Chapter 3.1

“Yes, really. Are you going to go for it?” Carrie wanted to know. “Go for— Of course not.”

“Liar, liar, pants on fire.”

“I was going to offer you a piece of pie, on the house.” “What kind?”

“Forget it,” Dixie said. “I don’t give freebies to people who call me a liar.”

“So, you’re not hot for the dishwasher?”

“Of course not,” Dixie protested. “Don’t be ridiculous.”

Carrie grinned. Evilly. “Methinks thou doth protest too much.” “Methinks your imagination is running away in that little pea brain of

yours, girlfriend.”

Carrie sighed heavily. “I give up. For now. But, girlfriend, you’ve been alone way too long. If you don’t do something about it soon, you’re liable to dry up and blow away.”

Dixie rolled her eyes. “Lovely thought. I’ll leave you to your lunch.”

She marched back into the kitchen, and there stood Wade, scraping the dishes he’d brought in from the dining room, just as he should be doing.

Dammit, didn’t the man goof off or screw up or take too long on his break? Anything? Somet