The Perfect Dress(30)

“It’s beautiful,” Jody said.

Mitzi could hardly believe the sight. If she’d hired a professional decorator, it couldn’t have looked a bit better. “It looks like it came right out of a bridal magazine,” she whispered.

Tabby clapped her hands. Dixie pumped her arm. “Yes!”

Graham poked his head in the door. “I got off a few minutes early with a used pickup from the lot. I understand there’s some moving to go on around here?”

Tabby made a motion with her hand. “Daddy, look at what we just did. We rearranged the foyer and brought the bride down from the stairs.”

“And we made the bouquet in her hands and the arrangement on the table,” Dixie said.

“Very nice, girls.” Graham beamed with pride.

Every time Mitzi had seen Graham lately, he’d been dressed in slacks, loafers, a white shirt, and a tie. She’d thought he’d been downright sexy then, but now he was even more so in denim shorts, a knit shirt, and sneakers.

“You’re staring,” Jody whispered.

“They did this all on their own,” Mitzi said. “And thank you for offering to help us out. Jody has a truck, too, and my dad and Granny are bringing theirs. With all that, it shouldn’t take long.”

His eyes locked with hers and held for a moment before Dixie grabbed his hand. “Okay, Daddy, me and Tabby will ride with you. Mitzi, you can lead the way since we don’t know how to get to your place. Do we have boxes?”

“I’ll stop by the grocery store and pick up whatever I can get,” Jody said. “Y’all must’ve been really organized when you moved.”

“Oh, yeah, they were,” Graham chuckled. “We had lists and more lists.”

Mitzi remembered then that their house was a mess. Jody’s things were still sitting in plastic bags in the living room. Dirty coffee cups filled the sink, and the laundry bin in her bathroom overflowed.

Why are you worried? Her mother’s voice popped into her head. He’s not your boyfriend. He’s only a neighbor who’s offering to help you move.

Jody elbowed her. “Say something. It’s getting awkward.”

Mitzi took a step forward. “We’re glad for the help, and we might wish we’d made lists before we get done. We only decided to do this last night on the spur of the moment when we realized we need more space. We haven’t gotten a thing packed or done.”

“I hear there’s some moving goin’ on around here,” Alice said as she pushed the front door open. “What a lovely little area.”

“Thank you.” Dixie curtsied. “Tabby and I did it this afternoon.”

“We had to get the bride off the staircase,” Tabby explained.

“Thank you for offering to help,” Mitzi said.

“I understand y’all’ve only been in the house a few months. Graham and the girls had been in their place since they were born. Makes a big difference. I brought Daddy’s old truck. Where do we start?” Alice asked.

“Fantastic!” Paula said. “If we can get the big furniture out tonight, we can go finish up the small stuff in Mitzi’s van tomorrow. And I’ll add my thanks to Mitzi’s.”

“Me, too,” Jody chimed in.

“That’s what neighbors are for. Now if you ladies will lead the way, we’ll get this job done before dark.” Graham started for the door.

“We’re all parked out back. The house is located just east of town.” Mitzi wished he’d at least have said friends instead of neighbors.

“Out in the old Flynn place, right?” Alice asked.

“That’s right,” Paula answered.

“Then we’ll meet you out there. Opal Flynn was a good friend of my mama’s. We used to go out there on Sunday afternoons when Graham and I were kids.” Alice followed her brother and the girls out the front door.

By the time Mitzi locked up behind them and reached her van, both Jody’s truck and Paula’s car were already gone. She was about to open the door when her father pulled in beside her and rolled down the window.

“I’m ready to help. I stopped by the store and got us some boxes,” he said.

Mitzi leaned her forearms on the open window. “The house is pretty crowded with Jody moving in with us.”

“I figured it would be,” Harry said. “There’s a lot of room upstairs in this old place. Seems like a smart idea for y’all to live up there. Be right handy in the winter if it gets icy.”

Mitzi hadn’t even thought of that, but it made good sense. Getting a baby out in bad weather would be asking for trouble. “Guess we’d better be going. The rest of the moving crew is probably already out there.”

“Rest?” Harry raised a gray eyebrow.

“Graham and his girls and his sister are all helping,” she answered.

“Right neighborly of them. See you there.” The window started up as soon as she took a step back.

Neighborly.

There was that word again. Paula would say that it was an omen to help her realize exactly where she stood with Graham, but how could she control that crazy feeling in her heart every time he was around? So much for the rose quartz stone in Mitzi’s bra.

She arrived at the house and held the door open for Graham as he and Alice carried Paula’s mattress outside. His arm brushed against Mitzi’s on the way through the door, and her pulse jacked up a few notches.