Love Believes (Sully Point, Book 5) by Nicole Smith Read Free Book Online Page B

is that you refused an invitation
from Frank for dinner."
    "I've got something I'm doing so I figured it
would be okay to pass on it."
    Maggie's sigh transmitted clearly over the phone.
"No, it's not okay. Honestly, Beth. What is so important that you wouldn't
show up?"
    "Maggie, the most wonderful thing has
happened," she answered. "I've got a part! A real honest-to-God
part!"
    "A part? In L.A.?"
    "No, no, no. Here, in Sully Point. Mr.
Christopher just gave me the lead in the first play he's putting on in the new
Playhouse. I've got the script right here and I was going to read it
tonight."
    There was silence for a minute on the phone, and
then Maggie said, "Congratulations, that's great. But it's no excuse to
miss dinner at the Grainger house. Now set the script down, and brush your hair
and change clothes and show up. In an hour, okay? We can celebrate your
news."
    "That would be fun, I guess. All right, I'll be
there. Give me directions."
    * * * *
    Maggie was on the phone to Julia as soon as she
ended the call with Beth. "Julia? Have you heard the news?"
    "Yes! I couldn't believe it. And it all
happened right out in the open, so everybody knows."
    "Everybody knows?" Maggie said. "What?"
    "The confrontations, both of them. Isn't that
what you meant?"
    "What confrontations?"
    "Look, I need to get home and change. You'll
be at Frank's, right? I'll explain everything there. Gotta run."
    Maggie stared at her silent phone. A
confrontation? Two confrontations? What did that have to do with Beth?
    "Eric," she called down the hall. "We
have dinner at Frank's tonight, and a mystery to solve."
    * * * *
    Beth arrived at the same time as Maggie and Eric,
and ended up walking up the front steps with them.
    "Beth, were you involved in a confrontation
today?" Maggie asked at once.
    "No. Oh Maggie, can you believe it? A real
part on a real stage. I'm so excited!"
    They walked into the house and Frank greeted them
and led them into the living room.
    "Here she is, everybody. The conquering hero,
or is it heroine?" Frank announced.
    "What?" Beth asked.
    "What is going on?" Maggie asked in a
rather frustrated voice.
    Frank smiled. "Maelynne was given her
comeuppance today in the deli by none other than Beth here."
    "Oh yeah, that," Beth said. She
shrugged. "I should have guessed it would get all over town since it was
in front of so many people."
    "Tell us everything you said and everything
she said," Frank urged.
    "Well, I wasn't the only one to read her the
riot act. Mr. Christopher chastised her as well."
    Frank nodded. "Yep, I heard from the folks at
the Lobster Shack. He heard them saying bad stuff about you and he jumped up
and told them off."
    Maggie looked from Beth to Frank and then to the
others who were in the room. Sam and Anna looked back at her blankly. Julia
smiled and nodded like she knew what all this meant. Her husband Cody looked
like he wasn't surprised either.
    "Somebody, anybody, tell me the whole
story," Maggie said, sitting down on the couch.
    Frank proceeded to tell the story he'd heard about
Mr. Christopher confronting Maelynne. Then Beth told her part of it.
    "So you see, we each ended up defending the
honor of the other, as well as our own. I'm pretty sure I made an enemy today
in that Maelynne," she said with a frown.
    Maggie grinned at her. "Don't worry. I
already did that when I yelled at her in the street before my wedding."
    By the time Beth had heard that story, Frank was
calling them all into the dining room to sit around the large rectangular
table. He'd prepared a feast of beef stew with potatoes and carrots, steamed
broccoli and rolls from the Bakery. Betsy, Frank's wife, had made fruit compote
for dessert.
    As they talked and ate, Beth felt herself relax
into the family atmosphere. She had missed being with family. If only her
parents and her other sister Rose could be here, the day would have been perfect.
Everyone was excited for her about the part in the play. She made it clear that
she would still be