Part 30 (2/2)

And you look like a snake in a suit. ”Thank you,” she murmured.

”I'm sure you know my grandmother, Janice, but have you ever met my mother and sister?”

Poor them, related to him. ”Thanks for coming,” she said after he'd finished the introductions.

”Oh, we wouldn't have missed this for the world,” Janice said.

Janice Lind was one of those women who were the heartbeat of the town. She volunteered at the food bank and every year her cake won the prize in the annual Raise the Roof bake-off that raised funds to maintain historic town buildings.

Their families hadn't moved in the same circles, but they'd seen each other around for years, and Janice often purchased chocolates to give away at Christmas. Now here she was with her grandson, the very man who had put the noose around Samantha's neck. She couldn't know what a foul b.a.s.t.a.r.d he was.

If she doesn't, that means he isn't broadcasting your misery all over town, Samantha told herself. That was something, certainly more than she could say for Del Stone.

”Thank you,” she said to Janice. She couldn't help turning to Blake. ”I'm surprised to see you here. After all, you're a busy man.” Hadn't p.i.s.sy informed her of that?

”I want to do my part,” he said.

”Oh, you're already doing so much,” Samantha said. Then before he could reply, she excused herself and returned to her table. She wouldn't be able to eat a thing now. Blake Preston had stolen her appet.i.te.

”She's a lovely girl,” Gram observed as Samantha made her way back to the table where her sisters were sitting.

Lovely didn't begin to describe her.

”I don't think you have to tell Blake that,” his sister teased.

He shot a look across the table that plainly said, Shut up or else.

That mouth of Tess's-she'd spent their entire childhood torturing him with it, either tattling on him or hara.s.sing him. Even though they were grown up now, little sister still liked to get in the occasional dig. Of course, if he ever needed anything she'd be there for him in a second and he for her.

Now it was as if she realized she'd shone a spotlight on something he didn't want the matchmaking women in his life to see. So, just when hopeful curiosity was dawning in his mother's eyes, she did her part to throw them off the scent, saying, ”Any man with eyes can see how pretty Samantha Sterling is.” Then, she couldn't resist adding, ”If you like redheads.”

He did. Thank you, sis. She had just spared him from getting prodded with a million questions. Samantha's business problems were not for public consumption, so it would be difficult to explain that, in spite of how much he wanted things to be different, circ.u.mstances had made him her archenemy.

Still, when it came to the possibility of a wife and more grandchildren, his mother was a romantic bloodhound. ”You should ask her out,” she said.

”She's a bank customer,” Blake said, hoping that would close the subject.

”Half the town is a bank customer,” Gram scoffed.

”I'm not that into her,” Blake lied.

”Here comes our salad,” Tess said. ”This should be interesting. I've never had salad with chocolate mint leaves in it before.”

That put Mom and Gram onto a new conversational track, thank G.o.d. Another thing to be thankful for-none of them were going to the ball. If he got an opportunity to dance with Samantha he wouldn't have to worry that they'd spot him with her. He was having a hard enough time convincing her he wasn't the devil incarnate. He didn't need his family coaching him from the sidelines or singing his praises. He could fight his own romantic battles.

Except this wasn't a battle. It was World War III. He scowled at his salad. Chocolate mint leaves, ugh. Way to ruin a salad. In fact, way to ruin a dinner. There wasn't much here he'd be able to eat, but he'd come anyway, determined to show his support.

”You are going to love this dinner,” Bailey predicted once Samantha had rejoined them.

”I'm dying to try that chocolate pasta,” Cecily said.

Samantha doubted she was going to enjoy anything now that Blake Preston had ruined her appet.i.te.

Once the food arrived, though, it was a different story. Every course provided a new sensation for her taste buds. ”This is wonderful,” she told Bailey, who had planned the menu with Charley.

Bailey preened. ”Wait till you taste dessert.”

She hoped she had room. At the rate she was going, dessert on top of everything else could make her evening gown explode right off her.

Just before dessert, diners got an unexpected treat as a man knelt in front of a young woman and opened a small, black velvet box to reveal a diamond ring.

The woman's hand flew to her mouth and she nodded and all the other diners applauded.

”That's so sweet,” Bailey gushed. ”Are they locals? I don't recognize them.”

”I don't think so,” Samantha said.

”I'm going to go find out,” Bailey announced.

”Bailey Sterling, girl detective,” Samantha said, shaking her head as their sister swirled off.

”Well, he did propose in public,” Cecily pointed out. ”They're probably excited to share it with someone.”

Sure enough. Bailey had barely introduced herself when the three fell into an animated conversation, and Bailey was buzzing with excitement when she returned to the table.

”They're from Seattle,” she reported. ”They came up just for the festival. How cool is that? And guess what?”

”They want you to be a bridesmaid,” Samantha said.

Bailey frowned at her. ”Very funny.”

”What?” Cecily asked, playing along.

”She saw the lost bride. They went on one of those guided hikes and she actually saw the bride.”

”That's just a legend,” Samantha said dismissively.

”But she saw the bride and now she's engaged,” Bailey insisted as if that settled everything.

”It's a fun story, but that's all,” Samantha said. If it worked, she'd have had the perfect man proposing to her tonight, preferably one with lots of money.

Bailey sighed. ”Sammy, sometimes you are a real doo-doo dump truck.”

Fortunately, their dessert came and Bailey got distracted and the subject of the lost bride was abandoned.

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