vehicle with him, he might well think he’d hit the jackpot.
“I’m in the middle of a lucky streak.” For the first time Oliver seemed to notice that Boots was with her. “What do you intend to do with the dog?”
“I…I haven’t figured that out yet.”
Someone impatiently shouted Oliver’s name.
“Be right with you,” he yelled over his shoulder. “Can’t you entertain yourself for a few minutes?”
He spoke as if she were ten years old.
“Don’t be concerned about me,” she said. Next time she was going to insist on driving, and she wouldn’t take no for an answer.
“Hamilton, you in or not?”
“In,” he shouted back.
Emma watched him sprint over to the table. This was great; it was either breathe in smoke or risk facing Paul Bunyan in the parking lot. Emma decided her chances were better in the casino. But she didn’t like it there. Boots didn’t, either. The dog trembled in her arms, alarmed by all the lights and noise. Oscar, however, despite an occasional sneeze, relaxed in his corner by the door. He appeared to be an old hand at this, which no doubt he was.
After a few minutes, Emma couldn’t tolerate the smoke anymore. She needed fresh air. She stepped outside and wasn’t completely pleased when Oliver’s terrier followed her into the pale wintry sunlight. She didn’t like the way Oscar was eyeing Boots. Her hold on Boots tightened. No way was she letting Oscar have his way with this sweet dog.
“If you’re thinking what I think you’re thinking,” she told the other dog, “forget it. Boots is off-limits. Understand?” Once she got home, there’d be a veterinary appointment for Boots—checkup, shots and spaying. She planned to be a responsible pet-owner, and that included thwarting Oscar’s evil-minded intentions.
It was cold outside, and her fashionable leather boots weren’t enough to keep her feet warm. Her toes lost feeling; reluctantly she retreated inside once again, determined to drag Oliver away from the gaming table if necessary.
Fortunately, he was finished with his game. Counting his money as he walked toward her, he looked up as if nothing were amiss and smiled. “I won three hundred dollars.”
She ignored that. “Can we leave for the airfield now?” she asked, keeping her voice as level and even as she could manage.
“Sure thing. And considering your worries about Grizzly, I got us another ride.”
“Good.”
“You don’t have any objection to riding in the back of a pickup, do you? It’s only a couple of miles.”
“What?”
“Just kidding.”
“Ha, ha.” She wasn’t amused.
“Come on, Emma, loosen up. Where’s your Christmas spirit?”
She didn’t answer. The less said regarding her feelings about Christmas, the better. Instead she asked, “Three of us are supposed to cram into a truck cab?”
“You have a problem with that?”
“As a matter of fact, I do. I’ll find my own way back to the airfield.” Oliver was really starting to get on her nerves. “Why did you have me come out here, anyway?” she demanded. “Seriously. Don’t give me any nonsense about culture or travel, either.”
He sighed. “I was on a winning streak. I didn’t know how long it was going to last. But sending for you was the stupidest thing I could’ve done. The minute you showed up, I started losing.”
“You’re blaming me? ” Emma had to get away from this Neanderthal. “Go ahead without me,” she told him. “I’ll phone for a taxi.”
Oliver nearly doubled over as he burst into laughter. “La-di-da. Her highness requires a private conveyance. Do you actually believe a town the size of Colville has a taxi service?”
“Oh.” Emma had assumed there was one.
“Don’t worry. I’m the forgiving sort. I’ll still let you ride with me and if you’re real nice I won’t make you sit in the back of the truck.”
By this time Emma was so angry with Oliver, she wanted to smack him upside the head. “Have you been drinking?”
“I’m in the middle of a lucky streak.” For the first time Oliver seemed to notice that Boots was with her. “What do you intend to do with the dog?”
“I…I haven’t figured that out yet.”
Someone impatiently shouted Oliver’s name.
“Be right with you,” he yelled over his shoulder. “Can’t you entertain yourself for a few minutes?”
He spoke as if she were ten years old.
“Don’t be concerned about me,” she said. Next time she was going to insist on driving, and she wouldn’t take no for an answer.
“Hamilton, you in or not?”
“In,” he shouted back.
Emma watched him sprint over to the table. This was great; it was either breathe in smoke or risk facing Paul Bunyan in the parking lot. Emma decided her chances were better in the casino. But she didn’t like it there. Boots didn’t, either. The dog trembled in her arms, alarmed by all the lights and noise. Oscar, however, despite an occasional sneeze, relaxed in his corner by the door. He appeared to be an old hand at this, which no doubt he was.
After a few minutes, Emma couldn’t tolerate the smoke anymore. She needed fresh air. She stepped outside and wasn’t completely pleased when Oliver’s terrier followed her into the pale wintry sunlight. She didn’t like the way Oscar was eyeing Boots. Her hold on Boots tightened. No way was she letting Oscar have his way with this sweet dog.
“If you’re thinking what I think you’re thinking,” she told the other dog, “forget it. Boots is off-limits. Understand?” Once she got home, there’d be a veterinary appointment for Boots—checkup, shots and spaying. She planned to be a responsible pet-owner, and that included thwarting Oscar’s evil-minded intentions.
It was cold outside, and her fashionable leather boots weren’t enough to keep her feet warm. Her toes lost feeling; reluctantly she retreated inside once again, determined to drag Oliver away from the gaming table if necessary.
Fortunately, he was finished with his game. Counting his money as he walked toward her, he looked up as if nothing were amiss and smiled. “I won three hundred dollars.”
She ignored that. “Can we leave for the airfield now?” she asked, keeping her voice as level and even as she could manage.
“Sure thing. And considering your worries about Grizzly, I got us another ride.”
“Good.”
“You don’t have any objection to riding in the back of a pickup, do you? It’s only a couple of miles.”
“What?”
“Just kidding.”
“Ha, ha.” She wasn’t amused.
“Come on, Emma, loosen up. Where’s your Christmas spirit?”
She didn’t answer. The less said regarding her feelings about Christmas, the better. Instead she asked, “Three of us are supposed to cram into a truck cab?”
“You have a problem with that?”
“As a matter of fact, I do. I’ll find my own way back to the airfield.” Oliver was really starting to get on her nerves. “Why did you have me come out here, anyway?” she demanded. “Seriously. Don’t give me any nonsense about culture or travel, either.”
He sighed. “I was on a winning streak. I didn’t know how long it was going to last. But sending for you was the stupidest thing I could’ve done. The minute you showed up, I started losing.”
“You’re blaming me? ” Emma had to get away from this Neanderthal. “Go ahead without me,” she told him. “I’ll phone for a taxi.”
Oliver nearly doubled over as he burst into laughter. “La-di-da. Her highness requires a private conveyance. Do you actually believe a town the size of Colville has a taxi service?”
“Oh.” Emma had assumed there was one.
“Don’t worry. I’m the forgiving sort. I’ll still let you ride with me and if you’re real nice I won’t make you sit in the back of the truck.”
By this time Emma was so angry with Oliver, she wanted to smack him upside the head. “Have you been drinking?”
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