In Shining Whatever (Three Magic Words Trilogy #2)(13)

She stiffened her backbone and carried the big glass bowl out to the table.

"Kate, come and meet my friend and minister of our church," Theron said.

"I met him at the wedding reception," Kate said.

"Yes, I believe we were introduced at the wedding," Marc said.

Hart touched her elbow. "Kate?"

The warmth of his touch didn't even surprise her. Not anymore. "Hello, Hart. Haven't seen you at the cafe in a while."

"Miss me, did you?"

"Not at all," she said.

"I've been busy with springtime ranching. I'll be in next week. Hey, you want a job? I'm thinking about hiring a cook and housekeeper."

"I have a job, and you don't want me to be your cook and housekeeper. I hate to cook and I'm a terrible housekeeper."

"That's not what your momma says," Hart said.

"When did you talk to my momma?"

"We all have our little secrets," he said.

She let him have the last word and plowed back into the house, slamming the screen door behind her.

"He's insufferable. I'm sorry I helped put that assassin behind bars. I could use her services," Kate snapped.

"If Hart Ducaine died, you'd be the one in the black veil weeping and throwing yourself in the grave with him, so don't be talking like that," Sophie said.

"Who died and made you God?"

"No one yet. If you hate him so much, then you sit by Marc. That ought to be a hoot," Sophie said, glancing out the back window again. Neither of the men appealed to her.

"Are we fighting, ladies?" Fancy asked.

"No, but we might be before the night is over. Why did you invite us and a preacher and Hart?" Kate asked.

"I bet they are asking Theron the same thing: Why did you invite those two hussies? We all run in the same circles. You'll have to get over him, Kate, or else learn to trust your heart," Fancy said.

"And Sophie? Does she have to get over her business with preacher men and learn to trust her heart?"

Fancy nodded. "Yep, she does"

"You are crazy," Sophie said. "But your intentions are good. I'll admit that much. Look, Theron is taking steaks off the grill."

Kate headed for the door. "I'm starving. Hart Ducaine better eat fast, or I'll lay claim to part of his. When I'm nervous I eat, remember. And if one of you mention that at the table, I will lay a Cajun curse upon you"

Fancy carried a platter piled high with foil-covered baked potatoes. Kate followed her with the butter, sour cream, bacon bits, and a bowl of cheese on a tray. Sophie brought up the rear with a pecan pie in each hand.

"And here comes the rest of the supper, along with the three prettiest women in all of Texas," Theron said.

Kate passed close to him and whispered out of the side of her mouth, "They will never find your body if you do this again."

"You'd never make Fancy cry," he chuckled.

"What are you two whispering about?" Fancy asked.

"She wants me to say I'll name the baby Katherine," Theron said quickly.

"Sophia Katherine." Fancy let the name roll off her tongue. "Are we going to dress him in pink lace and put his hair in dog ears? What do you think, Tina?"

Tina giggled and rolled her dark brown eyes. "No. We're going to name him Tiger Rufus if he's a boy."

Hart guffawed.

"Don't sound much worse than Jethro Hart, does it?" Kate said.

"Hey, don't start arguing before grace is even said. Marc, would you do the honors?" Theron asked.

Marc shifted his weight to one side during grace, and his knee brushed Kate's. Not one single tingle shot through her leg and into her heart. On the other side, however, was a different story. Hart's leg and shoulder were six inches from hers, and the heat of the sparks threatened to set the backyard on fire.

"Amen," Marc said, and they all looked up.

Theron passed the platter of steaks first.

"Rare on this side?" Kate pointed to the steaks on the left side.

"You got it. Well-done in the middle. Medium on the other side," Theron said.

She plopped a huge rare T-bone onto her plate.

"You going to eat that whole thing?" Hart asked.

"Yes, and a potato. And the reason Fancy made two pecan pies is that I eat a whole one," she said. "You got a problem with that?"

"No, ma'am." Hart chuckled.

"How do you stay so thin?" Marc asked.

"Talk burns calories. Fightin' words burn more than nice words. I like to eat, so I'm not nice."

"Is that for my benefit?" Hart asked, as he passed the salad her way.

She gave him a big fake smile. "You make it so easy for me to scarf down the calories."

"I've got an announcement," Theron said.

"Is it twins?" Kate looked his way.

"No, it's just one baby. Announcement is that you have to pay for your supper tonight. There's a reason you are all here."

Sophie groaned. She wasn't going to a revival and listening to that preacher. Not even if she had to cough up the most delicious steak she'd ever put in her mouth.

"How much?" Kate figured it was a fund-raiser for school equipment. She'd hand over a twenty without batting an eye for her supper.