Abby thought she was much more attractive up close like this than she’d previously imagined. Another arch of an eyebrow—a move that she found infinitely sexy—brought her out of her stupor.

“I’m…I’m Abby Carpenter.”

The woman nodded. “Nic Bennett. And what can I do for you, Abby Carpenter?”

She took her sunglasses off, and Abby was surprised to find blue eyes looking back at her. With the woman’s dark hair, she’d expected equally dark eyes, but no, a deep and vivid blue stared at her.

“Well, let me start by saying, I’m not really crazy.”

A smile. “That’s good to know. Not sure if that’s a great opening line or not.”

Abby looked behind her to where Sharon was still sitting. Sharon gave her a wide grin and a thumbs up. Abby turned back to the woman—to Nic Bennett. “I…I have a proposition.”

That statement was met with both eyebrows raising. “Okay,” she said slowly. “Are you asking me out?”

“Out?”

“Like on a date? Because I’ve seen you out here before, thought you were watching me.”

Abby tilted her head back and looked into the sky, cursing Sharon for making her do this. “I’m not really asking you out on a date, no. Not like a real date. That’s not why I was watching you.”

Nic motioned to the extra chair. “Why don’t you sit down? You can tell me why you’ve been staring at me.”

“I have not been staring at you!”

The woman grinned. “We both know you have.” She motioned again to the chair. “Have a seat.”

Wow, she was a bit arrogant, wasn’t she? Something told her she should turn around and leave. But those blue eyes were smiling at her, and Abby sat down, her hands clasped together nervously in her lap. God, why hadn’t she rehearsed this? Why had she let Sharon talk her into this? Oh, yeah. Maid of fucking honor.

“So, if I was going to ask you out…do you date women?”

“I do.”

“Okay, good,” she said with relief. “So, Nic, do you have plans for Christmas?”

“Plans?”

“Oh, crap,” she sighed. “Look, I’ll just come out and say it, okay. And yes, I am kinda asking you out. But not on a real date,” she said again. “And I know you’re going to think I’m crazy, that’s why I told you up front that I wasn’t.” She paused only a beat. “I need a date. A girlfriend. For ten days. In Red River, New Mexico. For the holidays. With my family. And my ex.”

Nic simply stared at her, not even blinking. Abby rushed on.