Annabelle made sure to drive the speed limit the rest of the way home. The thought of dishing out three hundred dollars on the heels of her Christmas bills sat heavy in her stomach like that god-awful fruitcake Aunt Helen forced her to eat last weekend. She pulled into the large circular driveway of her family home--an impressive red brick, white-trimmed and black shuttered two-story colonial with a wing off each side. Standing atop the brick landing just outside the opened front door was her entire family.

Brooks must have called them.

Her father, Harry Devine, stood a head taller than the women surrounding him. His dark hair had started to fade into a distinguished gray, but his handsome features kept him looking like a man too young to have so many grown daughters. His sharp eyes of deep, dark brown were the origin of the Devine Brown-Eyed Girls, for he had passed them on to each of his three daughters. He was gregarious and kind-hearted, and had more fun at his annual New Year's Eve party than anyone because he loved to dance--and he was good at it. Every woman invited wanted to dance with him.

Her mother, Jody, stood waving Annabelle in, petite and pretty as always. Honey blonde like Tess, but with sea blue eyes which all her daughters envied. Her ever-present three carat diamond studs glistened in the sunlight.

On either side of her mother stood the two best big sisters a girl could have. She was so proud of Tess and her famous Broadway voice that she could easily overlook the whole bossing around thing she would inevitably do. At least for a few days. And Grace, their superstar athlete, was the best keeper of secrets and hardly ever pinged Annabelle on her head while she was reading anymore.

Annabelle had to laugh in spite of herself as they all started jeering and applauding the moment they saw her. It was like doing the walk of shame in her car. She had to drive by them all before reaching the paved pull-off where she parked. She took a deep breath and sighed heavily before getting out to face the music.

She held up her hands in surrender. "I know, I know. Wow, good news must really travel fast." She managed to smooth the sides of her short shift before Grace, who had bounded down the steps laughing, wrapped her up in a big bear hug.

"Oh, it's a big day when the law finally catches up to my baby sister," Grace said, turning them both toward the rest of the family. She kept an arm firmly around Annabelle's waist as they walked. "Finally you weren't able to flirt your way out of a ticket. Henderson's finest must be upping their game."

"Well, I suppose an FBI agent would think so." Annabelle stopped short. "You didn't set this up, did you?"

Grace laughed, her light brown bangs falling into her eyes. She tucked them back and started walking. "Never," she vowed. "Blood is thicker than water, after all. I've always got your back."

"Just like I'll always sing your praises," Tess added, as the girls approached the rest of the family.

Annabelle squealed and threw her arms around Tess in a tight embrace. "Well, if you're the one doing the singing, at least it will sound good," she said into her sister's neck. They parted slightly so each one could look at the other. "I'm so glad you were able to get home. Grace and I missed you over Christmas and the New Year's Eve ball would be absolutely no fun without you."

"You mean there wouldn't be as much fodder for the gossip mill if I didn't show my face."

"Not at all," Annabelle replied sincerely. "You're Henderson's shining star. Our golden girl. And you're gonna find everyone standing solidly in your corner as the news of your divorce breaks." Annabelle could see the doubt in her sister's eyes, along with lingering hurt and regret. She leaned in and kissed her cheek. "Trust me on this. All is well. You'll see." And then she stepped back and with a victorious grin said, "Besides, since I won't be the one Lewis Kampmueller gets to slobber all over at midnight, I'm sure Grace appreciates you offering some competition."

"What?" Grace shouted.

"I thought you weren't bringing anyone from Raleigh," said Jody.

Annabelle's eyes shifted quickly to her dad, then she threw an arm over her mother's shoulders to usher her inside. "Well...there seems to be a silver lining to this whole speeding ticket debacle. Apparently, for three hundred dollars, I am not only helping out the city of Henderson, but I've hired myself an escort as well."

"Holy hell," her father muttered.

Ignoring that, Annabelle stepped over the threshold saying, "Somebody pour me a cocktail and I'll tell you all about it."

Grace and Tess took a look at each other and burst out laughing. "Oh, this is gonna be good."

***

Later, when all the catching up was done between the sisters and their mother, and each of them had shuffled off to take care of various errands before the party, Annabelle found her father in his library watching a football game. "Which bowl is this?" she asked, coming in and sitting down on the leather ottoman in front of him.

"The Nissan-Hair Remedy For Men.com-Fly Your Bags for Free or some such nonsense, Bowl. I swear to God. Give me the Rose or the Sugar or even the Fiesta Bowl. But all this sponsorship stuff can make a fan nutty."

"I hear ya. Who do you have in the Orange Bowl?'

"I took West Virginia and the points." Annabelle turned toward him in shock. "Don't look at me like that. I may be Tar Heel born and Tar Heel bred and on and on until I'm dead," he said, making a mockery of the Carolina fight song, "but my money has no allegiance whatsoever."

Annabelle turned back to the TV. "I hear that," she mumbled.

Her dad sprang forward, putting a hand on her shoulder. "What? You didn't take Carolina either?"

She turned and gave him a withering look. "Between you and me, it's a total fluke that they won the ACC. The Mountaineers are going to roll all over them." She turned back to the TV. "And it's gonna hurt."

"I hear that."

They watched a few uneventful plays in silence.

Annabelle finally glanced at her watch. "Do I need to..."

"All taken care of, sugar bee."

She turned her head and asked, "You talk to Brooks or Vance?"

"Vance. He was on his way to City Hall to wait for you. Apparently Brooks had to make an urgent run to Raleigh." That got a smile out of Annabelle. Her father went on. "I told Vance we'd settle up tonight." She nodded at that. Then she got up and came over to kiss her father's cheek.

"Thanks for setting all that up for me, Daddy. You were right. I think I just might like this Officer Friendly."

Her father grabbed her hand as she started to walk away. "His name is Duncan James, sugar bee. And it wasn't long after I met the boy that I thought he might be perfect for my Annabelle. After all, I know just how picky you are. He's got good manners, a firm handshake and solid eye contact. Word is he works hard, but is no stick in the mud. He lives in Raleigh so he can go home to his own damn place after a date. And although he made the poor decision to go to NC State, we won't hold that against him because he got his law degree at Carolina."

Annabelle laughed.

"You go have fun tonight and see what you think." Annabelle nodded and started to walk away. "Gotta be better than swapping spit with old Lewis Kampmueller."

"I hear that," she heartily agreed.