Page 37 of Just One Look

“I’m in.” Emily pushed the cotton long sleeves up her forearm and grinned.

About to open her mouth to volunteer as well, Liz stopped at Devlin’s raised hand.

Stepping into her private space, he placed an all too brief kiss on her lips. “Someone needs to stay here who knows how to answer any questions the guests may have on an item.”

On a sigh, Liz nodded. He had a point. “If you still need help after Paige and Eve come back from checking on the wine and food, I’ll come out.”

“Fair enough.” Devlin nodded.

No sooner had he and Emily crossed through the French doors onto the veranda then, a glass of champagne in hand, Courtney of the many names sauntered up beside her. “The vase should have been front and center.”

“Like a ten pin,” Liz teased. Not sure why she thought the barracuda might have a sense of humor.

The witch glared at her and Liz did her best to stay calm. This woman could tick off Mother Theresa. “A bowling joke. What I should expect from you.”

Liz had to wonder if Courtney still thought she was talking to Emily.

“And here I thought it suited you so well.” Flashing a forced toothy grin, Liz probably should have sweetened her words with honey instead of vinegar, but she just couldn’t help herself.

For a few seconds, the whites of her eyes circled dark brown orbs, Liz expected smoke to come out of Courtney’s ears. Instead, grinding her back teeth, she merely gathered her composure and shook her head. “So childish. Proves my point. Devlin needs a real woman.”

Visions of this ‘real woman’ with a black eye crossed Liz’s mind, but she didn’t dare do anything to upend the carefully arranged event. Instead, she bit her tongue and side stepped her nemesis. “I’d better see if Paige needs any help.”

Shaking her head, Courtney gently raised one shoulder in an indifferent shrug.

Silently counting to ten or a thousand, just as Liz passed the barracuda, she tripped over her own two feet. Or did she? Glancing down at the floor in search of some obstacle to have tripped on, the only thing she saw was Courtney’s tapping foot in boots that probably cost more than Liz’s weekly income. Slowly raising her gaze to meet the witch’s, there was no missing the satisfied smirk on her face. The little… “Having a hard time keeping those size ten blocks to yourself?”

Once again, Courtney’s eyes widened, her nostrils flared and any second, Liz was sure steam would be coming out of the woman’s ears. The woman was way too easy to rile. “I’ll have you know I wear a petite size seven. Perfect size for my frame.” The woman actually patted the side of her head as if proving some ridiculous point.

She knew she shouldn’t have done it. It was truly childish to follow the philosophy of tit for tat, but when Courtney spun around to saunter away, Liz couldn’t help herself. Her size eight boot slipped forward and Courtney went flying over the boot, and unceremoniously face planted on the hardwood floor.

Heaving up onto all fours, Courtney glared at her and suddenly, like staring a snorting bull in the face, the woman grunted and lunged forward.

Two arms wrapped around her knees and yanked her feet out from under her. Oh, hell, what had she started?

“There we go. All set.” Brushing his hands together, Devlin surveyed the veranda. The extra tables were in place and Paige, Eve, and their grandmother were quickly helping the staff pretty them up.

“Looks like we’d better buckle up.” Staring ahead, Emily bumped the last table over a smidgeon. “Courtney’s here and she’s marching straight for Liz.”

“Liz?” His gaze narrowed as he searched out the two women. “She’d better keep her distance.”

Emily cocked her head to one side. “You really do care for Liz, don’t you?”

His best friend studied him so intently, discomfort slithered up his spine. “Of course I do. I care for a lot of people. You included.”

Shaking her head, Emily rolled her eyes at him. “That’s not what I meant and you know it.”

The thought of side stepping, or fudging his way out of the answer occurred to him, but there was no point, he had to face the music eventually and now was as good a time as any. His head bobbed. “Quite a bit.”

One brow lifted over eyes that shimmered as brightly as Liz’s but somehow, had never affected him the way Liz’s did. “I thought so.”

“And?”

“And what?” Her brow settled back into its rightful place. She really didn’t know what he meant.

“Are you okay with it?”

Her expression softened as her lips tipped up. “I couldn’t ask for a better man for my older sister.”

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