Free Angelique by Dixie Lynn Dwyer

now?”
    “Have fun.”
    Angelique hung up the phone and looked in the mirror. She wasn’t sure what to wear when Maw Maw invited her to a cookout at her place. She said a few customers were coming and some friends. Angelique hoped not her sons, but she couldn’t be rude and ask that. She had been trying very hard to get the men off her mind, but it just wasn’t possible. She had some really inappropriate thoughts about the five of them together. The heat and accident must have killed some brain cells.
    She grabbed her things and a nice large bowl of berries soaked in pinot noir, apple juice, vanilla bean, arrow root, bay leaf, and sugar. It was a recipe she created herself. When she was recovering from her abusive relationship and regaining her self-confidence, she began to place some of that negative energy into positive energy. She cooked, baked, made crafts, and began sewing. In a boost of energy and confidence, she decided that instead of sitting back being unhappy about her body, she should do something about it. There were plenty of women who were petite and had large breasts. It was hard to shop for bras, for bathing suits, and definitely lingerie that wouldn’t hang everywhere but cling to her boobs. She wanted to feel sexy and classy and not like the person her ex tried to make her feel like. She shook the thoughts from her head. Why on earth was she thinking about the asshole so much? He was rotting in prison somewhere and wasn’t getting out in this lifetime.
    She juggled the large bowl, her purse, and keys then headed out the door to the party.

     
    * * * *
     
     
     
    Chester and Willie were leaning on the back of their truck outside of a bar downtown. Deputy Leon Rue was driving by when he noticed the two men. Sheriff Lafont had warned the men about their behavior and returning to town, so the deputy decided to watch them. They were just hanging out talking when two other guys showed up and joined their little get-together by the sidewalk. He’d give them a few minutes, and then he would break them up and send them on their way. There were a lot of tourists around and locals trying to do their Sunday shopping.
    He looked around the area when some woman in a pretty floral dress got out of a beat-up car near the florist. She wore her hair up in a fancy style and looked real classy. He watched her as she spoke to Mr. Perkins, the florist and he smiled as if he knew her. Deputy Leon Rue waited to see if her face was as attractive as her body when she turned toward the right. That’s when he noticed it was Angelique, the woman whom the sheriff’s brother Armand had saved from the Rousse brothers. Then he saw Chester and Willie notice her, too. Shit. This isn’t good.
    He got out of the car just as Chester and Willie approached her.
    “I thought we’d never see you again, sugar,” Chester stated, moving closer to Angelique.
    “She come back to visit. I told you she was interested,” Willie added, taking position behind her.
    “You two leave her be. She’s not interested in you, now get,” the store owner yelled.
    Chester and Willie went to grab Angelique when Deputy Leon Rue intervened.
    “Is there a problem here?” he asked, stepping up to the sidewalk with his hand on his gun. Both Chester and Willie raised their hands in the air and stepped away from the woman.
    “Just chitchatting, Deputy. Looking at all the pretty things is all,” Chester stated as he eyed Angelique over from head to toe and licked his lips. Leon grabbed Chester by his collar and yelled in his face.
    “You leave this one alone. You hear me, Rousse, or I lock you up. The sheriff warned you, now get before I call him.” He released him abruptly, and both Chester and Willie walked back slowly across the street.
    Deputy Rue turned to look at Angelique, who was standing there looking both annoyed and surprised.
    “You okay?” he asked, taking the moment to look her over. She was a fine-looking woman. No wonder the sheriff