gone for sixteen years. It was long past time for Bethel to move forward with her life.
“You deserve whatever happiness you can find,” Sage said, embracing her beloved grandmother.
“Now you quit fussing over me and worry about yourself,” Bethel grumbled, but the pink still hadn’t left her cheeks. “We need to get going. We’re running so late that I’m sure Eileen is wearing a hole in her living room carpet.”
Sage wrapped an arm around her grandma’s shoulders and led her to the car. She could do this—she could attend the party even with Spence there. Tons of people always showed up for these country blowouts. She probably wouldn’t even see him.
Of course, when had fate ever been that kind to her? She shut the front door, resigned to whatever the night held.
“Come on, Michael. Are you going to put some oomph in that or ride like a girl all day?” Spence yelled at his little brother as they raced across the wide-open pastures.
“I have no trouble keeping up with you, old man,” Michael yelled back, then leaned down over his horse’s neck, pushed his knees in, and shot forward to take the lead. They rode fast and hard over the flat land, exchanging front position every few minutes. After they made a tight loop, they raced back toward the stables, crossed into the yard in a photo finish, and looked toward Camden, who was laughing at them.
“Who won?” Michael asked as he jumped down from his horse. Spence followed speedily behind him and stared expectantly at Camden.
“Haven’t you guys outgrown your competitiveness?”
“Not at all,” Spence said impatiently. “Now who won?”