Cowboy to the Core. Joanna Wayne

      “Wow, Ms. Baxter, you look super,” Katie exclaimed as she slipped through the door that separated their adjoining rooms.

      “Thank you, Katie. I feel super.”

      “Good. Celeste and I were afraid you were coming down with the flu or something when you passed out this morning.”

      The flu would have been a much more credible excuse than low blood sugar, especially when Celeste knew her eating habits so well. But who could think when they’d just snapped out of a mind-numbing trance to find themselves staring into the whiskey-colored eyes of a gorgeous cowboy? The same cowboy who would show up at their door any minute now.

      Dani turned her focus to Katie and her multicolored skirt topped by an embroidery-trimmed pale pink peasant blouse. “You make an adorable lady-in-waiting. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you with your hair up.”

      “Celeste did the upsweep for me. Do you like it?”

      No. Having the wild mass of red curls tied at the top of her head made the almost-teen look much too old and far more sophisticated than she was. Nonetheless…

      “You look enchanting,” she said truthfully.

      “Hey, Mom, I need help with this zipper. It’s stuck.”

      Celeste burst through the door, the hem of her skirt pulled to her waist. Her shiny brown hair fell in straight but silky strands halfway down her back. Her attire was the same as Katie’s except her blouson was deep purple and fell over flat breasts instead of Katie’s developing ones.

      Still my little girl, but not for long, Dani thought as she took over the task of freeing the metal zipper teeth from the gauzy fabric.

      “Coming here is the neatest thing we’ve done in like forever,” Celeste said as the zipper pulled free and the skirt fell to her ankles. “I can’t wait to see what the entertainment is like tonight. I bet those jugglers will be part of it.”

      “Yeah, they were good. I want to get my picture with them so I can show the girls at school. I bet nobody in our class has ever been to a Renaissance wedding.”

      “Right, not even snobby Samantha Cotter, and she’s been everywhere.”

      “But her mother is not nearly as pretty as you are, Ms. Baxter. She’d never score a date with a hot cowboy she’d just met like you did.”

      “I told you it’s not a date,” Dani stressed. “Marcus was going to the party anyway, and he just offered to escort us so that we wouldn’t have to drive back alone tonight on those dark, narrow roads.”

      “No, he’s hot for you,” Celeste said. “I could tell. He knows you’re fun.”

      Fun? Dani felt like she’d been anything but lately. That had to change. She needed this weekend to go well, for her sake and Celeste’s. She touched the amulet at her neck and thought of Marcus and his teasing smile.

      The tenseness started to ease, and her customary confidence picked up steam. They were here to celebrate with Bethany Sue, and it was foolish to keep worrying about things she could do nothing about.

      A knock at the door captured all their attention. Celeste swung it open, and there stood Marcus, dressed in hiphugging jeans, boots and his black Stetson—and looking even sexier than he had been this morning. Who’d have thought that was possible?

      Their eyes met, and the temperature in the room seemed to jump a few dozen degrees. Not a date. This time she reminded herself of that fact. It did nothing to still the heated anticipation that was fast turning her insides to molten gold.