Read Online Don't Bet On Love by Sheri Cobb South - Free Book Online

” I added, pressing a quarter into his hand. “ You'll need this. ”
    Gary was gone only a couple of minutes. Even before he reached the table, I could tell by his stricken expression that he’d had no luck.
    “ There was no answer, ” he reported, “ and I just remembered why. My dad’s company is having a dinner tonight. He and Mom probably won’t be back for hours! ”
    “ I ’m sure my parents are home, ” I said, standing up. “ I’ll call them right away. ”
    Gary grabbed my arm. “ Molly, no! I can’t let your family pay for this. ”
    “ You can pay them back tomorrow, ” I said, gently removing his hand from my arm. “ Back in a flash. ”
    My luck was no better than Ga ry’s. I got a busy signal, and I was almost positive that Mark was tying up the phone. I hung up, waited a few seconds, and tried again, with the same result. If I could have gotten my hands on my brother at that moment, I would have choked him. I tried two more times without success, so I finally called the operator, intending to ask for an emergency interrupt. But she informed me that nobody was talking on the phone—there was trouble on the line. By that time, several people were waiting to use the phone and giving me some pretty dirty looks. I was forced to admit de feat. I hung up the receiver, collected my quarter, and returned to the dining room.
    “ Were they home? ” Gary asked hopefully.
    I sighed. “ I don’t know. There’s something wrong with the phone, so all I got were busy signals. ”
    At that moment our waiter reappeared. “ Will there be anything else? ” he asked.
    Gary and I exchanged helpless looks. Nei ther of us knew what to do. Finally Gary spoke.
    “ I’d like to have a word with the manager, please. ”
     
     
    CHAPTER EIGHT
     
    “ Oh, my aching feet ! ” I moaned two hours later as we left the Lamplighter through the back door. “ I can hardly wait to get home and take off these heels! ”
    Gary took my arm as we crossed the parking lot. He looked very different from the boy who had picked me up earlier that evening. His tie was loosened, his collar unbuttoned, his shirtsleeves were rolled up to the elbow, and he had slung his jacket over one shoulder.
    “ See? And you laughed at my Reeboks! ” he teased. “ Seriously. Molly, thanks for helping out. But I wish you had let me call a taxi to take you home. ”
    “ How would we have paid for it? ” I asked. “ Anyway, it’s not like I’ve never washed dishes before, you know. ”
    “ Yeah, but there’s a difference between washing dishes for a family of four and washing dishes for a whole restaurant full of people, ” Gary replied. “ And you looked so pretty tonight, too. ”
    My heart was too full of pleasure at Gary’s compliment to mind his use of the past tense. “ Gary, I don’t mind, ” I said softly. “ Honestly, I don’t. ”
    We had reached the spot where Gary had parked the car, when a man stepped out of the shadows. Moonlight gleamed on the badge he wore, and suddenly I had a sinking feeling that our troubles weren’t over yet. “ This your car, son? ” the policeman asked.
    “ Uh—yes, sir, ” Gary replied.
    “ Do you realize you’ve been parked for over three hours in a one-hour zone? ” the officer continued.
    “ To tell the truth, I forgot. ” Gary admitted. “ But there’s a perfectly logical explanation … ”
    “Y our driver’s license is all the explanation I need. ” The policeman held out his hand expectantly.
    “ Oh, right. ” Gary automatically reached for his back pocket, then remembered his di lemma. “ Oh, no! ” he groaned, covering his face with his hand.
    “ What’s the matter? ” the policeman asked.
    “ I—uh—I don’t have it with me, ” Gary said. “ But I can explain that, too. You see— ”
    The officer cut him off. “ I see that you’re illegally parked and driving without a license. ”
    “ Like I said, I can explain— ”
    “ You’d better save