“I think it’s a wonderful idea,” Dotty said and laid a hand on her arm. “He’s not here, darlin’. He and Henry are at that fancy Italian restaurant.”
“I’m a little nervous about whatever he’s cooking up,” Ava admitted.
“You were alone with him all day. Were you nervous then?” Dotty asked.
“Not really, but there were folks all around us all day.”
Minnie patted her arm. “You won’t have a meddling mother-in-law or a sister tugging at you from each side, no matter how many people are in the Italian restaurant tomorrow night.”
“But…” Sookie started.
Dotty threw up a palm. “Don’t you be the devil’s advocate, either. We’ve got to know what he’s cooking up, as Ava said. If she doesn’t go with him, then we’ll never know.”
Sookie giggled. “All right! All right! We all agree that Ava should go to dinner with him.”
“Could I come talk to y’all after we finish our dinner?”
“Of course, you can. We’ll be out on the deck in chairs waiting for you. Shall I have a bottle of champagne ready?” Sookie polished off her beer. “I’m going through the buffet line now. I’m starving. How about y’all?”
“I am hungry, too,” Ava said. “Lead the way, Sookie, and I sure hope we need that bottle of bubbly. I want this marriage to work.”
“So do I, and it seems like fate that we wound up on this cruise together,” Ava said.
Sookie wanted to dance across the room or maybe hug herself. They had a couple more days to work their magic, but it was beginning to look like the matchmakers would be successful on this cruise.
Ava pointed to the dessert buffet. “And after we eat, I’m having two desserts. That cheesecake over there and the key lime pie are both calling my name.”
“That’s my girl,” Dotty said with a big grin as she picked up a tray and started down the line. “And I feel in my bones that we just might get to pop the cork on Sookie’s champagne.”
“I hope so!” Ava whispered.
Chapter 6
“Granddad, I’ve done some thinking,” Vince said the next morning when he finally had cell service to make a call.
“Well, it’s about time you stopped being a pushover like your dad when it comes to Delores,” his grandfather said. “When you fall off that fence your mama has you on, which way are you going?”
“With Ava, I hope,” Vince said.
His grandfather chuckled. “I’m glad to see you finally cut the apron strings. I’ve got a deal worked out for you if you still want it.”
“I sure do, and I’ve got the scissors sharpened for those apron strings,” Vince said.
“Then I will put all this in motion,” his grandfather said. “And I’m proud of you, son.”
“Thank you,” Vince said. “Could you say a little prayer that Ava will like the plan?”
“You got it.” His granddad chuckled again.
When he finished the call, he went out to the balcony and looked out over the lovely Honduras beach. IfAva agreed to his proposal, he would bring her back here for a second honeymoon.
The afternoon dragged on and on, and as each minute clicked off the clock beside his bed, he felt more and more antsy. His grandfather had given him an amazing opportunity, but what if Ava didn’t agree with it? He could hear her saying that if they did this, they would just be running from the problems that had brought them to this point, rather than standing up and facing them. If Ava said yes, his mother was going to pitch a pure old hissy fit. She was dignified most of the time, but when she didn’t get her way, it was Katy bar the door—as Grandfather often said.
“Too bad, Mother,” Vince said as he ran a comb through his hair and picked up his room key on the way out.
He was halfway to the elevator area when Henry stepped out of his room and raised both eyebrows. “How did things go today?”
“I took a page from your playbook,” Vince said.
