Page 35 of One Touch

An unladylike snort escaped from my nose. “Do? Nothing. Pretend it didn’t happen.”

“Oh ... deny, deflect, and completely ignore the situation? Sounds like a Sullivan thing to do.”

I laughed and stretched out on my beach towel. Annie had grown up with kind foster parents, but she was a Sullivan through and through. Oftentimes I thought she knew us better than we knew ourselves.

Thankful for a new distraction, I tipped my chin toward the man walking directly toward us. “Incoming.”

Annie looked up from her book and a blush stained her cheeks. Charles Attwater was tall and lean and had a swagger about him. A little bookish, but very handsome.

Annie raised her hand in greeting as he walked over. “Hey, Charles, you’ve met Katie, right?”

Charles casually squatted in front of us and extended a hand. A charming smile lifted the corner of his mouth. “I don’t think I’ve had the pleasure.”

I reached out my hand to him, and he held it delicately, pressing my knuckles to his lips. “Charles Attwater. It’s nice to meet you.”

I smiled and pulled my hand from his. “We’ve been enjoying your wine at book club.”

Charles preened. “I’m delighted that a few lovely women are enjoying the selection.”

“Seems like it’s more than just a few. Everyone has been raving about the wine shop since you opened.”

Charles settled back onto his haunches, enjoying the attention. “Business has been very good. I’m still thinking of new ways to continue to get the word out about the shop. Drum up a little excitement and get people through the door. Maybe highlight a few local business owners.” He looked over at Annie and winked. “In fact, there is a certain local artist I had been hoping to chat with about selling a few pieces at the store.”

“Wow, Charles. That would be incredible. I could have a few pieces to display. Something to incorporate the wine and the scenery ... marry the two so that it’s mutually beneficial for the businesses.”

Charles offered her a slick smile, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “I am definitely up for something that’s mutually beneficial.”

I glanced between the two of them, each seemingly oblivious to my presence.

“You know, there’s a rumor in town that this fall festival is quite the spectacle,” he said.

“The Fireside Flannel Festival?” I asked.

Annie grinned. “It is everything it promises to be. A festival, bonfires, and lots and lots of flannel.”

Charles looked down at his chino shorts and short-sleeved button-down shirt. “Looks like I might have to do some shopping.”

“You definitely have to wear flannel. That’s a requirement.”

Charles smiled at Annie, his pale-blue eyes sparking with flirtatious mischief.

“Is there dancing at this festival?”

“Definitely dancing,” I chimed in. “Usually several local bands, and after the carnival dies down, it pretty much turns into the entire town having one big party.”

“Well, maybe in addition to a new flannel shirt, I’ll also have to dust off my dancing shoes. Save a dance for me, Annie?”

She looked up from her lowered lashes. “Of course.”

Charles flipped a glance toward me and stood to his full height. “Ladies, I’ll let you get back to your afternoon. Annie, it was a pleasure, as always.”

The red that stained Annie’s nose was no longer from our afternoon in the summer sun. I swatted her arm gently as she watched him walk down the beach. “You have a crush on him! And by the looks of it he’s crushing back.”

Annie grinned a cheesy smile. “I don’t know ... he seems kind of flirtatious with everyone, but when he turns his attention on me, it’s hard to not get that fluttery feeling in my tummy.”

My heart squeezed for Annie. She deserved this—a man who showered her with attention and gave her that buzzy, fluttery feeling. For so long she either wasn’t interested or her relationship with my older brother tended to complicate things. Most people couldn’t fathom how Annie and Lee had remained best friends for so long and never crossed that line.

I suspected I was one of theveryfew people who had protected Annie’s secret for so long. At one time Annie’s feelings crossed over intonot quite platonicwhile Lee was overseas serving our country. But after he got back and everything went down with Margo, it all fell apart. Annie had sworn me to secrecy, and seeing how difficult it was for Lee to recover, I truly believed at the time that it was what was for the best.

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