Sgt. Billy's Bride. Bonnie Gardner

window. “It’s Earline and Edd and the kids.” With Earline’s kids around, at least, he wouldn’t have time to think.

      BILL WAS RIGHT when he’d told her they wouldn’t have to make an announcement, Darcy thought as she assessed the crowd in the small living room. It seemed as if everyone who came in had already heard. It might have saved them from having to stand up in front of the group and tell a bald-faced lie, but it hadn’t made it any easier.

      Because everyone already knew, she found herself fielding questions that she and Bill had not prepared for.

      Like, when was the wedding?

      Since there wasn’t really going to be a wedding, they hadn’t thought that anyone would ask. Both of them had severely underestimated the curiosity of the residents of Mattison, Alabama.

      “You really ought to set a date soon, girl,” Ruby Scarborough, Bill’s first-grade teacher, said as she cornered Darcy in the nook by the fireplace, far across the room from Bill.

      Bill had told Darcy that Mrs. Scarborough considered herself a member of every family in the community since she’d educated all the kids and most of the parents as well. She attended every party, wedding shower and reception, whether she was invited or not.

      “Gosh, Mrs. Scarborough, Bill and I hadn’t even thought that far ahead,” Darcy told her truthfully. “We’ve only just gotten engaged, and we want to enjoy that part of our relationship for now.”

      Mrs. Scarborough took her by the arm and pulled her farther to the side. “You know, Nettie doesn’t have much more time,” she said in hushed tones. “Perhaps, you should think of doing it sooner instead of later.”

      “Yes, ma’am. We know. But I’ve just gotten out of nursing school, and I want to work for a while first.” Darcy knew her reply was lame, but what else could she say?

      Bill came to her rescue. “You’ll excuse me, Miz Scarborough, if I steal my fiancée away.”

      “You’re excused for now. But I will not forgive you if you don’t set a date, and soon. Your momma needs to see you married and settled.”

      “Yes, ma’am, I know. But, I’m going to be busy with several training schools for the next few months, so we won’t be able to schedule anything until I’m done.”

      “Until you’re finished with them,” Mrs. Scarborough corrected. “You’re only done if you’ve been baking at 350 degrees for about five hours like a turkey,” she added.

      “Yes, ma’am. When I’m finished.” Bill steered Darcy across the room.

      “I’m sorry,” he whispered quietly into Darcy’s ear. “I hadn’t expected the news to spread like wildfire. I could throttle Earline.”

      Darcy turned and whispered back. “It’s all right. We should have asked your mother to keep it quiet.” Then she stopped. “But, that would have been unfair to her.”

      “Yeah,” Bill said. “I should’ve straightened it all out last night.” Then he looked across the room to where his mother was seated regally in a chair, her attendant guests surrounding her.

      No, he was glad he’d given her these few moments of pleasure. He and Darcy could pretend to have a falling-out later. He did have that long string of specialty schools coming up. It would be a perfect reason for the engagement not to work out.

      Then he looked at Darcy, smiling down at Chrissy, Earline’s youngest. It might be a perfect excuse, but everybody’d think he was a damned fool to let a keeper like Darcy get away.

      Too bad she wasn’t really his to lose.

      DARCY’S FACE hurt from smiling so much, and it was still early in the party as far as she could tell. There were mounds of food on the table, and the huge sheet cake that Lougenia had baked and decorated herself had yet to be cut. It was going to be a long evening.

      Lougenia banged on an aluminum cook pot with a wooden spoon. “Come on, ever’body. Food’s getting cold. Grab a plate and fill it, then find a spot to set.”

      Edd stepped up to the table and reached for a plate, but Lougenia smacked her brother-in-law’s hand with her wooden spoon. “Hold on, bubba. Where are your manners? Let’s let the birthday boy and the guest of honor go first.”

      Edd backed up, looking duly chastened, but his hangdog look soon turned to a grin. “Better get up there, boy. They’s hungry people waiting.”

      Bill blushed, and Darcy couldn’t help liking the man more. He took her by the hand and stepped forward, and as a shock of warmth ran up her arm, Darcy couldn’t help thinking she liked that, too. It was a good thing that Bill was going back to his base soon. If she wasn’t careful, she would be wanting to make this engagement real.

      And the last thing she needed right now was another man in her life.

      Bill handed Darcy a plate, a chipped piece of bone china in a beautiful old pattern that must have been in his family for years. “Better eat up,” he said low, under his breath. “We don’t skimp on food around here.”

      Darcy looked around the room at the well-fed group, and could see that that statement was true. Maybe too true. But that was a crusade she’d fight later. She hadn’t done a cardiology rotation for nothing.

      Lucy Carterette, the minister’s wife, Darcy thought, stepped into line behind her as she debated the merits of deviled eggs versus carrot sticks. The eggs won. She could do an extra mile the next time she ran. She smiled at the woman and helped herself to an egg.

      “It’s so nice that Billy has found someone,” Mrs. Carterette said as she, too, selected an egg. “How did you and Billy meet?”

      “Darcy’s car broke down, and I gave her a lift,” Bill interjected. They’d decided to stick as close to the truth as possible without filling in too many details that could get them into trouble later.

      “Isn’t that sweet!” another woman, whose connection Darcy couldn’t quite figure, cooed.

      “Yes, ma’am. I was quite worried. I had just set out to walk when Bill drove up and rescued me.” That much was true. She’d managed to keep her story straight, so far. Maybe, if people were busy eating, she wouldn’t have to answer so many questions.

      She filled her plate and followed Bill to a spot on the floor by the fireplace.

      Bill held out his hand and took her plate while Darcy settled, cross-legged, next to him. They left the sofa and chairs for the older, less nimble people.

      Chrissie squealed as Little Edd swiped a carrot stick from her. She shoved her plate at her mother and dashed across the floor and tackled the boy in a play that would have made any football coach proud.

      Big Edd got up, crossed the room in two long strides, grabbed both kids by the shoulders and pulled them apart. “Go set with your momma,” he told Chrissie sternly. Then he looked at Little Edd. “What do you mean, picking on your sister like that? You know we didn’t bring you up to steal from girls.”

      The boy, head hanging dejectedly, dragged back to his spot on the other side of his mother.

      “And you watch about letting people tackle you like ‘at. It ain’t no way to get to the University of Alabama if you gonna let a girl get the better of you.”

      Little Edd looked up quickly, then swallowed. “Yes, sir,” he said. “I know I shoulda been watching my flank.” He picked up his abandoned plate and sat down.

      “Starting a little early, aren’t they?” Darcy murmured as she tried to hide a smile.

      Bill looked at her. “Around here, one of the few ways a poor kid can get to college is to do good on the football field.”

      “A football scholarship’s the only hope they have?” Darcy concluded.

      “Got that in one,” Bill answered grimly, then dug into a mound of potato