We all turned to see Rose dressed as the most adorable kitty I’d ever seen. She wore a simple brown body suit with black and tan markings to make it look more like a cat. Her ears and nose were pink, and she’d glued on whiskers, which made the costume more real and less the sexy cat costume that older women wore.
“You absolutely look like them,” Stephie said. “Especially Terri.”
“If she was a cat,” Shay shot me a teasing grin.
I made a face back, then turned to put on some dance music. There was pizza, chips, beer and wine and soft drinks. A few trick-or-treaters came by, but most of the candy found its way into one of us.
Most of the teenagers who volunteered for Ace came by. Costumes ran from intricate science fiction robots, familiar characters from movies and TV shows, and even an odd character I wasn’t positive wasn’t real; to jeans and T-shirts of a regular high school student. A few neighbors and adults who supported Ace’s animal rescue efforts also dropped in.
Steve and Liza came by about ten dressed as Cleopatra and Mark Antony. I was thrilled to see the couple. They ran a computer programming and support company just outside Ugly Creek. They’d had a break-in a while back, and were still working to get everything back to normal. To see them take a little time for fun thrilled me.
The opening notes of a classic rock song sounded, and I looked up in time to see Hunter’s chicken head opening. I started his way, when I heard a squeal and saw Rose all but jumping up and down. Hunter looked at me and I tipped my head in her direction. He gave a tiny nod, then went over to take her hands in his. They were so entertaining everybody stopped what they were doing to watch.
“He’s so much fun!” Rose told me a little later.
My heart warmed that these two who had just come into my life, but who I loved so much, got along so well. At about nine, Daddy and Rose headed out. I finally found out where my sister lives, a small place called Soddy-Daisy, which was a little town just north of Chattanooga, Tennessee. So close, and I’d had no idea.
Rose and I hugged, then made Daddy swear he’d make sure we saw each other on a regular basis. They left, I shed a few tears, then managed to get myself together enough to go back to the fun.
It seemed things were beginning to wind down a little, when a gasp came in a wave across the room. I turned to see what was up, and gasped myself. Even in Ugly Creek this was different.
Aunt Octavia wore a pinkish-tan body suit and the biggest, longest blond wig I’d ever seen. “Lady Godiva,” I murmured. “Holy incredible.”
Beside me, Hunter, his mouth hanging open, shook his head in disbelief.
Aunt Octavia strode into the party. “Sorry I’m late, there were a couple of other places where I had to make an appearance.”
There was an immediate push toward her, but she ignored them all to head right to Stephie. A quick look at her hand, and the older woman smiled. “All is well. Happiness will increase in late spring.”
Aunt Octavia turned and headed right for us. She held out her hand, and Hunter put his, palm up, in it. “Now that you removed your head from where you’d stuck it, you’ll find life is much more interesting.” She winked at me.
She turned to the mob of party-goers who were waiting for a reading, or to tell her how much she meant to them. She made the rounds, then joined the dancing. I was amazed by her moves, and watching her dance with a pack of young folks was possibly the most amazing thing I’d ever experienced.
Aunt Octavia was the life of the party, going strong for longer than people much younger. I have no idea what she might be, but I seriously doubt she’s entirely human.
The festivities continued until after midnight. We danced, we ate junk food, and played silly games. It was a lot of fun, but Aunt Octavia left just before the witching hour, and after that people started to trickle out. We hung in until the last person left and Hunter and I helped clean up the worst before we said goodbye to Shay and Ace.
At home, Hunter locked the door behind us, and I grinned at the white and yellow ball of fur curled up on the couch. “Scrappy’s worn out,” I said. “Poor kitty, lying around all by herself, doing nothing.”
“What about you?”
I turned to see him giving me a look that I thought might melt my panties. “What about me?”
“Are you worn out?”
“Actually,” I said, as I slid off my gun belt and let it drop to the floor. “I suddenly have a lot of energy.”
“Good. You’re going to need it.”
He was right.
I did.
A word about the author…
Cheryel Hutton is a Southern girl to the core. She was born in Tennessee, and has spent most of her life there. There among the hills and valleys she found abundant inspiration for the stories she writes.
Recently she and her husband moved near Jacksonville, Florida, where they enjoy the sunshine, warm weather, and nearness to the ocean. Here Cheryel is discovering new inspiration, and spends her time transcribing stories told to her by a muse who happens to be a dragon.
Her books include Blood of the Innocent, Keepers of Legend, Doggone Ugly Creek, Secrets of Ugly Creek, and The Ugly Truth.
You can find out more about Cheryel here:
www.cheryelhutton.com
www.dragonwhisperer.me
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Doggone Ugly Creek by Cheryel Hutton
She was free! For the first time in her adult life, romance novelist Shay Carpenter has no responsibilities to hold her down. Now all she wants to do is to enjoy a new life and pursue her writing in the quaint little town of Ugly Creek. But things are never that easy. Not only does Shay have to deal with her shapeshifting cousin who’s a little clueless about functioning in a human world, there’s Ace Ellison, a sexy local photographer and dog rescuer she can't get out of her head.
Despite their mutual attraction, she and Ace seem to clash over everything, especially if it concerns animals. Disagreements, dognapping, digital theft, and desire… Can Shay and Ace resolve their issues to help the special little town they both adore? Or will Ugly Creek and their budding love both end up going to the dogs?
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