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"You could have asked!"

"I was going to, but…well, you know, you’ve got responsibilities and you’d constantly be on the phone checking in with yourinsult to injury!

"No…no Annie, please, there’s no need to raise your voice" He glanced nervously around the on the inside, Annie closed her eyes in an effort to control her raging e," she finally ," Vance responded, sounding caloodbye dinner to be special" After as obviously nificant pause, he said, "I feel our love is strong enough to wait a year, don’t you?"

She didn’t answer right away She could barely take in that he didn’t have an engage in his pocket, let alone the fact that he planned to travel in Europe with his friend and another woman

"You went to University Jewelers," sheto propose She’d assumed--

"I did?" He frowned and then relaxed "Oh, yeah My mom asked me to drop off her watch for repair It was still under warranty"

Annie wadded up the linen napkin on her lap "When do you leave?" She would be adult about this Okay, fine, he wasn’t asking her to marry him Instead, he wanted her to twiddle her thumbs for a year while he explored Europe with Matt and Jessie Olivarez Jessie Olivarez!

"Actually…the three of us are flying out toht Do you think you could drop us off at the airport?"

He was out of his et and irl to the airport?" The insensitive jerk!

"If you could It’d be a big help and that way you can see ht "I don’t think so," she said, then leaned down and reached for her purse

"You’re upset, aren’t you?"

Clearly Vance had talents she never kneas a mind reader as well as a jerk "What was your first clue?" she asked sweetly

"But you said there wasn’t anything we couldn’t discuss! Come on, Annie, it’s only a year"

"It’sto Europe, Vance You’ve been planning this for a long time Didn’t you even think to mention it to me?" By his own admission, this trip had been in the works for uilty "I wanted to tell you, but Matt said it would just cause probleht"

Annie stood and threw her napkin on the table "Have a great tiet back, don’t bother to call We’re done"

"Annie," he cried, "you don’t mean that!"

"Wanna bet?" They had the attention of half the restaurant The entire roo to be the subject of anyone’s dinner conversation, Annie ran toward the elevator A line had for to be taken down to street level

Vance hurried after her "I was afraid you were going to be upset I wanted to tell you, I really did, but Matt said--"

"I already knohat Matt said" Annie crossed her ar it to open Pressing her lips together, she did her best to ignore hi Vance had to say that she wanted to hear

"Co when you’re upset with me"

She turned her back and looked in the opposite direction

"Annie, please"

What was taking the elevator so long? All she could think about was escaping Vance as quickly as possible

"Okay, fine, be ement from him

"Give me the silent treatment See if I care"

She pretended not to hear

"All I want to know is if thisus to the airport"

She whirled around, shocked that he could even ask

"Well?" He spoke with an air of defiance

She shook her head "No, Vance, I won’t be driving you to the airport, but have a nice trip In fact, have the time of your life because that’s certainly what I intend to do"

The elevator arrived and, after it emptied, the line moved forward Annie stepped inside and, just before the doors closed, she took one last look at Vance, standing in front of her, still holding the black linen napkin in his hand She gave hilided shut

Five

The phone rang, waking Bethanne froht unless it was an ehter’s naers Bethanne answered "Hello?"

"Mo position, Bethanne rubbed her eyes "Annie, what’s wrong?"

Annie tried to speak but Bethanne couldn’t understand a word she said And what she did graspaway?" Bethanne asked

"To Europe with Jessie"

This came out in a screech, which led Bethanne to believe Jessie was ht’s dinner at the Space Needle wasn’t the erly anticipated While Bethanne was grateful, she hurt for her daughter

"Oh, baby, I’m so sorry"

"I… He actually wanted me to drive the through loud and clear

"He said he couldn’t ask o to Europe with him because I had another year of school and…and responsibilities"