Free Wedding Bell Blues by Meg Benjamin

three months for nookie before.
    Still, having invested all this time and money in getting Janie Dupree in the sack, Otto wasn’t backing off yet. At least he knew she wasn’t frigid. When he thought it through, he decided she was just a little intimidated. After all, she’d probably never dated anybody like him. He was sort of a local hero around here, what with the team making it all the way to the state semis last year. Maybe she had to get used to the idea he really wanted her.
    He’d already planted the seed, told her he wanted to take it to the next level. Now he’d just give her a little more time to get used to the idea. Not too much time, though. Summer was almost over, and he had other things to do.
    Otto swung open the door to the bookstore and stepped inside, already sliding his best seductive smile into place. But instead of Janie Dupree or Docia Kent, a large male stood behind the counter talking to Helen Kretschmer.
    Otto goggled. Nobody talked to Helen Kretschmer. Helen Kretschmer was a cop, and she was the single most terrifying woman he’d ever seen, the only woman he’d ever thought could take him in a fair fight. Now Helen was not only talking, she was…ye gods…smiling.
    At Pete Toleffson.
    It took him a couple of seconds to identify the man behind the counter, and then he was doubly annoyed. What was Toleffson doing running the bookstore? And where was Janie? His lunch hour was ticking away.
    Helen turned gimlet eyes his way, her smile fading. Otto’s gut clenched.
    Toleffson glanced at him and raised his eyebrows. “Morning, Friedrich. Something I can help you with?”
    “Where’s Janie?” he blurted.
    “Off helping Docia and Reba with something wedding-related.” Toleffson leaned a hip against the counter. “I’m filling in.”
    “You’re running the bookstore?” Otto stared. He’d heard Toleffson was a lawyer. What the hell did a lawyer know about running a cash register?
    “Filling in, like I said.” Toleffson grinned, but it didn’t reach his eyes.
    Otto felt a quick rush of adrenaline. He could take Pete Toleffson, even if he was the size of a red oak. No problem. He’d enjoy it. “When’s she coming back? I’m taking her to a party tonight.”
    He figured Toleffson already knew about the party, since the party was because of the wedding and his brother was the one getting married, but it wouldn’t hurt to remind the man who Janie Dupree belonged to.
    “Oh, yeah.” Toleffson went on grinning. “Janie said I should ride up there with you.”
    Otto’s gut clenched again. Goddamn! He wasn’t going to take anybody in his truck except Janie. He had some plans of his own for the evening.
    He worked on keeping his teeth from gritting. “Is that right?”
    “That’s right.” Toleffson waited a moment before he spoke again. “I turned her down, of course. I’ll ride with my brother.”
    Behind him, Otto heard Helen Kretschmer snicker.
    Okay, not only could he take Pete Toleffson, he was pretty sure he’d be doing it before the week was over.
     
     
    Reba’s command center at the Woodrose had become a mass of tulle and satin ribbon, which Janie gathered had something to do with table runners. Reba and her seamstress, Mamie, had dragged Docia away as soon as the two of them had arrived, Reba muttering about strapless bras and body shapers.
    As far as Janie was concerned, Docia didn’t need any more shaping than Mother Nature had already provided. She was about as shapely as anyone Janie had ever met, and most of the men in Konigsburg agreed with her, judging by the usual reaction when Docia walked into a room.
    Now she stared at Docia as she stood reflected in the three-way mirror. The bottom of her gown looked like a cloud of ivory chiffon. Her satin-clad torso rose above it, a mermaid emerging from a wave, the fabric clinging to her generous curves and shimmering with sprays of subtle, rainbow-colored brilliants.
    Just looking at Docia made Janie’s eyes prick