Minutes later, we were headed to the banquet.
A song had come on, and just like Carter and I usually did, we sang along, laughing when we missed the notes.
He turned on his blinker and then pulled into a parking lot where a bunch of vehicles were already parked.
Once he found a parking spot, he looked at me, “You okay to walk?”
I smiled, then nodded, “Yeah.”
He nodded, “Okay. Feet start to hurt, just tell me, yeah?”
I nodded, then asked, “If they do start to hurt, what are you going to do about it?”
He winked as he turned the truck off and opened his door, “You’re never too old for a piggyback ride.”
I tossed my head back and laughed.
With his help, I climbed out of his truck, and then he offered me his arm.
Smiling I slid my arm through his and rested my hand in the crook of his elbow, his neck bent as he said, “If I don’t remember to say it, thank you for coming with me tonight.”
I winked, “Anytime.”
The banquet was being held in the Citizens’ Center.
Round tables with white linens were set up around the room, each with at least fifteen chairs.
A long table, or rather, a bunch of what looked to be nine-foot tables, were pushed together and held what I presumed to be food.
Then, at the right of the room, a stage was set up with a table behind it, holding plaques.
A few men called out greetings to Carter, well, it was more like half of the room’s occupants, and when the last man had said hello, Carter bent his neck and whispered, “I need at least one drink in me before this starts. Do you want one?”
I giggled but nodded.
Once we made it to the bar, he ordered a beer and a vodka cranberry for me.
I had just taken a sip when a man and a woman, I knew had to be related, walked over to where we were standing, to the left of the bar.
Carter held out his hand to him as he said, “Ready to get this shit show over with?”
The man nodded, “Yeah. Then we can relax for a year, only to do it again.”
I looked at the woman who smiled at me, then held out her hand. “Apparently, Carter and my brother have no manners. I’m Tatum, Granger’s sister.”
I winked at her as I offered her my hand, “I know, right. I’m Harlee. A friend of Carter’s.”
For some reason, her eyes widened.
I was about to ask if something was wrong when Carter chuckled, garnering my attention.
“Leave it to the two of you to call us out. Harlee, this is my best friend, Granger Rogers. Granger, this is Harlee Murray.” Carter said.
Granger took me in, then glanced at Carter, then back to me, “Any friend of Carter’s is a friend of mine,” he said as he offered me his hand, “Pleased to meet you, Harlee, friend of Carter.”
And no, I didn’t miss the way he emphasized the word friend.
Which was why I handed my drink to Tatum as I asked, “Hold this for a sec?”
