Gobble Gobble and a Gorgeous Ring
(Told from Aunt Deb’s Point of View)
With a gentle touch, I traced the intricate contours of the ring, absorbing the reality of the moment.
Roy wanted me to be his wife.
The glistening diamond blurred as tears wet my eyes. I felt a flood of emotions, a mix of nostalgia for my late husband and an exhilarating anticipation for my future with Roy.
The weight of the ring was a tangible reminder that I was not alone, that I had someone by my side who adored me. It was a symbol of a love that was ready to begin a new, exciting chapter.
If only the four youngsters around the table could get their romantic lives in order so they could experience this joy! They’ll need some nudges to get them to that point, but I’m up for the challenge.
I folded my napkin and set it next to my empty dessert plate. “Hadley, hon, thank you again for hosting tonight’s meal and bringing us all together. It was a special dinner, and I can’t thank you enough.” I gestured to the autumn-themed centerpieces and wine cork place cards. “You are a talented host.”
She thanked me with her sweet smile. “I feel honored we got to witness Roy’s proposal. Best Thanksgiving ever!”
I gazed into Roy’s eyes, my cheeks warming with delight. “I couldn’t agree more.”
“Dinner was delicious,” Carmella told Hadley.
“It was lovely,” I agreed. Hadley had worked really hard on it—which is why I didn’t make any comments whatsoever about the empty green bean cans I spotted in the trash bin. I would have used fresh ones, but I’ve come to understand that processed foods are an essential, beloved ingredient in her generation’s diet.
At least Hadley tries to cook, the poor dear. All her mother does is stick things in the microwave. I love my sister-in-law, but Lord knows I don’t love the things that come out of her kitchen.
One Easter, when Michael and Hadley were around nine or ten years old, Jana baked a ham of all things in that dreadful appliance.
Or maybe “baked” isn’t the right word.
Nuked? Incinerated?
Either way, Hadley and her dad devoured it, but I told little Michael he didn’t have to eat it when he asked me if the ham was made from plastic.
Soft instrumental tunes spilled from the speaker on the sideboard table, and aromas of sage-roasted turkey still lingered in the room. Maybe it was the wine, but everyone looked more relaxed now than earlier tonight, when the air was heavy with tension between Michael and Dennis.
Michael laughed quietly with Carmella at the end of the table while Dennis and Hadley reminisced about the calamity last Sunday with that crazy woman who killed Harvey Rafferty. Once again, Hadley had a hand in uncovering the culprit.
Roy told me she has an uncanny gift for connecting seemingly unrelated facts and piecing them together. He said it’s because she’s not only inquisitive, but also über-observant.
I’d laughed when he said that. Hadley was indeed observant—just like Yours Truly.
Which is why it didn’t take me long to figure out Dennis and Hadley weren’t really dating. And to think that Hadley thought she’d fooled me!
I’d suspected it soon after they announced their so-called relationship on Halloween, but then my friend Charlene confirmed it two weeks ago during an early-morning hike. I’d told her my niece was dating Roy’s new partner and she said no, Hadley is dating Reid Weatherford.
“You have it all wrong,” I had argued. “Hadley and Reid dated earlier this year, but then broke up.” At least, that’s what I’d assumed, since Hadley stopped mentioning him.
After five minutes of debating, Charlene called her nephew, who works part-time on the Sutherland. He confirmed Hadley and Reid were still an item.
So then I talked to Latonya, who headed up the decorations committee for the police gala. She said even though Reid sponsored the event, he had no respect for cops. He just tossed his money at the gala for the sake of publicity.
What did Hadley see in that man? It’s just as well he got back together with his ex-girlfriend. I have my eyes set on someone else for her.
I didn’t tell Hadley I’d discovered her pseudo relationship. It was too much fun watching their little act! Also, when I figured out Dennis was actually with Akari, I guessed the fake-dating scheme was designed to keep the two of them out of trouble. Chief Mansfield could be a real stickler for rules.
I suspected Roy had caught wind of their lie, but I didn’t bring it up. He was just starting to value Dennis as a partner, so I didn’t want to do anything to ruin that.
Michael leaned over and said something to Dennis, and they both laughed. It tickled my heart to see them getting along better. I’d been worried about the fallout from my recent actions. They were necessary, but didn’t come without risks.
Matchmaking requires fearlessness, patience, and above all else, strategy. That’s why, after learning Hadley and Dennis weren’t a real couple, I encouraged Michael to let his heart run wild with Akari—though I didn’t mean for it to run straight to her bedroom! I raised him better than that.
My actions were merely a nudge that these youngsters needed to spur their hearts into action—and in the right direction.
Roy stood and offered me his hand. An hour ago, I sat down at the table next to my boyfriend. Now, taking his hand, I would leave the room with my fiancé, the second love of my life, and my new partner for the beautiful path that lay ahead.
Although I would soon be busy planning my wedding, I would certainly make time to prod along these youngsters.
Heaven knows they’ll need it!
Don’t miss the next book in the Hadley Home Design Mystery Series, Wine Red Wrath!
