Once A Ranger

Linda smiled as she came around the hostess stand. “Even though you’re now in the main dining room, I’ve taken the liberty of assigning seating one last time. Howard’s great-grandchild was born today and he’s cutting his stay short to return home. I thought the guests who’d met him might want to wish him well. Lola and Lorraine in particular seemed quite attached to him. I’m afraid he’s the only single man in his age group here right now.”

“Sure, no problem.” And it wasn’t. Tony would be seated at the same table as Sterling.

“Follow me.” Linda led him to the appropriate table. The Southwestern decor was the same as in the Copper Dining Room, but this space was much larger, with round tables and crisp white tablecloths. He figured it probably maxed out at a hundred people, though not all the tables were occupied.

Gesturing at an empty chair, she said, “Right over there between Lola and Lorraine.”

He raised an eyebrow.

Leaning close, she whispered, “I split them up to encourage them to mingle more with other guests. They spend plenty of time together as it is. Bicker like crazy, but seem devoted all the same.”

Nodding, Tony took his seat. He located Sterling, sitting on the other side of Lola. And on Sterling’s right, Kat.

She nodded, her gaze frosty.

Her ambivalence would work perfectly for Tony. He could pursue her without having to worry about actually catching her. He had his ethical limits.

The waiter served his salad, which Tony, never a fan of green leafy stuff, moved around with his fork. Vegetables had their place, but he preferred something more…substantial.

He felt someone come up behind him and he turned his head to find Brooke leaning close. “Thank you for helping me out today,” she murmured.

“It was nothing.” He felt the tips of his ears burn, and hoped no one noticed. It wasn’t as if he was unaccustomed to women hitting on him. They did, fairly regularly. Not that Brooke was hitting on him. She’d told him about her boyfriend, who wanted to become a cop, and Tony had given her some Web sites to help him prepare for the exams.

No, his discomfort had more to do with Kat’s smirk, as if he’d confirmed some suspicion she had.

Sterling complimented Lola on her dress, and she preened like a junior high girl at her first dance. Lorraine, however, was unusually quiet, studying Sterling when he wasn’t looking.

Tony wondered if one of the older women would become Sterling’s next victim. He would have to find out more about them.

Howard leaned close to Lorraine. “My granddaughter’s husband sent me this picture of the baby.” He opened his phone and fiddled with the buttons for a minute or so, until he pulled up the photo. “See? Strapping boy.”

“He’s gorgeous,” Lorraine gushed.

“Beautiful,” Lola concurred, passing the phone to Sterling.

“Um, great kid.” Will handed it on to Kat.

Tony watched her eyes cloud for a moment before she smiled. “He’s great, Howard. You have every right to be proud.”

She slid the phone toward Tony, past the two empty spaces where the elusive newlyweds were supposed to sit.

Picking it up, Tony saw a newborn with eyes squeezed tightly shut and brown fuzz for hair. “Handsome boy, just like his great-grandpa.”

“Always nice to know,” Sterling said, “there’s family to carry on after we’re gone.”

“Our father would have dearly loved for Lorraine and I to have lots of children, but it wasn’t to be.” Lola’s lips trembled, but Will smiled at her and she rallied.

Tony sipped from his water glass, acting unconcerned with the interplay.

A waiter brought bread baskets and set them on the table, before moving on to the next.

Sterling grabbed one, peeling back the napkin to present the rolls to Lola with a flourish. “Ladies first.”

“Why, thank you, Will. You’re a lovely boy.”

“You’re a lovely woman.” When she had chosen her roll, he selected one for himself. “Your husband must be very proud.”

“I’ve never married. I had a fiancé once, but he left me at the altar for another woman.”

Sterling touched her arm. “I’m sure he was sorry later. He had to have been an idiot.”

“He was killed during a thunderstorm, drowned in a flash flood. His wife was left a penniless widow. Of course, I would not have been penniless. And I might have had children to carry on the family business.”

Tony watched Sterling closely, but the only emotion he saw was concern for his dinner companion as Will said, “Your father probably appreciated having two daughters. I’m sure he knew you would take care of the business. Didn’t you say you’re in the restaurant trade?”

“We own Nash Brewery.”

“Oh, yes, that’s it.” Will turned to Howard. “And you were a postal carrier, weren’t you?”

“For forty years. I invested well before I retired.”

“And what is it you do, Will?” Kat asked.

“I’m a life coach. I help people develop positive patterns to become more successful in life and relationships.”

“That sounds fascinating,” she said. “Much more interesting than the number crunching I do. I’m a CPA.”

Tony almost did a double take. Kat seemed more the wild, artistic type.

“Kat, dear, tell them about your lottery win. I’m sure everyone will be most entertained. It’s such a cute story,” Lorraine said.

Everyone turned to Kat and waited expectantly.

She hesitated.

“Come on, Kat. You’ve got to tell us now,” Sterling prodded.

“Well, it happened about a month ago. I’d…broken up with my boyfriend and I have this breakup tradition. I buy lottery tickets, and the numbers I use are all the special numbers from the relationship. Our first date, his birthday, my birthday, things like that.”

Lola sighed, obviously a dreamer. “How tragic. And romantic.”

“It gets better,” said Lorraine. “Tell them the rest.”

“I bought tickets the day Zach moved out. And, well, I won with our special numbers.”

Clapping her hands, Lola pronounced, “Then Zach will come back to you. It was meant to be.”

From the way Kat had said her boyfriend’s name, Tony suspected she was well rid of him.