When Pigs and Parrots Fly Read Online Free PDF Page A

smile she’d ever seen. “It’s okay. It took a while, but I’m over it and moving on. You’re right about all the stuff to do at Stan and Amber’s wedding. I had no idea there were so many details to think about. When I got married, Marissa’s mother did everything. All I had to do was go to the front and stand there.” He lowered his head, making direct eye contact with Sarah. “When I get married again, I’ll do it right. And I am looking, Sarah.”
    Sarah gulped at his unasked question. She probably should also be looking to get married; after all, she was nearly thirty years old. But she wasn’t looking.
    â€œWere you talking to Stan about the wonders of marriage?” She didn’t doubt that he had. Earlier that day, she’d received a call from Amber, spouting the same thing.
    Hayden grinned, and his eyes lost focus. “Yeah. We all thought those two were bad before, but now they’re even worse. They’re already finishing each other’s sentences, then Stan laughs, then Amber whacks him with her purse or whatever she’s got in her hands, then they both laugh some more. After that, they might as well be the only two people in the room.” He sighed, not looking annoyed, but instead like he wanted exactly the same for himself.
    â€œHey, you two, mind if we join you?” Josh slid out a chair, seating Crystal beside Sarah, and he lowered himself into the chair beside Hayden.
    â€œNot at all, have a seat,” Sarah grumbled. Hayden, being an accountant, always thought ahead. He’d made a reservation. For two.
    Crystal smiled brightly, her blue eyes shining, making such a display of her perfect white teeth that Sarah wondered if she’d ever been in a toothpaste commercial. “This is so great.” Crystal clapped her hands together and bounced in the chair. “They said the wait would be half an hour, and I’m, like, just so absolutely starving. Josh said you wouldn’t mind and that we’d have fun.” She giggled and pressed one finger to an item on the menu. “I already know what I want.”
    Crystal lowered her head, batted her long eyelashes, and stared wide-eyed at Josh and Hayden. She raised her palm in the air, then turned her hand and pressed her fingertips to her throat, drawing the men’s attention to her T-shirt, which, according to Sarah’s opinion, was far too low-cut and about two sizes too small. Crystal trailed her fingers downward until her index finger hooked in the V of her T-shirt, pulling it even lower. She sucked in a deep breath, and let it out in a long, breathy sigh. Her voice dropped to barely above a whisper. “I always ask for double sauce.”
    If this had been a movie, Crystal would be the personification of a stereotyped dumb blonde. But this was no movie—this was real life.
    Sarah wanted to smack both Josh and Hayden as their chins dropped and their mouths hung open. Instead, she forced herself to smile and turned toward Crystal. “I see you’ve been here before.”
    Crystal nodded, making her blonde bangs bounce in her eyes. She sucked in a deep breath, pursed her lips, and blew upward to puff her hair up and out of her eyes, then batted her lashes again. “Can you tell?”
    Sarah nearly bit her tongue. “A wild guess,” she muttered. No sarcasm intended. Not much, anyway.
    She watched as Crystal lowered her head and carefully straightened the cutlery that she’d bumped.
    No dark roots. Real blonde.
    The server returned, his notepad and pencil poised. “Are you folks ready to order?”
    Sarah nodded. “I’ll take the special of the day.”
    Again, Crystal pressed her finger to the menu, with the other finger still hooked in the alleged neckline of her T-shirt. “I’ll take this one. With double sauce.”
    The server looked up at the men. “Gentlemen?”
    â€œI’ll have what she’s