All In The Game (Dearly Beloved) Read Online Free PDF Page B

with him to be sociable?”
    Rita bobbed her head and pursed her lips. “Yeah, something like that. It shouldn’t have upset you.”
    Amanda tensed her jaw and scowled as she handed Rita a bowl of salad from the fridge. “I have a right to be upset. You tossed me a curve with those questions. They were intrusive and if I hadn’t called a halt to it I’m sure they would have gotten more personal. In fact, I’m sure they would’ve.”
    Instead of responding to the accusation, Rita remained silent and carried the salad to the table.
    Amanda followed with the casserole. In a low tone she said, “I thought for sure you and Sid would be discussing something else.”
    “Like what, for instance? We have nothing in common.”
    “Oh, yeah?”
    “Yeah,” Rita snapped.
    “I beg to differ.”
    “Name one thing?”
    “You and Sid would love to try to drive me and Keith around the bend, especially about getting married. You did a bang up job in that department a few minutes ago.”
    Rita placed the salad in the center of the table. “I didn’t think you noticed.”
    Amanda stared at her. “Stop it. Now.”
    ****
    After the women walked into the house, Keith glared at his friend. “What in the hell was that all about?”
    “Whadda ya mean?”
    “Don’t try to play the innocent with me. You know damn well what I mean.”
    “You’re getting bent out of shape over nothing. We just wondered if you were getting it on. I agreed this might be a good way of finding out. If I know women, Rita’s getting a lecture in the kitchen.”
    “Is it all that damn important that you know about our intimate life? You embarrassed the hell out of Amanda.” Keith fumed.
    “Don’t send you blood pressure up. We didn’t mean anything by it. You both probably lied anyway. It was just fooling around...passing the time.”
    “In the future find a new way to ‘pass the time’.”
    “How?”
    Keith shook his head. “You’re the guy who won the Pick-Up-Artist of the year award at all the local watering holes. I find it hard to believe that you couldn’t find something else to talk about besides me and Amanda.”
    Sid shrugged. “The scene was different here. It was strictly one on one. When I’m out and about there’s a sea of women.”
    “And a hasty escape through the rear exit.”
    Sid made a gun out of his hand and pointed his index finger at his friend. “I better be more careful here because whatever I say might come back and bite me in the ass.”
    ****
    Dinner was tense, but to a lesser degree, when the topic of the actual wedding was discussed. Sid was happy to hear that he could wear his best navy blue suit and not have to rent a tux. Amanda noted that Sid tried not to look bored to death when the conversation centered on the ceremony, flowers and food. Granted it wasn’t his wedding but his jaded disinterest really irritated her. She would have to talk to Keith when they were alone.
    Despite Sid’s behavior Amanda continued relating the plans including that she’d opted for silk flowers for the bouquets she and Rita would carry. She’d already ordered fresh ones for the church and would leave them there for the Sunday service. Her son, Adam, was flying in from Chicago with his wife and two kids, to give her away. She had decided not to have her grandchildren as flower girl or a ring bearer as that would be too much for a second wedding.
    After the church ceremony they would all gather at the restaurant for dinner. It had been decided that there would be no formal portrait. Rita’s son, Jeff, an amateur photographer, offered to take pictures. He would enlarge the best ones. His wife, Colleen, was into scrap booking and she planned to make an album.
    Rita assured her that no matter how carefully Amanda planned there were sure to be a few minor glitches, but she was sure everything would be in order on the big day. After all, with all of this careful planning and it being such a small wedding, what could possibly go