Grady's Wedding by Patricia McLinn Read Free Book Online Page B

heart,” Leslie interrupted blithely, “Bette simply had the common reaction to being near talked to death by Will-He-Ever-Be-Quiet Whicken.”
    Everyone chuckled except Paul, but even his face eased.
    “Whicken is a notorious windbag,” added Tris. “Everybody who knows him stays away, so he picks on newcomers like Bette.”
    “Especially slow-moving ones like me,” she said with a rueful look at her girth.
    This time even Paul chuckled. In three minutes he’d been persuaded to return to his conversation, though it took both a promise that someone would stay with Bette, and Michael’s taking him by the arm and leading him away.
    “Professor Whicken is the source of a good deal of conjecture in some circles in Washington,” Leslie informed the group that remained around Bette’s chair.
    “What sort of conjecture?” Bette prompted.
    “Well, nobody’s ever actually seen him stop talking long enough to breathe, so we wonder if he ever does.”
    “He must.” Grady waited until all three pair of eyes were on him, especially the hazel pair. “He’s got to stop talking in order to eat, and we know he eats from the evidence on his jacket. In fact, the evidence showed he’d stopped talking long enough while he’s been here to eat.”
    “Couldn’t be,” objected Tris. “Must be old stains.”
    Grady shook his head. “Crackers, cheese, dip, pastry and strawberry from those little tarts—in other words, a good portion of the menu here.”
    “I think Sherlock Roberts has you, Tris.” Leslie turned to Bette. “What do you think? You spent the most time with him.”
    Bette looked from one face to the other. “I think it does not behoove someone who’s seven months pregnant to comment about someone spilling food down their front.”
    As the laughter died down, Bette said, “Someone’s trying to get your attention, Tris. Or maybe Leslie’s?”
    The sandy-haired man Grady had seen earlier with Leslie looked over at their group.
    Tris smiled at him as she said to Leslie in a low tone, “Did you—?”
    “Yes, indeed. Consider the way paved. Now go to it, kid.”
    Tris hesitated. “Will you be okay, Bette?”
    “Of course, as long as Leslie sticks around to tell me what this is all about.”
    “It’s about being a foundation with not very much money trying to do work that costs a lot of money.” Tris sighed, but her smile didn’t falter as she headed off.
    Grady gave in to the urge to grin as Leslie explained that the sandy-haired man had a bank account as fat as he was thin, and the historic preservation foundation she and Tris worked for was courting a large donation. Leslie had softened him up, now Tris would hit him with the facts and figures of how much they could accomplish with his check.
    Business, that’s why Leslie had been so attentive to the man. He could understand that.
    “A nonprofit foundation’s work is never done,” Leslie said, “especially when it comes to getting donations. But in this case, he’s really a very nice man.”
    Grady turned away from where Tris and the man were in earnest conversation and looked at Leslie.
    “Have you seen all of the exhibit?”
    His abrupt question didn’t faze her. “Yes, I have.”
    “Good, then you can show me. I haven’t had time to get all the way around.”
    “Don’t forget to show him the section with those handmade chessboards from the backwoods,” instructed Bette.
    “Some of them are amazing.”
    Leslie flashed her a look Grady couldn’t see. Bette smiled blandly.
    “You should probably go take a look around now, before it’s too late, Grady. But I’ll stay here. We promised Paul someone would stay with Bette.”
    “There is no need for anyone to stay with me. I’m--”
    “I’ll be happy to,” said Michael, rejoining them after depositing Paul amid a crowd of well-wishers. “We’ve hardly talked because of the opening. This is our chance.”
    Leslie had been taught well. She gave in so graciously, Grady could almost