Page 4 of Tizzy's Little Thanksgiving

She heard Lucas’ even voice come across the line seconds before her call connected and she saw Georgie’s smiling face. Her friend was smiling even bigger than usual, and practically buzzing with excitement.

“I’m engaged!” Georgie cried, waving a hand adorned with a gorgeous cushion-cut diamond glittering on her finger in front of her face.

Tizzy’s jaw dropped open. She’d expected this of course, but not quite so soon. Georgie and Lucas had gotten together in May. It was now October.

Across the table, Eddie seemed to have the same reaction.

“What?” he hollered, catching the attention of the diners around them. “It’s only been a few months.”

Tizzy glared at him, and he dropped his voice to a shouty whisper, but it was too late. Georgie’s eyes narrowed and she seemed to notice for the first time that Tizzy was not at home. “Was that Eddie?” her friend accused. “Where are you? Are you with Eddie?” Her questions came rapid-fire, one after the other.

She opened her mouth to explain, fully ready to stammer out her whole story about rollerblading and apples, and not wanting to go to jail, and Eddie coming to her rescue like the knight in shining armor he was, but before she could start, Eddie came to her rescue once again, sliding into the booth beside her, still on the phone with Lucas.

“Hey, sis,” he said with an easy smile. “It seems you have impeccable timing. I was just out attempting to do my own grocery shopping for once because Jeannie is out of town, and who should I run into but good ol’ Tizzy here.”

Teresa scowled. She hated that nickname. She hated even more that she knew he was right; it suited her.

“Oh hey! That’s neat. A two for one!” Lucas ended his call with Eddie, the screen going black as he slid into Georgie’s frame.

Georgie was still staring at them with narrowed eyes. “You’re not in a grocery store now. That looks like Cheddar’s.”

“Good eyes,” Eddie quipped. “Anyway, as I was saying we got to talking at the store, and it was nearly dinnertime, and we were both hungry so we decided to eat together.”

Georgie looked like she was about to jump in with more questions, but Eddie cut her off.

“So you’re engaged huh? When did this happen?”

It worked. Fully distracted, Georgie glanced down at her ring, a smile playing on her lips. “Only about twenty minutes ago. I haven’t even told the ‘rents yet. We wanted to tell you first. Well, I wanted to tell Teresa. Lucas wanted to tell you.”

“And I might have gotten the chance if your announcement wasn’t so boisterous,” Lucas teased, poking Georgie in the ribs.

She blushed and squirmed away from him.

“Anyway, there was a reason for the call, other than to share our good news. Yes, we are getting married”—she held up her hand again and waggled her fingers—“on November 25th, the Saturday after Thanksgiving, and of course, Teresa, I wanted you to be my maid of honor, and Eddie, Lucas wants you to be his best man.” She smiled widely, clasping her hands in front of her, as if she were praying. As if she needed to. There was never a question.

“Of course!” she and Eddie answered in unison.

The squeal that came from her best friend didn’t sound human. “Yay! Oh thank you thank you, thank you! I’m so excited. And I promise to call you back later with all the details, both of you, but we have more calls to make! Talk to you soon!”

Georgie disconnected the call abruptly before either of them had a chance to say goodbye and Eddie got up, sliding into the chair across from her once more.

Stupidly, she left her hands on the table, and Eddie grabbed them again.

“Well, well, well,” he said with raised brows, staring once again at the gemstones adorning her sparkly manicure. “It looks like I’ll be going to Rawhide sooner rather than later. In fact, it looks like we’ll be going together. Imagine that.” He waited a beat, in which Tizzy held her breath, before continuing.

“You know, from what I understand, Georgie got quite the spanking for breaking into my apartment. And yet, you as her accomplice got away scot free. Doesn’t quite seem fair, does it?”

Before she could even dream of coming out of shock long enough to piece together any sort of acceptable answer, their food came, Eddie dropped her hand, and the moment was broken.

And all Tizzy could think was that November, and the wedding, were far too far away.

Chapter 1

Teresa

Cometo Gate 35B once you get through security.

Teresa rolled her eyes at the text from Eddie, his third in the last hour.

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