One Night Only (91 page)

Sh
e
raise
d
he
r
glas
s
an
d
th
e
other
s
followe
d
suit
.

“O
h
Ruth
,
that
’
s
jus
t
lovely!
”
sai
d
Poll
y
.
“
I
thin
k
that
’
s
e
xactl
y
wha
t
w
e
hav
e
t
o
do
.
Concentrat
e
o
n
no
w
.
T
omorrow
wil
l
brin
g
it
s
ow
n
ne
w
challenge
s
an
d
w
e
wil
l
dea
l
with the
m
then!
”

T
es
s
rolle
d
he
r
eye
s
an
d
too
k
a
gul
p
o
f
he
r
wine. “Honestl
y
,
yo
u
lo
t
ar
e
jus
t
s
o
dee
p
an
d
meaningful
.
Right, Gin
a
–
you
r
turn
.
Ruth
’
s
wa
s
lovel
y
bu
t
I’
m
countin
g
on yo
u
t
o
mak
e
u
s
laugh!
”

Gin
a
wipe
d
he
r
mout
h
wit
h
he
r
napki
n
an
d
trie
d
to contro
l
th
e
smir
k
o
n
he
r
fac
e
bu
t
sh
e
couldn
’
t
.
I
t
broke int
o
a
hug
e
smil
e
an
d
the
n
a
titte
r
an
d
the
n
a
full-blown, throw-you
r
-head-bac
k
belly-laugh
.

“What?
”
aske
d
T
ess
.
“
W
a
s
i
t
somethin
g
I
said?
”

“No
,
no,
”
sai
d
Gina
.
“Gimm
e
a
minute
.
Righ
t
.
.
.
ahem
!
Here
’
s
t
o
–
”

An
d
sh
e
wa
s
of
f
again
,
hug
e
laughte
r
comin
g
fro
m
her tin
y
bod
y
.
Again
,
th
e
othe
r
diner
s
bega
n
t
o
loo
k
thei
r
way an
d
thei
r
waite
r
wa
s
lookin
g
a
littl
e
unsur
e
o
f
himself
again
.
H
e
probabl
y
reall
y
hope
d
the
y
didn
’
t
star
t
singing!
“Oka
y
,
oka
y
,
I’v
e
go
t
i
t
no
w
,
”
sai
d
Gina
,
dabbin
g
her mout
h
fo
r
th
e
secon
d
time
.
Sh
e
too
k
a
dee
p
breat
h
and fanne
d
he
r
fac
e
wit
h
he
r
napkin
.
“
W
oh
!
Here
’
s
t
o
.
.
.
here
’
s
t
o
.
.
.
reflection
!
Y
o
u
jus
t
can
’
t
bea
t
a
goo
d
old reflectio
n
ever
y
no
w
an
d
then
.
T
o
takin
g
tim
e
out
.
T
o
catchin
g
you
r
breath
.
T
o
pressin
g
pause
.
Here
’
s
t
o
that fantasti
c
sha
g
I
ha
d
earlie
r
an
d
ho
w
I
jus
t
can
’
t
stop
buzzin
g
since
!
An
d
here
’
s
t
o
happines
s
fro
m
no
w
o
n
for
eac
h
an
d
ever
y
on
e
o
f
us!
”

“Hea
r
,
hear!
”
sai
d
T
ess
.
“Lov
e
tha
t
yo
u
go
t
you
r
wee
sha
g
i
n
there
.
I
hav
e
a
feelin
g
i
t
migh
t
b
e
th
e
highligh
t
of ou
r
tri
p
s
o
fa
r
,
eve
n
i
f
yo
u
di
d
giv
e
u
s
th
e
frigh
t
o
f
our
lives.
”

“Oh
,
I’v
e
one
,
I’v
e
one!
”
sai
d
Poll
y
.
Sh
e
wa
s
getting tips
y
agai
n
an
d
fel
t
muc
h
bette
r
eve
n
i
f
th
e
whole sentimenta
l
sid
e
o
f
he
r
brai
n
wa
s
stil
l
i
n
overdrive
.

“Jeez
,
wha
t
hav
e
yo
u
started
,
Ruth
?
No
,
n
o
–
I’m
joking
,
I’
m
joking
!
G
o
fo
r
it
,
sister!
”
sai
d
T
ess
,
supposing tha
t
sh
e
shoul
d
com
e
u
p
wit
h
somethin
g
to
o
befor
e
the foo
d
go
t
cold
.
Bu
t
i
t
wa
s
Polly
’
s
turn
.
Pleas
e
n
o
tears
,
she
thought
.
N
o
mor
e
tears
.

Bu
t
Poll
y
ha
d
n
o
intentio
n
o
f
sheddin
g
tears
.
Sh
e
took
a
dee
p
breat
h
an
d
raise
d
he
r
glass
.