BooksBarbecue
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Chapters (88)
  1. Cover Page
  2. Front Flap
  3. Title Page
  4. Acknowledgments
  5. Dedication
  6. Contents
  7. 1
  8. 2
  9. 3
  10. 4
  11. 5
  12. 6
  13. 7
  14. 8
  15. 9
  16. 10
  17. 11
  18. 12
  19. 13
  20. 14
  21. 15
  22. 16
  23. 17
  24. 18
  25. 19
  26. 20
  27. 21
  28. 22
  29. 23
  30. 24
  31. 25
  32. 26
  33. 27
  34. 28
  35. 29
  36. 30
  37. 31
  38. 32
  39. 33
  40. 34
  41. 35
  42. 36
  43. 37
  44. 38
  45. 39
  46. 40
  47. 41
  48. 42
  49. 43
  50. 44
  51. 45
  52. 46
  53. 47
  54. 48
  55. 49
  56. 50
  57. 51
  58. 52
  59. 53
  60. 54
  61. 55
  62. 56
  63. 57
  64. 58
  65. 59
  66. 60
  67. 61
  68. 62
  69. 63
  70. 64
  71. 65
  72. 66
  73. 67
  74. 68
  75. 69
  76. 70
  77. 71
  78. 72
  79. 73
  80. 74
  81. 75
  82. 76
  83. 77
  84. 78
  85. 79
  86. 80
  87. Back Flap
  88. Back Cover

“Why don’t we pull the car down to the end of the block and wait for a while?” Regan suggested. “Maybe he’ll appear.”

68

Well hello,” Rhonda said, greeting Striker and Harriet as they straggled in the door of her restaurant. “I never see you here this early. It’s still light out!”

“We’ve had a bad day,” Striker grunted.

“A really bad day,” Harriet agreed. “It’s all my fault. We needed to get out of the house. But we also wanted to congratulate you on your engagement.”

Rhonda smiled. “Word spreads fast. I’m so happy. I can’t wait for you to meet Frankie. Let’s have a drink,” she said, leading them to a table in the front near the window. “Sit and relax.”

Striker and Harriet sank into their chairs, while Rhonda signaled for a waitress. “Peggy, we’d like to order drinks, please.”

“Right away.”

After they placed their order, Rhonda folded her hands in front of her. “So. Do you want to tell me about your bad day? Or would you rather try and forget it?”

Harriet rolled her eyes. “I’d better tell you so you don’t end up making the same mistake.”

“Now I’m really curious.”

“Well,” Harriet began. “I got the bright idea to clean out our house, get rid of the clutter, and have a garage sale. I don’t know how to run a sale so I hired a company that helps you with every detail. A woman came to clear out our clutter …” She paused, starting to choke on her words.

Striker put his arm around her. “It’s okay, honey.”

Harriet shook her head. “No it’s not. Anyway, she convinced me to throw out so many of our personal things that we really would have liked to keep forever. Flowers Striker gave me …” She blinked back tears.

“My baseball cards,” Striker added.

“You collected baseball cards?” Rhonda asked. “They can be valuable.”

“Don’t remind me. Baseball and music are my two loves. Besides Harriet.”

Harriet tried to smile. “Striker, I’m so glad you didn’t realize those cards were gone until after she left today. I’ve never seen you so angry.”

“You saw this woman today?” Rhonda asked.

“Yes,” Harriet answered. “Our garage sale was this afternoon. It wasn’t exactly mobbed. What a waste of our time and money.”

“If I ever see that woman again …,” Striker said, shaking his head.

Rhonda looked thoughtful and was about to say something when the waitress placed their drinks on the table.

Striker lifted his glass of beer. “To your engagement, Rhonda. Frankie’s a lucky guy. We’re thrilled for you.”

“We certainly are,” Harriet agreed, raising her piña colada.