Read Online Road Trip by Jan Fields - Free Book Online

they were going to a convention that featured her favorite crafts. Romance was sure to be the last thing on anyone’s mind.
    It didn’t take long for Annie to hang up the clothes from her suitcase and put her toiletries away. She longed to call LeeAnn and chat for a while. She was eager to hear when her daughter might make the drive over. Maybe she would call her after they looked over the exhibit. Then she’d have even more to tell LeeAnn when they chatted.
    She stashed one of the room keycards in the pocket of the cardigan she’d slipped into. The Texas sun might be blazing outside, but the air conditioning in the hotel made Annie feel as if she were freezing.
    When she stepped off the elevator into the lobby again, she spotted the rest of her group at the nearest seating oasis. “I’m sorry,” Annie said. “Did I keep you waiting?”
    “Not a bit,” Mary Beth said as they all stood. “We really all just got here.”
    “I decided to unpack after we see the exhibit,” Stella said. “I plan to go back to my room and rest a bit until dinner. I can unpack then.”
    “Do we know where we’re going?” Annie asked. “I didn’t look at my packet at all.”
    “I did,” Mary Beth said. “Follow me.”
    The group strode down one of the many long halls that led off the lobby. The doors were labeled with names like “Bowie Hall” and “Austin Room.”
    “We’re looking for the Zavala Room,” Mary Beth said. “That’s exhibit room four.”
    They soon found it. The room was fairly small for the huge hotel, but Annie guessed it was about the same size as the whole ballroom of Maplehurst Inn back in Stony Point. She was surprised to see several small displays set up, some on tables and some freestanding. She looked around curiously as they walked toward the back of the room where Mr. Gold was working.
    Mr. Gold stood in front of the large display that stretched across the whole back of the room. He turned at the sound of their approach and smiled to them. The women had walked about half the length of the room when Annie heard Kate gasp. “That’s my dress!”
    They stopped and looked at one of the freestanding displays. The beautiful dress was carefully arranged and pinned against a black velvet background. Annie took a step closer to admire the beautiful lace pattern that depicted a stylized rose design. Along with the dress, a lovely knitted shawl with long fringe was also on display, along with a peasant blouse with elaborate embroidery and tatted lace trim. “Your dress really is gorgeous,” Annie said.
    “They must be using it to promote the show,” Mary Beth said, drawing their attention to the sign at the bottom of the display with the room and times.
    “Just for the sneak peek at the displays. That begins in an hour,” Mr. Gold said as he came over to stand beside them. “They’ll be changing this particular display over dinner so everyone can wear their outfits for the fashion show rehearsal tonight.”
    “Tonight?” Annie repeated.
    “You really haven’t read your packet, have you?” Mary Beth said with a smile. “Good thing Carlton is in the know.”
    The slender man smiled sheepishly. “I overheard some women talking when they set that up this afternoon while I was working on Betsy’s display. I haven’t actually read the packet either.” Then he winked at them. “I get all my best information from lucky bits of eavesdropping.”
    Stella gave him a disapproving frown. “Perhaps we could see Betsy’s display now?”
    “Of course,” Mr. Gold said, clearly not feeling intimidated in the least by Stella. “You must all tell me what you think of it.”
    Annie blinked back tears as she looked over the tribute to her grandmother. It included a table with a freestanding display beside it. The table held the pillows Annie had brought. Each was cross-stitched with a small scene from around Grey Gables.
    Annie’s favorite scene showed the porch with a wicker table near the front door.