to slug me again.”
She’d been thirteen, and he’d deserved it. “Don’t tempt me.”
“Ah, but you do,” he whispered. “You always have.”
That was an unlikely story. Oliver had been a tease, but Annie wasn’t putting up with it any longer. “Don’t get in my way, understand? I have a lot to think about, and I don’t have time to play silly games with you.”
His lower lip jutted out. “That’s a shame.”
Annie glanced at her wrist. It seemed to be taking her grandparents an inordinate amount of time. Although she had everything for the party under control, she could always use it as an excuse to escape this lunch, especially with Oliver there. All it would take was a word or two, but she’d wait until …
“How’s Lenny?” Oliver asked.
The question came out of left field. “Who … who told you about Lenny?” To this point she hadn’t even had time to tell her own grandparents that the engagement was off.
“Your grandmother, naturally. She mentioned him when the two of you got engaged.”
“As you very well know, the engagement is off …”
His brows arched as though he was surprised. “Since when?”
“For quite a while now, not that it’s any of your concern,” she snapped, unwilling to fill in the blanks. The less Oliver knew about her personal affairs, the better.
“Is he the reason you’re so prickly?”
“You’re the reason, and I’m not prickly!” she insisted. “I wish you’d take the hint and just leave.”
“No way. This is getting more interesting by the minute. So what happened between you and Mr. Love of Your Life? That’s how your grandmother described him.”
Annie would stake her life savings on her grandmother saying no such thing. Although she’d talked to her grandparents any number of times while planning this anniversary celebration, Annie hadn’t mentioned Lenny. He was a subject she’d looked to avoid, assuming her parents had told them of the broken engagement.
“Lenny drinks too much?”
She ignored the question.
“He’s irresponsible with money?”
Rather than listen to his litany of questions, she walked away.
“I know. He has a roving eye.”
“Would you stop?” she demanded.
“Ah, so that’s it.”
No way was she letting Oliver know he’d hit the bull’s-eye.
At that precise moment, as if Lenny was aware he was the main topic of conversation, her cell rang. Glancing at the caller ID, she hit the respond button.
“Don’t call me again,” she all but shouted, and then immediately ended the call.
The door to her grandparents’ room opened, and Julie stepped out. “Who was that, dear?”
“No one important,” Annie said, forcing a smile.
“Did I mention Betty and Vern are already in town?” Kent called from their room.
Annie knew the couple were good friends of her grandparents’. Vern had been in the navy at the same time as Annie’s grandfather,and the couple had stood up as best man and maid of honor for Kent and Julie.
“Unfortunately, they aren’t staying at the inn. Betty has a sister in town, and they decided to spend time with Gerty,” her grandmother explained. “I do wish they’d booked the inn. It’s in such a lovely location. Kent and I are going out to dinner with them this evening. You two won’t mind, will you?”
Oliver answered before Annie had a chance: “Not at all. It would be my pleasure to take Annie to dinner.”
“Ah … that’s not necessary,” she scrambled to assure her grandmother. “I’ve got a hundred things to do.”
“I’ll help,” Oliver offered.
Annie fought down the desire to stomp on his foot. “Thank you, but I have everything under control.”
“Annie, sweetheart, don’t ever turn down a helping hand,” her grandmother advised, giving Annie’s waist a gentle squeeze. “Now, where’s your grandfather? I swear that man is always lagging behind everyone else.”
“I’m coming, I’m coming,” Kent said, as he stepped into the
She’d been thirteen, and he’d deserved it. “Don’t tempt me.”
“Ah, but you do,” he whispered. “You always have.”
That was an unlikely story. Oliver had been a tease, but Annie wasn’t putting up with it any longer. “Don’t get in my way, understand? I have a lot to think about, and I don’t have time to play silly games with you.”
His lower lip jutted out. “That’s a shame.”
Annie glanced at her wrist. It seemed to be taking her grandparents an inordinate amount of time. Although she had everything for the party under control, she could always use it as an excuse to escape this lunch, especially with Oliver there. All it would take was a word or two, but she’d wait until …
“How’s Lenny?” Oliver asked.
The question came out of left field. “Who … who told you about Lenny?” To this point she hadn’t even had time to tell her own grandparents that the engagement was off.
“Your grandmother, naturally. She mentioned him when the two of you got engaged.”
“As you very well know, the engagement is off …”
His brows arched as though he was surprised. “Since when?”
“For quite a while now, not that it’s any of your concern,” she snapped, unwilling to fill in the blanks. The less Oliver knew about her personal affairs, the better.
“Is he the reason you’re so prickly?”
“You’re the reason, and I’m not prickly!” she insisted. “I wish you’d take the hint and just leave.”
“No way. This is getting more interesting by the minute. So what happened between you and Mr. Love of Your Life? That’s how your grandmother described him.”
Annie would stake her life savings on her grandmother saying no such thing. Although she’d talked to her grandparents any number of times while planning this anniversary celebration, Annie hadn’t mentioned Lenny. He was a subject she’d looked to avoid, assuming her parents had told them of the broken engagement.
“Lenny drinks too much?”
She ignored the question.
“He’s irresponsible with money?”
Rather than listen to his litany of questions, she walked away.
“I know. He has a roving eye.”
“Would you stop?” she demanded.
“Ah, so that’s it.”
No way was she letting Oliver know he’d hit the bull’s-eye.
At that precise moment, as if Lenny was aware he was the main topic of conversation, her cell rang. Glancing at the caller ID, she hit the respond button.
“Don’t call me again,” she all but shouted, and then immediately ended the call.
The door to her grandparents’ room opened, and Julie stepped out. “Who was that, dear?”
“No one important,” Annie said, forcing a smile.
“Did I mention Betty and Vern are already in town?” Kent called from their room.
Annie knew the couple were good friends of her grandparents’. Vern had been in the navy at the same time as Annie’s grandfather,and the couple had stood up as best man and maid of honor for Kent and Julie.
“Unfortunately, they aren’t staying at the inn. Betty has a sister in town, and they decided to spend time with Gerty,” her grandmother explained. “I do wish they’d booked the inn. It’s in such a lovely location. Kent and I are going out to dinner with them this evening. You two won’t mind, will you?”
Oliver answered before Annie had a chance: “Not at all. It would be my pleasure to take Annie to dinner.”
“Ah … that’s not necessary,” she scrambled to assure her grandmother. “I’ve got a hundred things to do.”
“I’ll help,” Oliver offered.
Annie fought down the desire to stomp on his foot. “Thank you, but I have everything under control.”
“Annie, sweetheart, don’t ever turn down a helping hand,” her grandmother advised, giving Annie’s waist a gentle squeeze. “Now, where’s your grandfather? I swear that man is always lagging behind everyone else.”
“I’m coming, I’m coming,” Kent said, as he stepped into the
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