Half an hour later Colby kissed Diana and bundled her into the front seat of the Jeep. He touched the ring on her left hand. “You look terrific, Mrs. Savagar. Sexy , as hell. Can’t wait to get you into bed.“
“You’re going to have to demonstrate a little patience, Mr. Savagar. Brandon told me earlier there would be a few people waiting at the house.“
“A few… what!“ Colby was dumbfounded. He swung around to search out Brandon who was starting toward a small, red two-seater Mazda. He had Angela Prentice in tow. “Brandon.“
“Yeah, Dad?“ Brandon glanced back over his shoulder.
“Who’s waiting at the house?“
“I don’t know for sure. I was just told that a few people wanted to congratulate you and Diana. That’s all I know, honest.“ He ushered Angela into the front seat of the racy little car. “Probably the Thorps and maybe that man who owns the grocery store. No big deal.“
“No big deal,“ Colby grumbled as he got into the Jeep beside Diana. “I had other plans for this afternoon. The last thing I want to do is share a few drinks with the Thorps and McDonald.“
As it turned out, Colby didn’t have to share a few drinks with the Thorps and Brian McDonald.
He had to share wedding punch and cake with the entire population of Fulbrook Corners. Everyone in town, including Margaret Fulbrook, showed up for the reception honoring Colby Savagar’s second hasty marriage.
3
“What the hell is going on here?“ Colby raked his fingers through his hair and stared at the crowd of approximately two hundred people milling around the front yard of Aunt Jesse’s old house.
“I’ll take a wild guess and say that you have more friends in town than you thought you did,“ Diana murmured as she slid out of the front seat. “Don’t sit there grumbling to yourself. Come and enjoy your party.“
A cheer went up as people realized the wedding couple had arrived. A group of men swarmed around Colby when he climbed slowly out of the Jeep. Most of the women hastened forward to offer congratulations to Diana as she stood smiling beside the vehicle.
Specter was barking furiously from the back porch where he had been confined during the wedding.
“That dog of yours has been going wild,“ Evelyn Thorp said with a laugh as she came forward to greet Diana. “If he hadn’t been locked up we’d never have been able to pull this off. Now that you’re here, maybe he’ll calm down.“
“Specter’s not accustomed to so many people being around. He tends to be protective and possessive,“ Diana explained as she started toward the rear of the house to soothe her irate dog.
“Not unlike someone else t know,“ Evelyn remarked. She glanced over her shoulder to where Colby was the center of a throng of males. “I hope Colby doesn’t take offense at all this. It was a spur-of-the-moment decision on my part.
But once I put the word out that I was going to have a small reception for you two, everyone in town wanted to come.“
“It was very thoughtful of you.“ Diana opened the screen door and steadied herself as Specter leaped forward. He checked her out quickly to make certain she was all right, and then he perked up his huge, floppy ears and surveyed the crowd.
“Colby’s kept to himself so much in the few weeks since he arrived in town that most people are afraid to approach him. I think everyone is rather intimidated by him, if you want to know the truth. But they’re all equally fascinated.
From what Gil told me, your husband was a real hellion when he was a kid, and when he left town with Cynthia Fulbrook he was instantly elevated to the status of a local legend. Then he went on to become a successful author.
Now he’s back twenty years later – Fulbrook Corners’ one and only celebrity. I don’t think he quite realizes how excited people are to have him here.“
“Maybe this will break down a few of the barriers between him and the town,“ Diana said. “Let’s just hope Margaret Fulbrook doesn’t make a scene.“
“She’s unpredictable, but I think she’ll behave herself. She’s enthralled with her grandson, you know. She’s told everyone how he’s got the Fulbrook eyes. She won’t want to embarrass herself in front of Brandon or do anything to jeopardize her fragile relationship with him.“
Diana nodded, watching as Brandon led Angela over to introduce her to his grandmother. “Brandon’s a wonderful young man. Mrs. Fulbrook should be proud of him.“
“Colby did all right with his son,“ Evelyn agreed. “Margaret can’t bring herself to admit it yet, but she’s secretly very impressed with Brandon. And she knows in her heart that Colby’s responsible for the boy turning out so well.
One of these days maybe she’ll be able to say as much to Colby.“
Diana laughed. “I doubt she can go that far. But I agree with you. She is excited about establishing contact with Brandon after all these years.“
“I doubt they would have managed to get together if it hadn’t been for you. I heard about the day you introduced the two of them.“
“Colby was furious when he found out,“ Diana admitted.
“The fact that he got over his anger is a tribute to you, my dear. Obviously you have the power to make the man see reason. Gil says that is an uncommon talent. One of Colby’s biggest problems as a kid was his arrogant pride, according to my husband. It was all he had. Come along and introduce me to your mother. I’m anxious to meet her.
How did she take the news of your sudden marriage?“
Diana grinned. “She’s thrilled with Colby, and she let him know it. More or less told him she’ll be everlastingly grateful to him for marrying me. She’d figured I was going to spend the rest of my life on the shelf.“
Evelyn chuckled. “She sounds delightful. Nice change in mothers-in-law for Colby.“
In the end, there were no embarrassing scenes. Margaret Fulbrook nodded stiffly to Colby when they encountered each other in the crowd. Colby nodded back, and that was the end of it. Neither spoke to the other. Diana decided that was probably just as well.
Harry Gedge, Margaret Fulbrook’s beefy odd-job man, hung around at the fringes of the crowd. He stayed out of Colby’s way, which was also just as well, Diana thought. The grudge between Harry and Colby wasn’t going to disappear just because of a wedding party.
Somewhere in the middle of the affair, Eddy Spooner drifted over to where Diana was standing alone. In honor of the event he had evidently polished his old army boots and washed the camouflage shirt and pants he favored. He shoved a handful of long, thin blond hair out of his eyes and gave Diana a quizzical twist of a smile.