Liz Ireland
Page 26
“You’ve got yourself a bargain.” He pulled her into his arms again. “Ten it will be, Ellie.”
And to get things started, he fulfilled his first day’s requirement in a matter of minutes.
The others were called in to hear their announcement, which was met with smiles and hugs of congratulations.
“Lord-a-mercy,” Ike exclaimed, “the McMillan bachelor tradition is coming to a screeching halt, I’d say.”
“Good riddance,” said Ed.
“Well, wait a minute now,” Roy said. “There’s always Parker.”
Isabel laughed. “Your little brother has beat you to the altar, Roy. He and Clara eloped last night.”
Roy’s jaw dropped. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
Ellie smiled gently at him. “I think you were a little preoccupied.”
“’Sides, I know I told you about the ring Parker had bought,” Ike said. “What’d you think it was for?”
Roy would never forget his consternation about the ring—only now he couldn’t be happier. He let out a bark of laughter. “That’s all of us, then. Snagged by devious women despite our best efforts.”
Ellie shot him a sidewise glance. “Sure you won’t weasel out at the last moment and try to keep the bachelor tradition going?”
Roy squeezed her hand. “I guess some traditions aren’t what they’re cracked up to be.”
“What about the tradition of marriage?” Ellie asked, her brow raised flirtatiously.
He grinned down at her. “We’ll just have to see about that, won’t we?”
And for the next fifty or so years, they did see—and in all that time, through good times and bad, Roy never regretted switching marital philosophies.
ISBN: 978-1-4603-5959-4
TROUBLE IN PARADISE
Copyright © 2000 by Elizabeth Bass
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