Sweet Tea at Sunrise by Sherryl Woods Page A

“You’re going to invite Grace Wharton over for a private tour, aren’t you?”
    “I think she’s entitled,” Travis said. “She’s practically worried herself sick over this. At least she’ll have a fighting chance of telling a few people the news before I do.”
    “Smart move,” Bill said. “She’s definitely a woman you want on your side.”
    “I wonder how she’s going to feel when I tell her I want to steal Sarah away from her?”
    Bill chuckled. “I predict that one’s not going to go over so well. You might want to call over to the military base in Sumter and see if they have a spare suit of body armor you can borrow.”
    “You’re not half as funny as you think you are,” Travis said. “This could get very dicey.”
    “Then better to get it over with so we can patch you up before the big official announcement,” Bill told him. “I think I have some kind of superhero bandages in the car from my last outing with the grandkids.”
    Travis gave him a friendly, one-fingered salute, then walked out the door. He figured the next half hour or so could mean the difference between kicking his new venture off with a bang or being pilloried around town. He’d spent most of his life charming women, but all of a sudden he discovered it had never mattered more. Who knew the biggest challenge he’d ever faced would be a round, older woman who looked a lot like Santa’s wife?
     
    Wharton’s was packed with customers, something Travis hadn’t considered when he’d come up with this plan to steal Grace away. In fact, the upcoming press conference had apparently drawn even more people than usual into town.
    Still, he managed to corner Sarah by the counter. “I need to borrow Grace for maybe fifteen minutes. Can you manage on your own?”
    She regarded him with alarm. “Are you out of your mind? Look at this place. Thanks to this big whoop-de-do announcement you’re planning, we’re packed.”
    “Okay, how about five minutes? It’s really important.” When she shook her head again, he looked around and spotted Ronnie Sullivan. He’d heard from Tom that Ronnie helped out from time to time at Sullivan’s. He walked over to the counter.
    “Hey, Ronnie.”
    Ronnie gave him a slap on the back. “You ready for your big day?”
    “I think so, but I’m in a bind. I need to take Grace over to my place. Unfortunately, Sarah says she can’t handle this crowd on her own. Would you mind pitching in? I just need a few minutes.”
    “You want Grace to have a preview of what’s going to happen this morning, don’t you?” Ronnie guessed.
    At Travis’s nod, Ronnie left his coffee on the counter and grabbed an apron from behind it. “Sarah, I’m going to pinch-hit for Grace for a bit. I’ll try to keep up.”
    Sarah’s gaze narrowed as she turned back to Travis. “How’d you pull that off?”
    “Don’t ask questions. Just be grateful. I’ll have Grace back in a jiffy.”
    He found her in the kitchen with a tray loaded down with meals. Fortunately Ronnie had followed him. He took the tray from Grace’s hands before she had time to object.
    “What the devil?” she muttered irritably as Ronnie left.
    “I’m stealing you away,” Travis told her. “You’re going to get a sneak peek at my new venture.”
    All signs of annoyance immediately vanished. “Now?”
    “Right this minute, before anyone else.”
    Her face immediately lit up with excitement. “Well, it’s about time you showed some respect for me, young man!”
    She hurried along beside him, looking triumphant as she walked with him across the green. Bill waswaiting for them outside. Her gaze narrowed when she saw him.
    “Don’t I know you?” she asked, looking as if her brain were clicking through some mental photo album. She snapped her fingers. “Of course, I do. Didn’t you have that radio station over in the next county? Played nothing but oldies and had a signal that wasn’t worth spit.”
    Bill grinned. “I did