Best Friends' Unexpected Love: A Sweet Later in Life, Vacation Romance (Hickory Falls) by Deanna Lilly

Author:Deanna Lilly [Lilly, Deanna]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: anonymous
Published: 2024-01-17T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 15

Sitting down at their assigned dinner table, Chad was relieved that their dining partners were new. He didn’t really care as long as they avoided Sally and Stewart. Today could have derailed his plans, but reflecting on the afternoon spent hand in hand browsing the local wares, he felt like their relationship was back on solid ground. One conversation with Social Sally could turn it in the other direction, though.

Conversation flowed over the elaborate Thanksgiving meal. Their new dining partners, Linda and Amherst, wanted to relive a family tradition and go around the table sharing what they were grateful for. They were a sweet older couple who were grateful to have the chance to go on their very first cruise and for their large, happy family with twenty-two grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. Beth shared her gratitude for her daughter finding a wonderful husband and blessing her with a precious granddaughter. All eyes turned to Chad, who thought carefully about what he would say as he gazed into Beth’s deep blue eyes.

“I am grateful for friendship that grows over time, and for the chance at love I didn’t realize I was missing but now desperately want.” He punctuated his statement with a wink that turned her cheeks a beautiful shade of pink.

“Oh, he is a rascal, isn’t he, dear?” Linda said, reaching across the table to squeeze Beth’s hand. “Gotta watch those silver-tongued lookers; they can get up to quite a bit of mischief. It can be a lot of fun as long as it is with you and not a long line of other girls.”

“Oh, don’t I know it. You should see the ladies hanging over the nurses’ station and tripping over themselves whenever he walks down the hall. Even the married ones!” Beth scoffed good-naturedly, but Chad heard a hint of hesitancy in her voice. Did Beth not trust him? He may be many things, but a player or cheater was not on the list.

“There is never a shortage of uncomfortable topics for us to discuss at these communal dinners. Perhaps we should start eating at the buffet or hamburger shop,” Chad grumbled under his breath.

“Nonsense, son. Better to figure these things out before the wedding than after,” Amherst added in a gravely base voice as he savored a bite of turkey.

“Listen to you talk, old man. You barely knew my name before we got hitched.” A slim, bony elbow was thrust into his ribs, eliciting a grunt from him.

“I knew all I needed to know. You were beautiful, best cook in town, young, and not yet spoken for. Had to stake my claim before someone else did. I don’t mind sharing my pie as long as I know it was cooked in my kitchen.” This was said very nonchalantly, but a smile curled his lips as he took his next bite.

“Do you hear that, sweetheart? Be glad you are getting married now instead of my day when it isn’t your baking skills that matter most to a man.

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