Page 83 of A Taste of Whiskey
“That’s amazing, but are you trying to get rid of me?” Simone asked.
“No. He wasadmiringyou from across the dance floor, so I filled him in on how wonderful you are,” their mother said.
Simone blushed. “Oh.”
“Come on, let’s go talk to him.” Birdie took Simone’s hand, dragging her toward Marshall.
Their mother sighed. “I’d better go with them to keep Birdie in line.” Her mother went after them, leaving Red and Sasha alone.
“Well, that should be interesting,” Red said. “Fill me in on your life, baby girl. I saw you dancing with Flame. He’s quite yummy. Is he on your radar?”
My man is yummier—but off-limits.“Flame’s just a friend.”
Red’s brows knitted. “Are you seeing someone else?”
“Are you spying for my mother?” Sasha knew all about their grapevine, and she wasn’t about to divulge her secrets.
“No. I’m spying for myself. Now that all of my kids are married, and Diesel and Tracey have set a wedding date, I don’t have any good gossip to follow.” Diesel had grown up in Hope Valley, and though he’d been a Nomad for years, he fell in love with a waitress at Red’s family’s bar and had remained in Peaceful Harbor. They were getting married over the winter.
Sasha glanced at Diesel and Tracey, who were chatting with her cousins, as she lied through her teeth. “I’m not seeing anyone.”
“Maybe we need to put together the first annual Hope Valley Bachelor Auction. That’s how Dixie and Jace got together, and you know he was her forever crush. Now they’re starting their own family.”
“I don’t think a bachelor auction will do the trick for me, Aunt Red. But thanks for trying.”
Red looked out at the crowd. “Well, let’s see if I can find you a man. How about one of those two cute guys who danced down the aisle?”
“Hyde and Taz? No, thank you.”
“Okay. I’ve got a few more suggestions.” She pointed out a few more guys, and Sasha nixed them all. “Sweetie, what are you not telling me?”
“Nothing. Why?”
“You’re sayingnoto guys before you look at who I’m pointing at. That tells me someone already has your heart, or you’re waiting for a special guy to notice you.”
“What are you, the single-woman whisperer?”
“Let’s just say I have a lot of experience watching things evolve.”
“Sorry to disappoint you, but there’s nothing evolving here.” Sasha saw Gus hurrying toward her.
“Sugar, come dance with me and Daddy!” Gus took her hand.
Red arched a brow. “I don’t know about that, sweetie. It looks like someone has a special place in your heart.”
“This little man stole all our hearts the day he was born. Come on, Gusto. Let’s go rock the dance floor.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
EZRA COULDN’T TAKE his eyes off Sasha. She was gorgeous in the peach dress that accentuated her curves, but it was the special light in her eyes that only he and Gus sparked that held his attention as she and Gus joined him on the dance floor.
“I understand you need another dance partner,” she said.
“My son is the best wingman. He picked the prettiest woman here. You look gorgeous tonight.”
“Thanks. You’re looking awfully handsome yourself. Almost as handsome as your wingman.”
“Watch me, Sugar!” Gus spun in a circle, waving his arms.
