Rick watched the TV intently. He didn’t sit until the end of the replay. “It might have been charging,” he admitted grudgingly. “Maybe.” He flicked a glance at Andrew. “Now would you kindly shut up about Frannie and her fictitious wedding plans? I’m trying to watch a game here. It’s not like anybody’s asking you to wear an apricot cummerbund.” Rick leapt back to his feet. “He stole the ball! Look at that, would you? He’s going all the way. Two points, yes!”
Drew was just pushing himself off the sofa to turn the television off and force Rick to listen to him when the doorbell rang. Rick’s eyes didn’t even flicker. Drew sighed and went to answer it himself.
He smiled and nodded recognition. “Ladies. What an unexpected treat. Come on in.” Somebody had to play host after all. It was obvious Rick wasn’t up to the task. “Uh, Evie, was Rick expecting you?” After his last frustrating half hour trying to get Rick’s attention, Drew wondered if Evie knew what she was up against. In fact, Drew briefly considered telling Evie her fiancé should come with a label—Rabid Sports Nut.
“Hey, Drew,” the vivacious redhead said as she sailed into the entrance hall, Frannie following in her wake. “Is he here?”
Evidently Evie wasn’t expected. This should be interesting. “Yeah.” Drew jabbed a thumb in the direction of the living room. “In there. Follow the noise.”
Evie crinkled her nose and laughed when she heard a whistle blow, the roar of a crowd and the bellowing of her fiancé.
“Put on your glasses, ref.”
“The tournament isn’t over yet?”
“Ah, no. Not yet. They’ll be down to two teams after tonight. Only one more game.”
“Hallelujah.” And Evie planted herself right in front of the television. “Hi, lover.”
Rick leaned to one side, then the other. “Hey, I can’t—oh. Evie. How’s it going, sweetie?” Rick’s eyes shifted from his fiancée to the corner of the screen left unblocked by her body and back to his fiancée. He sighed, picked up the remote and clicked the TV off.
“The wrong guys were winning anyway,” he announced philosophically.
Drew’s eyes goggled as Rick stood and with a strained smile, gave Evie a kiss and asked, “What’s up?” Must be true love, was all he could figure. Scary.
“Frannie and I were out doing wedding stuff. We figured we’d stop by and get your opinion on a few things.”
Rick gazed longingly back at the television. “Just a few things?”
Evie held firm. Start as you mean to go on. “Yes. I’d like your input on the color scheme, floral arrangements, the men’s tuxedoes, why you have this need to always be on top—just a few little things like that.”
Rick was still lovingly stroking the remote control with his thumb. “Uh-huh, uh-huh, sure babe, whatever you want. You know that.”
Drew stifled a laugh and whispered to Frannie, “This could get interesting.”
Frannie flushed. She grasped Drew’s arm and tugged. “Let’s you and I go in the kitchen. Give them a little privacy.”
“Not on your life,” he shot back quietly. “What’s wrong with the man being on top, I’d like to know? I kind of like it myself.” Then more loudly, “Hey, Evie, about the men’s tuxes, basic black, right? I mean, since I’ve got to wear one—”
Frannie stomped on his foot. “Hush, this is none of your business.” She tugged harder, but it reminded her of the last time she’d had to move the refrigerator to clean behind it. Just about impossible. She braced herself and yanked again. Drew barely budged. She was going to need reinforcements, just as she did for the refrigerator. “Come on, Drew.”
“Don’t sweat it, Drew. Black is fine. For the jacket and pants,” Evie said.
The hair on the back of his arm stood up. Planting himself more firmly against Frannie’s surprising strength, Drew quickly questioned, “For the jacket and pants? What does that mean? What else is there? I mean, the shirt’ll be white. Dress shirts are always white. And the cummerbund. Black, right?”
“Welll…” Evie hesitated and Drew panicked.
“I was kind of thinking…”
God save him from women who thought. “What? What were you thinking?”
“Well, you know how men’s formal shirts have those rows of ruffles down the fronts?”
Drew was getting a very bad feeling here. “Yeah? Maybe we could just wear plain white shirts. I don’t see why that wouldn’t work, do you, Rick?” He turned to his best friend, hoping for salvation but finding only a wicked grin.
“It’s only for a few hours, old buddy. Whatever she’s got in mind, it’ll only hurt for a little while. Promise.”
Frannie huffed, “Honestly, what a couple of babies.”
“I’ll make a deal,” Evie said. “No ruffles on the shirts, just tucks…”
“Tucks?”
“Tucks,” Evie repeated firmly. “In exchange for which you will, without complaint, wear a cummerbund that matches the bridesmaids’ dresses.
“Take it,” Rick advised. “It’s a good deal. Think of it as the fee us guys have to pay to get exclusive rights.” He gave his fiancée a sick smile. “We’re both going to live.”
Then he whispered quietly, “Just agree, will you? The quicker they’re satisfied, the quicker we can get back to the game.”
Drew took a deep breath. “Okay, so what’s the color scheme?” He wasn’t at all sure he really wanted to know.
“Well, I really, really love pink, you know…”
“Pink?” Drew exploded.
Frannie rolled her eyes.
Evie patted her hair. “But I think it would clash with my hair so Frannie and I have decided on lettuce.”
“Lettuce? That’s a color?”
Frannie patted Drew’s arm. She’d all but given up on dragging him out of the room. “A very pale green, Drew. Nothing too threatening, just green. Evie and I thought that since her hair was red, we should surround her with its complementary color, green. The wedding pictures are going to be gorgeous.” No need to tell him pink had never really been in the running. It had only been thrown in to make the green sound good by comparison.
“Evie’s beautiful no matter what she wears,” Rick declared loyally.
“Very good, dear,” Evie said and kissed him soundly. “That got you two extra brownie points.”
Rick hitched up his jeans. “Yeah? How many do I need for another round of me on top?”
“You were listening.”
“I always listen to you, sweetheart.”
It was difficult to feminize a snort, but Evie managed. Frannie was impressed.
“Okay, so lettuce is a girl word for green, right? I can live with green.”
“For heaven’s sake, Drew, your masculinity will survive.” Frannie gave him a hard tug, caught him by surprise and actually moved him. “Now, come on.”
“No, Frannie, wait. This is a learning experience.