Read Online Double Fudge Brownie Murder (Hannah Swensen series Book 18) by Joanne Fluke - Free Book Online Page B

Mother?”
    Delores gave a deep sigh. “I know that you refused to accept Mike’s proposal. And you didn’t accept Norman’s proposal, either.”
    “That’s true.”
    “They both wanted to marry you, Hannah. And perhaps you were right in not agreeing to marry either one of them. That’s not for me to say. But I just want you to be sure that this thing with Ross is going to be what you really want.”
    “What thing ?”
    “I know you, Hannah. I’m your mother. I’ve known you longer than anyone else on the face of the earth. I just want you to be careful that you don’t make a mistake you’ll regret. I probably did this mother-daughter talk all wrong, but I had to try. And now I have to go. Doc’s waiting for me. But before I leave, there’s one more thing I have to say. Think long and hard before you mention Ross to either Mike or Norman.”
    “You mean that what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas?” Hannah repeated the line from the Las Vegas commercial that had run on KCOW Television.
    “That’s trite, but yes. That’s exactly what I mean. I really have to go, Hannah. I’m very glad we had this talk.”
    Hannah walked her mother to the door, reminding herself every step that her mother only wanted the best for her.
    “I love you, dear,” Delores said, reaching out to hug her eldest daughter. “And I want you to be as happy as I am. I’m just worried that you’re going to get caught up in all this whirlwind wedding fun and burn your bridges behind you. Ross may not be for you. You don’t know yet. Please don’t make any snap decisions.”
    “I hear you, Mother. And I won’t make any decisions at all unless I’m sure. And I’m not sure yet, so you and Doc can relax.”
    “Thank you, dear. Dinner is at seven. Doc told me he has a surprise for us.”
    “I’ll be there,” Hannah promised before she closed the door behind her mother. She turned around, made a face at the full-length mirror that hung on an adjacent wall, and walked off to pour the rest of her champagne down the sink in the bathroom.
     
    “I’ve got to talk to you about something, Hannah. Everybody’s really trying to push us together, aren’t they?” Ross looked very serious as he faced her across the tiny table in the cocktail bar.
    “Yes, they are and I wish they’d stop.”
    “So you don’t want to be together?”
    “It’s not that!” Hannah shook her head so hard that her unruly red curls bounced. “I just don’t like to be pushed. I hate it when people try to manipulate me.”
    “I understand perfectly.” Ross reached out to take her hand. “I don’t like it, either. Unless, of course, I want to be manipulated.”
    “Do you want to be manipulated?” Hannah asked and then she wished she hadn’t.
    “In this case, I don’t really mind. I’ve always been crazy about you, Hannah. You knew that way back in college. Remember how we used to get together and watch vintage movies?”
    Hannah smiled. “I remember.”
    “And do you remember who used to come up with the right movie quote most of the time?”
    “You did.”
    “And you did. As I remember, we were tied for the championship of movie quotes when you left college.” Ross stopped speaking and took a sip of his drink. “It wasn’t any good after that, Hannah. I missed you too much. It just wasn’t right with only Linda.”
    “But you loved her.”
    “I thought I loved her. But once you’d gone back to Lake Eden, I realized that Linda wasn’t the woman I loved. It was you, Hannah.”
    Hannah didn’t say anything. She couldn’t. She just stared at him in utter disbelief.
    “Don’t look at me like that. It’s true. I loved you way back then, Hannah, and it took me too long to realize it. By the time I did, you were gone.”
    “But you and Linda were engaged.”
    “I know. I made promises to Linda and I knew she’d never understand if I didn’t keep them. I promised her that we’d get married when we graduated.”
    “But you