A Rip Roaring Good Time Read Online Free PDF Page A

foot of our bed in one of the nicest suites in the inn. When guiding us to the suite, Lexie had assured us no one had died in it.
    While Dolly was no doubt dreaming about her ten o'clock "go to bed" snack, Rip and I were relaxing on the back covered porch of the inn, enjoying some apple tarts and a couple of cups of stout coffee with our hosts, Lexie and Stone. We were discussing the events following the death of a snooty author at the campground in Cheyenne, Wyoming, a couple of weeks prior.
    We'd recently picked up some tidbits of interesting news from my cousin, Emily, who owned the campground we'd all been staying in at the time of the murder. I had recognized Lexie's curious nature as being very much like my own, and I knew she'd want all the juicy details. As expected, she absorbed the information like a sponge.
    The only good thing to arise from the tragedy was that we were becoming acquainted with our two new friends. After a few minutes, I noticed I was getting uncomfortably warm. I didn't want to complain to these nice folks, but I was sweating like a prizefighter and Rip was constantly wiping his brow with an old stained handkerchief he'd pulled out of his back pocket. Having gotten accustomed to the cooler, dryer climate of Cheyenne, it felt like it was a hundred and ten on that porch and as if I were trying to breathe through a soggy throw cushion. And drinking hot coffee hadn't helped the matter much.
    When Lexie finally noticed a rapidly expanding wet splotch on the front of my shirt from perspiration trailing down between my breasts, she said, "Oh, heavens, you two must be sweltering. It took us a couple of days to re-acclimate to this muggy weather, and we were only in Cheyenne for a week."
    "Yeah, this humidity is like a slap in the face after you've gotten used to not being able to work up a sweat if you tried. Right now I'm sweating like a call girl in church." I pulled my damp shirt away from my body and fanned it to emphasize my point. Lexie flashed me a warm smile while nodding her head in agreement.
    "Let's retreat to the parlor inside. Stone usually keeps it like a meat locker in there." After she finished speaking, Lexie picked up the now empty coffee carafe and opened the French door that led into the kitchen.
    With a couple of days on the road under our belt, Rip and I were both yawning and struggling to concentrate on the conversation. Rip spoke for both of us when he said, "We're kind of wiped out. If you two don't mind, I think we'd like to call it a day so we'll be fresh for the party tomorrow."
    "You're right," Lexie replied. "We probably need to get a good night's rest too. We have a lot to get done tomorrow before all the guests begin to arrive at seven-thirty in the evening. Andy's going to tell Wendy he's taking her out to eat for her birthday and that I'd asked them to stop by here on their way to the restaurant to pick up a gift we'd gotten for her. When she opens the front door, the lights will flick on, everyone will shout 'surprise', and her thirtieth birthday party will commence. We'll be serving a catered dinner soon after they arrive, and there'll be plenty of refreshments on hand to satisfy everyone's appetites."
    "I have underwear older than Wendy. In fact, I think I bought the pair I'm wearing right now during the Revolutionary War. And, according to Rapella, they've still got a few good years left in them. But, seriously, what a wonderful surprise to celebrate Wendy's milestone birthday," Rip said.
    "Yes, and that's not even the biggest surprise awaiting her," Lexie responded with a sly smile and a twinkle in her eyes.
    "Then what is?" Rip and I asked in unison.
    "Once the party is in full swing Andy's going to hush the crowd to announce he wants to make a toast. Then he's going to get down on his knee in front of all their family and friends and ask her to marry him."
    "Oh, what an exciting evening it's going to be!" I exclaimed. "As Rip said on the way here, it sounds like