your bounds just for our sake.”
“Don’t worry; I’m not doing anything that my uncle hasn’t requested. He’s pulling for you two, you know.”
“I hope he doesn’t get his hopes up. We just got lucky this afternoon. That second-place finish was an absolute fluke.”
“Way to talk us up, Eleanor,” Maddy said with a grin that extended well past the wittiness of her remark.
“What are you smiling about?” I asked.
“I just found our two meal guests,” she said.
I looked at where Maddy was pointing and saw David and Bob cutting their way through the crowd onto the stage.
Gina caught it, too. “I’ll leave you two until later. Congratulations.”
“Thanks,” I said as the men approached.
After we collected quick kisses from our respective beaux, Bob said, “We’re here to take you two out to an early dinner. Name the place, and it’s our treat.”
Maddy smiled softly at her fiancé. “Even if it’s the restaurant here at the hotel? I hear that it’s kind of pricey.”
“Absolutely,” Bob said. “Whatever you’d like.” As an attorney, he could well afford it, but still, it was nice of him to offer.
“I’ve got an idea. How about if we take you two out instead?” Maddy asked.
“There’s no need for that,” David said. “We’ve got it.”
“Well, if you insist,” I said, “but Maddy and I happen to each have Golden Tickets, so it’s all on the house if you let us pick up the tab.”
“Even for us?” Bob asked.
Maddy grinned. “Sure. Gina said we could both bring a guest.”
“Then count me in,” he said. It was funny, but from the moment my sister had accepted his proposal, Bob had lost all interest in hurrying the process of the actual ceremony, much to Maddy’s delight. I had a feeling they were in for a very long engagement, but if they were happy with their relationship at its current stage, it was no business of mine.
“Let’s go,” David said. “That’s assuming that I’m your plus-one, Eleanor.”
“It’s normally dangerous to assume anything like that, but this time, you happen to be correct,” I said with a smile. I was happy to have David in my life, though I’d never forget my late husband, Joe. My new boyfriend was a lot like him, though most likely in ways that probably no one else but I could see. The most important thing was that he made me smile, which was a huge plus in his favor.
The restaurant was jammed when we got there, and I was afraid that we wouldn’t be able to get our complimentary meals after all, when the maître d’ said, “This way, if you please. We have a special area reserved just for you.”
He led us to a table overlooking an outdoor fountain surrounded by benches, and as I sat down, I said, “I could get used to this kind of treatment.”
“There’s no reason you shouldn’t, at least not while we’re here for the competition,” Maddy said.
“We could always bring you both here ourselves some other time,” David said.
“Careful what you’re offering. We might just take you up on it,” I said with a grin.
“Hey, if I get a chance to spend some time with you, it’s worth whatever it costs.” Just then David looked down at the menu, and then added hastily, “At least if I don’t mind not paying my other bills on time. This place is kind of pricey for Timber Ridge, isn’t it?”
“When you consider that most of their clientele probably comes from out of town, it makes more sense,” I said.
After we ordered, Bob said, “Congratulations on finishing second in the competition this afternoon, ladies.”
I nodded my acceptance of his compliment, but Maddy barely noticed.
Bob asked, “I’m sorry. Did I say something wrong?”
“Don’t mind her. We both feel like there’s something just not right about this contest,” I said.
“I’m glad you said it first,” Maddy answered. “You saw the same thing as I did up there at the end, right?”
“I did,” I answered.
“Well, don’t keep
“Don’t worry; I’m not doing anything that my uncle hasn’t requested. He’s pulling for you two, you know.”
“I hope he doesn’t get his hopes up. We just got lucky this afternoon. That second-place finish was an absolute fluke.”
“Way to talk us up, Eleanor,” Maddy said with a grin that extended well past the wittiness of her remark.
“What are you smiling about?” I asked.
“I just found our two meal guests,” she said.
I looked at where Maddy was pointing and saw David and Bob cutting their way through the crowd onto the stage.
Gina caught it, too. “I’ll leave you two until later. Congratulations.”
“Thanks,” I said as the men approached.
After we collected quick kisses from our respective beaux, Bob said, “We’re here to take you two out to an early dinner. Name the place, and it’s our treat.”
Maddy smiled softly at her fiancé. “Even if it’s the restaurant here at the hotel? I hear that it’s kind of pricey.”
“Absolutely,” Bob said. “Whatever you’d like.” As an attorney, he could well afford it, but still, it was nice of him to offer.
“I’ve got an idea. How about if we take you two out instead?” Maddy asked.
“There’s no need for that,” David said. “We’ve got it.”
“Well, if you insist,” I said, “but Maddy and I happen to each have Golden Tickets, so it’s all on the house if you let us pick up the tab.”
“Even for us?” Bob asked.
Maddy grinned. “Sure. Gina said we could both bring a guest.”
“Then count me in,” he said. It was funny, but from the moment my sister had accepted his proposal, Bob had lost all interest in hurrying the process of the actual ceremony, much to Maddy’s delight. I had a feeling they were in for a very long engagement, but if they were happy with their relationship at its current stage, it was no business of mine.
“Let’s go,” David said. “That’s assuming that I’m your plus-one, Eleanor.”
“It’s normally dangerous to assume anything like that, but this time, you happen to be correct,” I said with a smile. I was happy to have David in my life, though I’d never forget my late husband, Joe. My new boyfriend was a lot like him, though most likely in ways that probably no one else but I could see. The most important thing was that he made me smile, which was a huge plus in his favor.
The restaurant was jammed when we got there, and I was afraid that we wouldn’t be able to get our complimentary meals after all, when the maître d’ said, “This way, if you please. We have a special area reserved just for you.”
He led us to a table overlooking an outdoor fountain surrounded by benches, and as I sat down, I said, “I could get used to this kind of treatment.”
“There’s no reason you shouldn’t, at least not while we’re here for the competition,” Maddy said.
“We could always bring you both here ourselves some other time,” David said.
“Careful what you’re offering. We might just take you up on it,” I said with a grin.
“Hey, if I get a chance to spend some time with you, it’s worth whatever it costs.” Just then David looked down at the menu, and then added hastily, “At least if I don’t mind not paying my other bills on time. This place is kind of pricey for Timber Ridge, isn’t it?”
“When you consider that most of their clientele probably comes from out of town, it makes more sense,” I said.
After we ordered, Bob said, “Congratulations on finishing second in the competition this afternoon, ladies.”
I nodded my acceptance of his compliment, but Maddy barely noticed.
Bob asked, “I’m sorry. Did I say something wrong?”
“Don’t mind her. We both feel like there’s something just not right about this contest,” I said.
“I’m glad you said it first,” Maddy answered. “You saw the same thing as I did up there at the end, right?”
“I did,” I answered.
“Well, don’t keep
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