Free A Woman To Blame by Susan Connell

room was almost palpable. She waited until the rest of the group finished their hero-worshipping hellos. "Good evening, Captain Parrish," she said, tossing another wet napkin onto a growing pile. Once she was sure she'd gotten control of her traitorous physical reactions, her breathy voice turned smooth. "We were just about to start... without you." Her hand carefully closed over the wet pile of used napkins as his polished shoes appeared in front of her. She took a cautious glance up his body. From his neatly combed sun-streaked hair, to his bronze-toned skin and sky blue eyes, he looked Esquire perfect.
    "Start what?" he asked, lowering himself to his haunches to set the empty pitcher upright. He pulled a handkerchief from inside his jacket and dabbed her chin. "A food fight?"

 
     
     
    Chapter 4

     
    With Rick's face inches from her own, she could not miss his annoying smile. Still on her hands and knees, she allowed him a few strokes with his handkerchief before turning her chin away from his hand. He aimed for her cheek, but stopped when she sent him a warning look.
    "We're not gathered here to indulge in a food fight, Captain Parrish. We're here to discuss ideas for the fund-raiser. Or did you forget?"
    "No, I didn't forget," he said, handing her the handkerchief. He pointed to a drenched area between her breasts before lacing his fingers together in front of his dangling tie. "I even have an idea."
    He continued smiling at her in that exasperating, in-charge, highly amused way of his. Pointedly ignoring the front of her blouse, she looked him straight in the eye while she dabbed at her cheek instead. "We can't wait to hear it."
    "Yeah. What'd you have in mind, Captain Rick?" Rita asked through a hail of gum snapping. The rest of the group moved a little closer as Rick stood.
    "First, let's get the cochairperson off her hands and knees." He offered Bryn his hand, and after a few hesitant seconds, she took it.
    "How about a fishing tournament?"
    "Of course," Millie said. "We should have known Captain Rick would come up with the right idea the first time."
    "Isn't he wonderful?" Rita remarked in an adoring whisper.
    Jiggy gave a singular and thoroughly energetic clap. "Amen and case closed, Captain."
    "Can we go fishing now?" May Leigh asked Jiggy.
    "Hold on, everyone. The case is not closed. Liza told me that Islamorada and Conch Key are both having fishing tournaments this July. We need to look for a completely different idea. Something fresh and—"
    "No we don't," Rick said, cutting her off. "We have all these sport fishermen down here just waiting for a little competition. I think a tournament is the perfect answer."
    "I don't," she said, pressing his handkerchief into his open hand. "The entrance fees to these tournaments are high, and I can't see how we'll make much money with at least two others going on so close to ours. Besides, we would draw even more people if we could come up with a totally new event that would pull in sponsors looking for free advertising. An event with more pizzazz than a fishing tournament," she said, looking at the others. "What do you think?"
    Rita shifted her weight from one foot to the other, then looked thoughtfully at Millie while popping a large bubble.
    Millie raised her eyebrows and looked at Jiggy.
    Jiggy looked someplace between skeptical and confused.
    And May Leigh had missed the question entirely while searching through her purse for a comb.
    "More pizzazz?" Rick asked. "Don't you mean more problems for everyone here?"
    "Not if we show up for meetings and work together cooperatively." The rest of the group made a series of uncomfortable sounds. A cough. A gasp. A groan. And one "Oh, my good lord!" Bryn stood her ground, then decided to advance while the others recovered from her countering response to their hero. "I believe Rita brought along a few ideas." She smiled at her. "Didn't I see a list in front of you before?"
    "List? Oh, no," she said, shaking her head hard