Fall Into Temptation (Blue Moon Book #2)(49)

Summer giggled. “We want something small, but I want to still be able to wear a spectacular dress which means the sooner the better,” she said, patting her still-flat belly again.

“We would be thrilled to spend Thanksgiving with you. We’ve all got a lot to be thankful for this year,” Gia said happily.

“Good, because now you can’t say no to the next thing.”

“What’s the next thing?”

“I want you to be a bridesmaid,” Summer stated firmly. “Now, I know what you’re going to say,” she said holding up a hand when Gia started to speak.

“We haven’t known each other long, but I like you more than any ‘friends’ I had in the city and you’re practically family … Because of Franklin,” she added, darting a glance at Carter.

“I don’t know what to say,” Gia told her. She was touched. She liked Summer and admired the life she and Carter were forging together. To be asked to be a part of it was sweet and exactly the kind of relationship she’d been looking to build here.

“Say yes,” Summer urged. “Besides with your hair and coloring, you’ll look amazing in the bridesmaids dress I picked out.”

“Well, when you put it that way, how can I say no?” Gia laughed.

“Perfect!” Summer winked and snuggled into Carter’s side. “It’s you and Joey for bridesmaids and Beckett and Jax are groomsmen. Beckett will be your escort.”





19





The parade was an undisputed hit. Gia especially enjoyed the showing of the Higgenworth Communal Alternative Education Day Care. Three-and four-year-olds dressed as farm animals ran amok on the street as their adult chaperones attempted to shoo them back into formation.

Next to her, Carter shuddered when the ringleader, a woman dressed in overalls and a straw hat, waved to him. He gave her a weak smile and Gia swore the hand he raised to return the greeting was shaking.

“Remember your promise to me,” Summer said, through gritted teeth and a pained smile.

“Our children will never behave like that,” Carter recited. “And if they do, we’re going to drop them off at HCAEDC and run for our lives.”

A little girl with pigtails and a rubber chicken beak paused mid-skip and vomited what looked like a dinner of cotton candy onto the asphalt. She wiped her mouth on her little sleeve and cheerily skipped on.

“Katie Bell,” Carter and Summer sighed together.

The parade came to a spectacular end as the Blue Moon High School Marching Band playing “Monster Mash” ushered off the last float.

Gia’s little crew marched across the street to the square where the smell of popcorn and fried pickles wafted. The park was done up in Halloween fashion. Orange lights were strung overhead and wrapped around tree trunks, while giant bushels of mums were clustered around park benches. Carved pumpkins entered in the contest were showcased on bales of hay. As she’d learned from the town meeting, the fake spider webs had been vetoed this year given the impossible cleanup they’d posed last year. The two dozen food and craft stands were decked out with orange and black bunting and nearly everyone had donned festive costumes.

Evan dashed off with his friends, ten dollars, and strict instructions to meet her back at the studio in an hour so she could say good-bye before his sleepover. She valiantly tried not to imagine the number of preservatives and energy drinks he was going to enjoy until morning.

She and Summer were waiting in line for French fries when she felt a tingle zip through the space between her shoulder blades. Beckett.

He was talking to Carter who was on Aurora duty, at least until she twirled over to Beckett and wrapped her arms around his legs. Beckett hoisted her up, mindful of the plastic swords strapped to her back.

Gia felt her throat tighten a degree.

“The Pierce men are meant for fatherhood,” Summer said, noting the direction of Gia’s stare.

“Yeah, well, one of those men is going to find out sooner than the others,” Gia teased.

“Only one?” Summer raised a perfectly groomed brow.

“Just what are you getting at, Cryptic Cindy?”

Summer shrugged daintily. “Oh, I just have a feeling. About you. And about Beckett.”

Gia rolled her eyes. “You and the rest of Blue Moon. I hate to disappoint the hopes of an entire town, but I don’t think I’m going to have time for any relationships real or imagined.”

“Business booming?”

“It’s going well, but I ran into a surprise expense and I’m going to have to take something on part-time — and hopefully very flexible — to get us through until the studio is making a bit more.”

Summer’s fingers gripped her arm. “Oh. My. God. Gia!”

“What? Are you okay?” Gia asked, panicked and expecting a medical emergency.

“I’m better than okay!” Summer released her death grip on Gia. “How are your writing skills?”

“Are you two in line?” An impatient Mrs. Nordeman dressed as Scarlet O’Hara in draperies peeked around them at the growing gap in the line.

“Sorry, Mrs. Nordeman,” Summer offered her a bright smile. They stepped forward.

“My writing skills?” Gia asked.

“So today I landed a very large, very enthusiastic advertiser for Thrive,” Summer began.