“And time has run out for my fairy tale. Mind if we save it for tonight?” Mitzi asked.

“Not one bit. You can even add extra to it with whatever happens today,” Paula said. “This has been one weird summer, hasn’t it? I didn’t believe in fate before, but I’m sure starting to believe in it now.”

Three rows back from where she sat with Fanny Lou and Harry, Graham stared at Mitzi’s gorgeous red hair lit up by the morning sun filtering through the church windows that morning. By shutting his eyes he could imagine the full, voluptuous body that went right along with it.

Tabby poked him in the ribs with her elbow. “If you start snoring, I’m going to kick you in the shins.”

“I wasn’t asleep,” he said out of the corner of his mouth.

“Then don’t even rest your eyes,” Dixie said from his other side.

He took off his glasses and cleaned them with a handkerchief he took from his pocket. “You’re not listening, either.”

“No, but I’m not sleeping,” Dixie said.

He managed to pick up a few words of the sermon after that, but if there had been a test after church, he certainly would’ve failed it. His mind kept going back to Mitzi in his arms after making love. Feeding her strawberries while they watched a movie that he couldn’t even remember the name of. Brushing her hair and telling her how silky and soft it was.

Graham was jerked back to the present when the preacher asked Harry to deliver the benediction. As soon as everyone was on their feet, he made his way to Mitzi and whispered, “Want to go out on the boat again this afternoon? It’s not supposed to rain today.”

“I’d love to, but I still don’t have a bathing suit,” she said.

He leaned toward her and whispered, “Then we’ll find a little cove and do some skinny-dippin’.”

Mitzi’s cheeks turned scarlet. “You better be watchin’ for lightning bolts, talking like that in church.”

Graham chuckled. “It does sound like fun, though, doesn’t it? Maybe I’ll put a pool in my backyard and then you won’t ever need a swimming suit again.”

“Swimming?” Dixie overheard the last part of the conversation and almost squealed. “I love going to the lake.”

“I thought we might get a bucket of chicken and head that way soon as we change clothes,” Graham said.

Tabby peeked out from around her sister. “Yes,” she said as she raised a hand to high-five with Dixie.

“We’ll pick you up in twenty minutes.” Graham winked.

“I’ll be ready,” Mitzi said.

Mitzi hit the back door in a run and then took the stairs two at a time on her way up to her bedroom.

“Whoa!” Paula called out from the living room. “What’s the rush?”

“Graham invited me to go out on the boat again. I promise I’ll work right along with Jody to catch up on the orders in the evenings next week. Y’all want to go along?” Mitzi pulled her dress up over her head and tossed it toward the bed.

“No, thank you. Fanny Lou is coming over. We’re going to lunch in Greenville, and then we’re going to look at cribs. I saw two I liked yesterday, but I thought it would be fun if she helped pick it out since she’s volunteered to be the grandmother.” Paula followed Mitzi into her bedroom and sat on the edge of her bed. “And then I do plan to put in a few hours in the sewing room this afternoon. Who would have ever thought one bridal fair would bring in a dozen orders, and that many more appointments?”

“I thought we might get a couple,” Mitzi said. “I’m blown away by it. And we’re already on the list for next year. We may have to hire more than one more seamstress if this keeps up.”

She stopped in her tracks and her chest tightened. “Something just dawned on me. I stopped taking birth control a month after my last boyfriend, and we didn’t use a bit of protection yesterday.”

“So you did have sex?” Paula laughed. “Not that I’m surprised one little bit. You were glowing this morning at breakfast. Jody and I will expect the details on that when you tell us your fairy tale tonight.”

“The fairy tale might turn into something very different if I’m pregnant,” Mitzi said.

“I can tell you all about that.” Paula handed her a bottle of perfume from the dresser. “At least you’re not pregnant by a bastard like Clinton if you are, and, honey, I was on the pill. They’re only like 99.7 percent effective. You could be a fertile Myrtle like me and wind up with a baby even when you’re taking it.”

“Remind me to make an appointment with the doctor tomorrow. My prescription has run out, I’m sure.” When she finished jerking on a pair of khaki shorts and a cool cotton blouse, Mitzi sprayed a little perfume in the air and walked through it.

“You look great,” Paula said.

They were on their way down the stairs when Fanny Lou yelled from the kitchen, “I’m here. Is Mitzi going with us?”

“No, she’s got another date with Graham,” Paula called out as she and Mitzi made their way across the foyer. “Mitzi’s going to tell us everything this evening. Jody and I told her our stories from yesterday, but we ran out of time,” Paula answered. “I’ll tell you what happened to me over lunch. Jody can tell you about her new friend, Hazel, who happens to be Quincy Roberts’s four-year-old daughter, this evening. And if we have to stay up until midnight, Mitzi is going to give us all the details of her weekend.”