Love in a Nutshell - Janet Evanovich [28]
Matt felt pretty okay with being there until he saw Deena Bowen over by the beer table. In her bright blue V-necked dress, Deena was as much a knockout as she had been on the one date they’d had together. One date had been more than enough for Matt but not for Deena, and a woman scorned is a woman to be feared. Matt turned his head before Deena could catch him looking. It was the same technique he used when faced with a black bear in the woods. Deena and that bear bore a lot in common, personality-wise.
“You’re dragging your feet, son,” Matt’s father said.
“Just soaking it all in.”
“Come along, Patrick,” his mother said. “I want to see what’s over in the silent auction.
“Harley Bagger has offered up a couple of lighters from his collection, and Enid Erikson was donating some of those fun toilet paper covers—you know, the ones with the dolls’ heads and frilly dresses?”
His parents headed to the back of the hall, Dad with less fervor than Mom. Matt stuck to the front. One of those blank-eyed dolls would be staring at him from the back of a toilet at his parents’ home soon enough. Mom would probably give him one for Christmas, too. Unfortunately, Chuck could sniff out chewy plastic items the way most of his breed could raccoons. The doll would be history.
Matt stopped and talked with Bart, his brewmaster and buddy, about the upcoming hockey season. They were defending league champs, and Bart had his eye on a prospect to be sure they stayed that way. Matt gave Bart a fist bump and took the slow route toward the three refreshment tables. The first held soda and mixers, followed by high-octane punch, and then beer. He stopped and chatted with as many folks as he could. He wanted to give Deena time to move on.
Clete Erikson, the town police chief and husband to toilet paper doll-maker Enid, was manning the brew table. Clete reminded Matt a little of Chuck. Not that Clete was missing a limb. He just had the same droopy hound features.
“Hey, Chief,” Matt said.
Clete returned the greeting and slid a red plastic cup of beer Matt’s way. “Guess you’re wanting one of these.”
“Sure am.”
Matt took a sip and scanned the stream of new arrivals flowing into the hall. And then he saw her. Kate was a flash of scarlet sweater and spiky blond hair, so obvious among the less vivid colors surrounding her. The night was looking up.
* * *
“IT’S THE townie mother lode,” Kate said to Ella as they worked their way into Woodsmen’s Hall. The place was packed, which made it all the better to be with Ella. Kate’s friend was gorgeous. She was tall, with straight black hair that just swept her shoulders. She also possessed a figure that Kate envied but didn’t want to work to attain. Crowds just kind of parted for Ella.
“This is also the safest place on Earth,” Ella said.
Kate could see why. She’d already spotted a handful of police officers and most of the volunteer fire department, all of whom she recognized from her brief stint at Bagger’s.
As Ella and she wove through the throng toward Ella’s unstated destination, Kate said hello to the people she recognized. She was pleased to even get a few return greetings that didn’t come with that confused “Where do I know her from?” look in the eyes.
“Where are we heading?” Kate asked her friend over the noise of the music that had just started.
“Beer table for the first stop,” Ella said.
“I don’t suppose there’s a wine table?”
Ella shot her a dubious look. “You’re not serious, are you?”
She had been, but she’d never admit it.
Ella had a conspiratorial look in her eye. “I have a plan for you.”
“And beer is part of it?”
“If you don’t want a beer, just make sure you grab something to drink, because you’re going to need it.”
“That sounds marginally dangerous.”
“If it’s only marginally, we