kiss.
âAw, thank you, sweetheart. Youâre my favorite two-legged critter, too.â
Marsh and Effie shared at look.
The happy couple had been at this for a good hour, and if a decision wasnât made soon, he was damn near ready to boltâonly this time heâd take Effie and Cassidy along for the ride. The lovebirds could fend for themselves.
Cherry noted the selection on her iPad. âSo letâs see. Weâve got the T-bone, prime rib and lobster for the buffetâs meats. Ready to get started on the side dishes?â
Marsh raised his hand. âMind if we take a break? I need to stretch my legs.â
âMe, too.â Effie was already standing.
âHow about you two take a quick walk?â Mabel said. âIâll keep an eye on the munchkin.â
âThanks.â
Marsh waited by the door while Effie gave her grandmother a sideways hug. Once they were outside, he asked, âWhat time do your boys get out of school?â
âThree fifteen.â
âDamn. I was hoping it was earlier so you and Mabel would have an excuse to stop this party sooner rather than later. Itâs only noon.â
âDonât think I havenât had the same idea.â They headed toward the north park. Marsh was glad. It had the best mountain view and the most shade.
âWonder how much longer till this heat breaks?â
âWish I knew. Itâs getting old.â He stepped aside while an elderly couple crossed in front of them to enter Hallidayâs Insurance.
âAw, they were sweet,â Effie said when theyâd passed. âBut do you ever feel like weâre the youngest folks in town?â
He chuckled. âNow that you mention itâyes. Just wait till the wedding. Weâll be the youngest at the altar by forty years.â
âItâs funny, but also kind of sad. Wish Wallace and Mabel had met sooner, but who knows? Maybe having each other will give both of them such a health boost that theyâll live extra years.â
âHope so.â
They waited for five cars and a truck hauling a cattle trailer to pass before crossing the street to the park.
They meandered down a winding blacktop path until reaching an aspen-filled glade. It was too hot for the usually alpine trees, and the leaves drooped.
âThose trees look how I feel.â
Effie laughed, then sat on a bench near a man-made gurgling stream. Her pale blue sundress matched her eyes, and Marsh fought an irrational urge to tug the band barely holding her long hair in place.
âNow thatââ
âWhat do youââ
After both tried speaking at once, they shared a smile.
âLadies first,â Marsh said.
âAll right...â She ducked her gaze and now held her hands tightly clasped. âIâm not even sure where to start. I guess I was going to say that now that Iâve got you alone, Iâve got an odd question for youâand if youâre not interested or it feels forced, I completely understand.â
âThatâs the most intriguing thing Iâve heard in a while. Whatâs up?â Is she asking me on a date? Why else would she need me alone? Sheâd never given any indication that she was even attracted. But if she is? He wasnât sure how heâd feel. Since his divorce, women had been the last thing on his mind.
âWell...â Beneath her freckles, her cheeks turned an appealing pink.
Shit. Should he man up and ask her out? âEffie, if you want to go on aââ
âMarsh, I need you toââ
They cut each other off again, but this time it was good, because Marsh welcomed the comic relief. With luck, sheâd aborted her mission and realized she wouldnât want to spend any more time than necessary with a head case like him.
She forced a breath, then began again. âThe other afternoon at the house, when you made Remington forget his missing eyeballââ she