A Turn in the Road - Debbie Macomber [45]
When she returned to the casino, both Annie and Ruth were playing the slot machines. The sights and sounds of the casino were everywhere. Instead of being annoyed by the din, Bethanne discovered that it added to the excitement.
“Sit down and play with us,” Annie urged, intent on a game named after the television show Wheel of Fortune.
“Okay.” Bethanne wasn’t keen on giving her hard-earned forty dollars to a slot, but it did look like fun. The thought of turning that fun into winnings was too tempting to ignore.
She found a machine with a cartoon Texas oilman called Texas Tea, pulled out a stool and plopped herself down. Twenty dollars went quickly, although it was a nickel machine. At $2.25 with every push of the button, her twenty bucks vanished almost before she knew it. She wondered whether to feed it her last twenty, but hesitated, then decided she’d reached her limit for that day.
“Have you been up to the room yet?” Ruth asked when Bethanne sat next to her mother-in-law.
“Not yet.” Annie had taken up Bethanne’s suitcase and given her the room key earlier.
“You need to see the room,” Annie said, smiling broadly. “If you wait a minute, I’ll go up with you.”
“Is anyone hungry yet?” Ruth asked. She removed the receipt for her winnings and stuffed it inside her purse.
“I’m starving,” Annie said. “Lunch was hours ago. But let’s go to the room first.”
Bethanne couldn’t imagine why seeing their room was so important. Hotel rooms were pretty much alike. Beds, a television, sometimes a desk, and, of course, a small and generally cramped bathroom, and that was about it.
What awaited her was a large bouquet of red roses. Dozens of beautiful red buds in a crystal vase. “Roses?” Bethanne breathed as she stepped into the room.
Ruth and Annie looked positively delighted. “The card says they’re for you,” Annie crowed. Her eyes gleamed as if she was personally responsible.
“Me?”
“Well, all of us. Read the card and see.”
Bethanne unpinned the envelope from the pink ribbon and stared down at it for a moment while a strange thought went through her mind. Could they have come from Max? But that was impossible. He had no idea where she was. Or did he? Roses were extravagant. Special. She loved roses, always had. Max didn’t know that—but Grant did.
“Read the card, Mom,” Annie said a second time.
Bethanne ripped open the tiny envelope and removed the card. “For my three favorite women.” It was signed “Grant.”
“They’re from your father,” she said as a warm feeling settled over her. A feeling of being cherished.
“I told you Dad was trying,” Annie said. She seemed really pleased by the gesture.
“You father knows how much I love roses.” Bethanne glanced at the card again.
Ruth reached for the card and read it, too. “I’m sure Grant felt bad about your conversation last night and wants to clear the air.”
“I’m sure that’s it,” Bethanne agreed.
“Still, roses are pretty special.” That comment came from Annie.
“I’ll call your father and thank him.” And she would…later. It was a lovely thing to do and Bethanne did appreciate his effort. Grant was trying to win her back. Now it was up to her to decide if that was what she wanted.
“Shall we think about dinner?” Ruth asked.
It was still a bit early, but Annie was right; they’d eaten hours ago. Because they were so eager to get to Vegas, they’d had a skimpy lunch. Breakfast had consisted of coffee and the bottled orange juice Bethanne picked up at a filling station on the way out of Wells. After some discussion they had dinner at the hotel’s buffet.
Bethanne ate until she was stuffed. At only seven-thirty, it seemed a shame to go back to their room so early. They were planning to spend the next day exploring the Strip. For tonight, that left the slots.
“I’ve got forty dollars burning a hole in my purse.” Ruth was grinning like a five-year-old at her own birthday party. “Let me at those Wheel of Fortune machines.”
“I guess I’ll give that Texas oilman another chance to show me what he’s got,” Bethanne said.
“I don’t know what I want to do just