Drake Sisters 03 - Oceans of Fire

dripping saltwater.”
    “Hey now!” Abbey protested. “I’m not always soaking wet.”
    Sarah made a derisive sound. “Yes, you are. I think you’d live in the sea if we let you. Kate thinks you’re evolving into a mermaid. Don’t you, Kate?” she added as Kate approached them.
    Kate Drake laughed at Abbey’s expression. “You know it’s true, so don’t bother denying it. I’m getting married in a couple of months and you haven’t contributed so much as a preference for colors or flowers.”
    “I said I thought a scheme of coral reef would be pretty as a centerpiece on the tables,” Abbey pointed Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
    out.
    Kate nearly snorted the sip of wine out her nose. She waved Abigail away. “Go mingle so Inez will be happy with us. She’s looked at her watch fifty times in the last ten minutes and she’s upset because Joley made a comment about one of Frank’s goddess sculptures looking a little anorexic.”
    “That’s our Joley, stirring the pot,” Sarah said. “Come on, Kate, we’ll do damage control. You two stay out of trouble.”
    Hannah caught sight of Joley weaving her way through the crush of the crowd and nudged Abbey.
    “There’s Joley. Let’s do a fast run through and make our way to her. Maybe we can get out before Inez asks us to do something like stand on our heads for everyone.”
    “Good idea.” Abbey drifted around the room, murmuring greetings to people she knew and acknowledging introductions quickly to protect Hannah as much as possible.
    “There’s so many people,” Hannah said. “Isn’t there a fire code? Where does he find all these people?”
    “There’s Aunt Carol. Take a look at the man hanging on her arm”—Abigail pointed rudely but she was so shocked she didn’t care—“that’s old man Mars.”
    Hannah laughed. “You mean Reginald. He’s all cleaned up and wearing a suit. Aunt Carol is snapping pictures like mad. Hopefully she’ll get one of him because if any moment in time is worth recording, this would be it. I’ve never seen him in anything but his overalls and a scruffy face.”
    “He’s actually good-looking.”
    Abbey smiled and waved at Frank Warner as he swiftly, but very politely, moved through the crowd in the opposite direction. Amusement put a smile on her face as she waited for Hannah to sign another autograph. Over in the corner Kate was signing a book she’d written and Joley scrolled her name across a baseball cap.
    “Abbey?” Hannah gripped her wrist hard. “I’m having trouble breathing in here.” Her voice was so low Abbey could barely hear her.
    Immediately Abbey slipped her arm around Hannah’s waist. “You’re all right, baby, as long as you stick by me. You know how everyone is afraid of me. Especially Sylvia. Is she here?” She wanted to make Hannah laugh and she succeeded, although it was a brief wheezing response.
    “I think she’s more afraid of me,” Hannah admitted. “You never retaliate.”
    Abbey laughed aloud and the sound turned heads in the room. “So you admit it! You’d better be glad I’m not Sarah or you’d get a lecture.”
    Hannah shrugged. “Someone has to be the bad girl.”
    Abbey hugged her sister a little closer. “You have the proverbial heart of gold, Hannah. Joley’s the wicked one. You’re a sweetie.”
    “Hey! I heard that,” Joley came up behind them, slinging her arm around Hannah so she and Abbey guarded her from either side, protecting her from the crush of the crowd. Unfortunately Joley was too big Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
    of a star to make it across the room without a dozen people stopping her to ask for her autograph.
    “I’m so glad I’m not a rock star,” Hannah whispered.
    Joley winced. “I am so not a rock star.” She tossed her head and assumed a haughty expression. Hannah naturally looked haughty but Joley could pull it off beautifully when she wanted.
    “I also so want out of here, but Sarah and Inez and Aunt Carol will tear strips off us if we take off too early.”
    “I’ve got an idea,” Abigail said. “It’s really, really bad and we’ll probably get into a lot of trouble. You want to hear it?”
    “I’m in,” Joley said. “Lead the way. I don’t have to hear it.”
    Abigail threaded her way through the crowd toward a door marked Employees Only. “Chad Kingman works in the back. Do either of you remember