page29 (1/2)

“Then we need you to sign the contract It’s ready to go”

“Okay” He glanced at the clock and thought about the four-hundred-plus-”

“I’ll see you then”

He hung up, then pushed another couple of buttons and waited A few seconds later Madeline answered her cell

“Hello?”

“It’s Jonny”

“Oh, hi I don’t think you’ve called nize the number”

He’d given her his cell, but she hadn’t bothered to program it into her phone He wasn’t sure what that meant, but it was sure typical of Madeline and the town

“I have to go to LA for a day or so I wanted you to know, in case you needed so”

She was silent for a second “Okay I think I’otten back to me on the invitations and the cake”

He chuckled “Letone”

“You know she didn’t Although she did love the cookies as favors for the guests I’ve ordered those and the cake We have colors, by the way Green and gold They’re going to work beautifully with the invitations, and the cookie lady said she could do trim in those colors, no problem”

“You’re taking care of the details Thanks for that”

“I’one for a couple of days?”

He started to ask if she would miss him, but stopped himself Mostly because he didn’t know the answer to the question It wasn’t the kind of question a guy wanted hanging out there in space

“That’s the plan,” he told her, realizing he wanted her to o with hireat hotel where they could—

Back the truck up, he told hi there Madeline deserved hts at a Beverly Hills hotel She was looking for a lightning bolt And while no guy could pro to treat her like one of his temporary women

“You need to make sure you’re back before the hayrides start,” she told him “I know they sound silly, but they are so much fun They’re out at this ranch and—Oh, it’s where Priscilla the elephant lives The one from the parade”

“Is there more than one elephant?”

She laughed “No We just have the one”

“And Reno, her pony”

“They are a couple”