The Rebel by Jan Hudson

Author:Jan Hudson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2013-01-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eleven

“Bingo!” Belle shouted.

“Are you sure?” Gabe asked. “That’s your third one.”

“Of course I’m sure. I’ve always been lucky at bingo.”

When the checker verified her card, Belle smiled smugly at Gabe. “Told you.” Her latest win was two tickets to a performance at the local playhouse. “Play your cards right and I’ll take you along to the show.”

“That’s a deal.”

“Belle, I wish you’d rub a little of your magic on me,” Suki said. “I haven’t even come close to winning all night.”

“Nor have I,” Flora said. “But I have a good feeling about this next one.”

The entire household, including Suki, Ralph, Flora and even Skye and Gus, sat at a long table at the VFW hall for Monday night bingo. When Gabe had suggested doing something exciting after dinner, she’d had visions of boot scootin’ at a local watering hole or attending a Willie Nelson concert in Austin. Something fun. And intimate. She hadn’t expected to spend the evening with the family. Silly her.

One might think Gabe was deliberately avoiding being alone with her. Why?

Probably the same reason she was hesitant to be alone with him. The sparks between them seemed to be escalating. A simple touch on her back to guide her could send prickles zipping up her spine, and she often found herself daydreaming about his lips on hers.

“B thirteen, Belle,” Suki said. “You’ve got that one.”

“Oh, so I do.” Belle turned her concentration back to the game.

A few minutes later, Suki jumped up, thrust her arms in the air and yelled, “Bingo! Bingo!”

Gabe leaned over and whispered, “See, I told you we’d do something exciting.”

Before the event was over, everyone in their party had hit at least one bingo except Ralph and Gus. Ralph groused about it on the way home. “I must have missed by one number a dozen times,” he said. “Guess it just wasn’t my night.”

“You can have my certificate for a free class at the center,” Skye said. “I can’t use it.”

“Why not?” Belle asked. “They have lots of neat classes. I had a hard time choosing.”

“Well, I have the clinic.”

“How about Thursday morning?” Belle asked. “I’m taking a yoga class then. It’s only an hour. Go with me. It will be fun.”

Skye hesitated, glancing at her mother, who sat beside her. “I’ll think about it.”

“Great,” Belle said. “Do you know where to buy a yoga mat?”

“I do,” Flora said. “There’s a shop just down from Daisy’s Health Food Store that carries them. And they have really cute workout clothes, golf togs and such. Winnie Satterwhite buys things there all the time.”

“I’ll check it out tomorrow.”

When they reached home, everyone scattered except Belle and Gabe.

Gabe set the lamp he carried—one of the prizes Belle had won—on the hall table. “Want a nightcap?”

“What did you have in mind?”

“I can offer wine or hot chocolate.”

“Hot chocolate sounds great.”

“Are you going to keep that?” He nodded to the lamp with its Tiffany-style stained-glass shade.

“Of course I am. I plan to use it in my new place.”

Gabe put his hand to her back to guide her toward the kitchen and the tingles started zipping again.

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