“Kyle!”

He smooched her indignant mouth. “You’re still so damn fun to tease.”

Abe sighed. “I actually preferred you two flinging insults at each other rather than making goo-goo eyes and cooing like demented doves.”

Celia resisted whapping him on the head.

Hank and Abe took the lead as they wandered through the main room of the lodge. They paused outside the opening to the dining room and stepped off to the side.

She’d barely registered the room full of people when they all yelled, “Surprise!”

Both she and Kyle jumped.

Abe said, “Allow me to present…Mr. and Mrs. Kyle Gilchrist.”

Applause and whistles echoed in the room.

Then Harper, Lainie, Janie, Tierney, Bernice, and Vivien rushed forward.

“What’s all this?” Celia managed.

“Your wedding shower!” Harper exclaimed.

“But…” She looked at Janie.

“My baby shower was last month. Since none of us were at your wedding ceremony, nor was there a wild and crazy wedding dance afterward, we decided to throw you a party.”

“We figured you could use some household items, since you’ve both been on the road for the last few years,” Lainie added.

“When folks in Muddy Gap heard you guys had gotten hitched? I had dozens of people calling and asking when we were gonna throw you a proper reception,” Harper said.

“Except we know improper suits you better,” Bernice said with a snicker. “Since me and Viv were friends of your mom’s, we asked to be involved.”

“Asked?” Tierney snorted. “Demanded is more like it.”

Vivien hip-checked her. “Hush, newlywed. When you’ve been married as long as I was, or as long as Bernice has been, you get to bull your way into whatever party you want.”

Bernice, one of the least sentimental women Celia knew, took Celia’s hand. “When I heard the news about you and Kyle, it reminded me of something your mama said years ago. Something I’d forgotten because it’d come out of left field. Back in the day, before I started my shop, I was at your folks’ place, giving your mom a haircut. Kyle had ridden the bus home with Hank. You and Kyle were sniping at each other. Somehow you ended up chasing each other outside, right in front of the sliding glass door. Your mom said, in that soft-spoken way of hers, ‘They fight because there’s more between them than they understand at their age.’ So I know your mom would be happy for both of you.”

Stunned, Celia choked out, “Thank you, Bernice, that’s…” and turned toward Kyle because she couldn’t finish.

He said, “Ladies, can you give me and my bride a moment?”

“Sure.”

He blocked her from the room, holding her face in his hands. “What?”

“How is that even possible? What Bernice said about my mom?”

“Can’t we just chalk it up to your mother being a perceptive woman?”

“I guess. Perceptiveness sure isn’t something I inherited—I didn’t have a clue about this shower.” Her gaze hooked his. “Did you know about this?”

“Hell no.”

“Good.” She inhaled deeply. “Because I’d hate to start a fight with you in front of all these people.”

“They’re used to it from us. So let’s defy their expectations.” Kyle placed a soft kiss between her eyebrows. “Now buck up and face the music.”

When they turned around, another cheer went up.

“Let’s get this party started! For the bride…” Harper settled a lace veil on Celia’s head.

“And for the groom…” Bran clipped a plastic ball and chain around Kyle’s ankle.

Laughter erupted.

Tierney clapped her hands after the hilarity died down. “Okay, people, listen up. We’re doing this old school. Men, take Kyle to the bar. Ladies, you know what to do.”

Celia tried not to panic when Kyle was ripped away from her without so much as a good-bye kiss.

You’re getting too dependent on him, Celia.

“I remember the days when menfolk weren’t invited,” Garnet said behind her. “Then we could talk about all sorts of raunchy sex stuff.”

“Like having men in the next room over is going to stop you from whatever you wanted to say anyway,” Maybelle said with a sniff.

“Age does have certain honesty benefits.”

Garnet and Maybelle each hooked an arm through Celia’s. “We’re your official escorts,” Garnet confided. “Which I hope means we’re either getting booze first or cake first.”

Maybelle sighed. “Brace yourself, Celia. It’s going to be a long afternoon.”

She was hugged about a hundred times. But one person was missing from the crowd. She wondered if Kyle had noticed.

“Why the frown?” Lainie murmured.

“Did you invite Kyle’s mom?”

“Yes. But she opted not to come. Evidently Sherry talked to Susan. Susan said Sherry didn’t want to spend all afternoon fielding questions about Marshall Townsend being Kyle’s father. She said it’s supposed to be focused on your marriage. But she did send a gift. So did Tanna.”

Women of all ages, some Celia hadn’t seen in years, started to fill in the circle of chairs.

Janie sat on Celia’s right side and patted her thigh. “Toughen up, cowgirl. This is gonna be some fun.”