years old. I’ve been making my own decisions for quite some time now.”
“I just don’t understand why you would jeopardize your relationship with Dr. Morgensen by fraternizing with the likes of that man.”
“There’s nothing to jeopardize,” Shannon said, cutting a slice of pie and depositing it on a plate. “We’ve dated only a few times.”
“Well, it’s pretty clear to me Dr. Morgensen is looking for a wife.”
Shannon wanted to beat her head against the counter. “A wife? Aren’t you jumping the gun just a little?”
“Deny it if you want to, dear, but your suitability for each other is obvious to everyone in Rainbow Valley.”
Shannon couldn’t deny that. That was the way it was in Rainbow Valley. People were paired up as if they lived on Sesame Street. Which of these things look the same? That’s right, boys and girls! Shannon and Russell! They’re both pretty people with professional degrees. They belong together!
“Stop the speculation, Mom,” Shannon said, scooting more pie onto plates. “Just because we’re dating doesn’t mean a wedding is right around the corner.”
“Men like Russell don’t come to Rainbow Valley every day,” Loucinda said. “He’s interested in you, so you’d do well to pay attention. He comes from a good family. His father is a heart surgeon, you know.”
Good Lord. If Shannon heard that one more time…
“Luke Dawson is a distraction you don’t need. Have you forgotten what his father was like?”
“He’s not like his father,” Shannon said.
Loucinda’s mouth settled into a grim line of disapproval. She swept two of the plates of pie off the counter. “It’s a mistake,” she said on her way out the door. “That’s all I can tell you. Hiring that man is a mistake.”
The door swung closed. Shannon took a deep breath and counted to ten before grabbing a couple of plates and following her mother into the dining room. Russell was carrying on an animated discussion with her father about the merits of one golf putter over another while Eve poked away at her iPhone.
They finished dessert, and a short time later, Shannon and Russell rose to leave. He made all the appropriate noises of delight at being invited to dinner and complimented Loucinda once again on her cooking. By the time they walked out of the house, Shannon knew her mother was going to have to restrain herself from getting a subscription to Modern Bride.
“While you were in the kitchen,” Russell said as he drove, “I was talking to your father. He asked me to play golf.”
Shannon froze. “You’re playing golf with my father?”
“This Sunday. And he’s going to introduce me to the general manager at Majestic and sponsor my membership application.”
“You’re joining the club?”
“My application should be approved by next week. Your father said it would be no problem.”
No, no, no! No country club!
She could not date a man who expected her to play golf and rub elbows with the rich folk. She’d had enough of that kind of thing when she entertained clients in Houston, and the last thing she wanted was to start in again.
“I didn’t even know you played golf,” Shannon said.
“Of course I play golf. What man doesn’t like golf?”
She pictured her father wearing his plaid golf pants, green shirt, and ugly golf shoes. In thirty years, that was Russell.
No. Take it easy. Golf is not evil. The devil does not wear golf shoes.
At least she didn’t think he did.
“That’s nice,” she said. “I’m glad you two are getting along.”
When they got to her apartment building, Russell walked her inside. When they reached her door, she said, “Have you given any more thought to sponsoring the petting zoo at the festival?”
By the look on his face, he’d given it several thoughts, and he didn’t appear to like any of them.
“This is my first festival,” he said. “Tell me again what my sponsorship would involve.”
“Well, we’d create a really big sign that would say, ‘Rainbow Valley Animal Shelter Petting Zoo, sponsored by Russell Morgensen, D.D.S.’ in big letters. Your name would be in all the special literature we put out during the event. And you’d be a featured judge for the animal costume contest on Wednesday afternoon.”
He nodded. “How much was it, again?”
“A thousand dollars.”
When Russell still looked unsure, Shannon imagined the word no coming out of his mouth and jumped back in again.
“I have an idea,” she said. “Why don’t you come out to the shelter and see the signs we used for the sponsor last year? I’ll show you all the literature, too. That’ll