Page 179

Story: Tenderfoot

(CÉLINE DION)
“Why am I having déjà vu?” Roxie whispered.
“Because eleven women are huddling around a couple cars in a ritzy neighborhood, and probably five people have already called 911 on us. So the cops are gonna be here in approximately four minutes. All because a woman in love is doing something her man expressly asked her not to do,” Ally answered.
All true.
Eek!
Ally kept going.
“We’re gonna get arrested for trespassing, at worst, or escorted out of this development, we can hope. Somehow, because it always does, this is going to get back to her man. He’s gonna lose his mind. Drama is going to ensue. There’ll be a kidnapping and perhaps a car bomb thrown in here and there for shits and grins. And then someone is gonna get married or pregnant and they’re all gonna think it’s over, but it won’t be. And I know this because a version of it has happened about ten times in Denver. To us. Including me. And you.”
“Oh yeah, that’s why I’m having déjà vu,” Roxie replied through a smile.
You guessed it.
The Rock Chicks horned in on our action.
There we were, sitting in Mace and Stella’s fantastic casita, where Tex and his wife Nancy were staying, innocently scrolling through mid-century modern home renovations and décor ideas. We were sipping cocktails Jessie made. We were eating cashews (I’d noted the Rock Chicks had a thing about cashews). All of this while alternately stroking or playing with a bevy of cats.
And then, after I’d given Nancy plenty of time to get a good number of ideas in her head about her new house, I ranted about Javi’s dad. Jessie threw a fit. The Angels threw down with me. The Rock Chicks joined in camaraderie.
And now we were all here. In a ritzy development. Standing in a huddle on the street outside Austin Atherton’s sprawling house.
I had a feeling Indy, Roxie, Stella and Annette were there for kicks.
And Ally was there to make sure we didn’t get arrested.
But I was stuck on Ally saying, “Woman in love.”
Was I in love with Javi?
Oh em gee!
I was!
Or, at least, I was falling. And fast.
Okay, so did this freak me out considering it was so soon?
Hmm.
No.
No, I was not in the slightest freaking out. Even if Javi strong-armed his way to buying the nutribullet, I knew down deep in my soul he was the guy for me.
Hark back to the groom carrying the bride thing.
Do you feel me?
“Lolo,” Raye called.
I stopped smiling moonily at no one and focused on my friend.
“This is your rodeo. You gonna get in the saddle?” she asked.
Oh.

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