moved into a new apartment that allowed pets.
When Sophie pulled up in front of the casino, Emma had to look twice. The place resembled nothing so much as an overgrown tavern. Other than a sign on the roadway, there wasn’t a single indication that this was a casino. Emma had expected flashing neon lights, a fancy restaurant offering steak and lobster dinners at cut-rate prices, uniformed valets. Instead, Sophie parked on a gravel lot.
“I can’t thank you enough,” Emma told the other woman as she climbed out of the vehicle. Boots hopped out with her as Emma reached for her purse and briefcase.
“It was lovely to meet you,” Sophie said, leaning across the front seat. “I hope you win today. I’ll be out here on Sunday after church—for bingo. I won eight hundred dollars a year ago.” She grinned. “Like I said, I’m just plain lucky.”
The door to the casino opened and out sauntered the largest lumberjack Emma had ever seen. Not that she’d seen many lumberjacks. This man had to be close to seven feet tall and wore a red plaid shirt, dirt-smudged jeans with suspenders and a red wool cap. She glanced around, just to make sure Babe, the blue ox, wasn’t following behind.
He took one look at Emma and pointed a beefy finger in her direction. “You. Be my woman.”
Emma gasped.
Shaking her head, Sophie got out of the driver’s seat. “Grizzly, you leave this young lady alone.”
Grizzly looked crestfallen and rubbed the side of his face. “I shaved before I came into town.”
“It takes more than a shave to attract a woman. Now apologize.”
Grizzly shuffled from one foot to the other. “I didn’t mean no offense.”
“None taken.” After a final wave for Sophie, Emma grabbed Boots and tucked the dog under her arm as she scurried into the casino. When she found Oliver, she intended to let him know exactly what she thought.
Oscar was patiently waiting for Oliver just inside the door. As soon as he saw Emma and Boots, he barked twice. This appeared to be the cue Oliver was waiting for, because he turned abruptly and faced the door.
He was at a table near the entrance playing some card game. Blackjack? It was hard to tell in the smoky haze.
The entire place was shrouded in cigarette smoke, and she gave an involuntary cough. Oscar sneezed, but she managed to jump back in time.
“Won’t be long,” Oliver called out. “Make yourself comfortable.”
“In here?” The smoke was likely to kill her first.
With a disgusted grimace, he left the table and walked toward her. “I’ll be ten minutes or so.”
At her horrified expression, he looked over his shoulder at the blackjack table. “You want something to eat?” he asked quickly.
“No, I want to go home. How are we supposed to get back to the airfield? And why did you make me come out here, anyway?”
He gazed at her a moment, pure innocence in his eyes. “Why, Ms. Collins, I thought you’d enjoy being introduced to another fascinating aspect of Washington state culture. Maybe you could write a travel piece. And like I said, you can get a meal here. Or try one of the slot machines. Don’t worry about getting back, either. A friend of a friend said he’d give us a ride to the airfield. You’ll like Grizzly. And don’t be put off by his name. He’s as gentle as a lamb.”
“Grizzly?” That completely distracted her from the sarcastic remark she’d been about to make.
“Now, don’t judge a man by his name. He’s a sweetheart.”
“Big guy in a red plaid shirt?”
Oliver nodded. “You know him?”
“He just asked me to be his woman,” she said from between clenched teeth.
Oliver blinked. “I’m sure he didn’t mean it.”
Emma’s eyes opened wide. “What is that supposed to mean?”
“He doesn’t come into town often. Don’t worry, you’re safe.”
If that was supposed to reassure her, it didn’t. From the sound of it, the big guy hardly ever saw a woman. And since she was going to be stuck in some
When Sophie pulled up in front of the casino, Emma had to look twice. The place resembled nothing so much as an overgrown tavern. Other than a sign on the roadway, there wasn’t a single indication that this was a casino. Emma had expected flashing neon lights, a fancy restaurant offering steak and lobster dinners at cut-rate prices, uniformed valets. Instead, Sophie parked on a gravel lot.
“I can’t thank you enough,” Emma told the other woman as she climbed out of the vehicle. Boots hopped out with her as Emma reached for her purse and briefcase.
“It was lovely to meet you,” Sophie said, leaning across the front seat. “I hope you win today. I’ll be out here on Sunday after church—for bingo. I won eight hundred dollars a year ago.” She grinned. “Like I said, I’m just plain lucky.”
The door to the casino opened and out sauntered the largest lumberjack Emma had ever seen. Not that she’d seen many lumberjacks. This man had to be close to seven feet tall and wore a red plaid shirt, dirt-smudged jeans with suspenders and a red wool cap. She glanced around, just to make sure Babe, the blue ox, wasn’t following behind.
He took one look at Emma and pointed a beefy finger in her direction. “You. Be my woman.”
Emma gasped.
Shaking her head, Sophie got out of the driver’s seat. “Grizzly, you leave this young lady alone.”
Grizzly looked crestfallen and rubbed the side of his face. “I shaved before I came into town.”
“It takes more than a shave to attract a woman. Now apologize.”
Grizzly shuffled from one foot to the other. “I didn’t mean no offense.”
“None taken.” After a final wave for Sophie, Emma grabbed Boots and tucked the dog under her arm as she scurried into the casino. When she found Oliver, she intended to let him know exactly what she thought.
Oscar was patiently waiting for Oliver just inside the door. As soon as he saw Emma and Boots, he barked twice. This appeared to be the cue Oliver was waiting for, because he turned abruptly and faced the door.
He was at a table near the entrance playing some card game. Blackjack? It was hard to tell in the smoky haze.
The entire place was shrouded in cigarette smoke, and she gave an involuntary cough. Oscar sneezed, but she managed to jump back in time.
“Won’t be long,” Oliver called out. “Make yourself comfortable.”
“In here?” The smoke was likely to kill her first.
With a disgusted grimace, he left the table and walked toward her. “I’ll be ten minutes or so.”
At her horrified expression, he looked over his shoulder at the blackjack table. “You want something to eat?” he asked quickly.
“No, I want to go home. How are we supposed to get back to the airfield? And why did you make me come out here, anyway?”
He gazed at her a moment, pure innocence in his eyes. “Why, Ms. Collins, I thought you’d enjoy being introduced to another fascinating aspect of Washington state culture. Maybe you could write a travel piece. And like I said, you can get a meal here. Or try one of the slot machines. Don’t worry about getting back, either. A friend of a friend said he’d give us a ride to the airfield. You’ll like Grizzly. And don’t be put off by his name. He’s as gentle as a lamb.”
“Grizzly?” That completely distracted her from the sarcastic remark she’d been about to make.
“Now, don’t judge a man by his name. He’s a sweetheart.”
“Big guy in a red plaid shirt?”
Oliver nodded. “You know him?”
“He just asked me to be his woman,” she said from between clenched teeth.
Oliver blinked. “I’m sure he didn’t mean it.”
Emma’s eyes opened wide. “What is that supposed to mean?”
“He doesn’t come into town often. Don’t worry, you’re safe.”
If that was supposed to reassure her, it didn’t. From the sound of it, the big guy hardly ever saw a woman. And since she was going to be stuck in some
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