One Night Only (86 page)

“
I
hav
e
a
t
th
e
minute,
”
sai
d
Ruth
,
eyein
g
u
p
th
e
waiter
’
s
backside
.
“I’
m
tellin
g
you
.
I
s
o
would.
”

“Sto
p
it!
”
sai
d
Poll
y
.
“I
f
yo
u
kee
p
actin
g
lik
e
that
,
you’ll
ge
t
u
s
int
o
trouble.
”

“O
h
lighte
n
up
,
sis,
”
sai
d
T
ess
.
“Hav
e
anothe
r
glas
s
of
win
e
an
d
chil
l
out
.
Y
ou’r
e
no
t
a
t
hom
e
givin
g
ou
t
t
o
James
an
d
th
e
boy
s
no
w
.
W
e
ar
e
bi
g
girls
.
W
e
kno
w
ho
w
to behave
.
W
e’r
e
onl
y
havin
g
a
laugh!
”

Polly
’
s
fac
e
fell
.
W
a
s
tha
t
ho
w
sh
e
wa
s
see
n
a
t
home?
A
s
someon
e
wh
o
‘give
s
out’
?
Jame
s
ha
d
alread
y
calle
d
her
a
nag
.
Sh
e
didn
’
t
wan
t
t
o
b
e
a
nag
,
bu
t
T
es
s
ha
d
hi
t
a
nerv
e
an
d
i
t
stun
g
ver
y
badl
y
.

“I’
m
no
t
naggin
g
yo
u
an
d
I
don
’
t
na
g
Jame
s
eithe
r
,”
sh
e
said
.

T
es
s
sniffe
d
an
d
playe
d
wit
h
he
r
cutler
y
.

“
T
ess
!
I
mea
n
it
.
I’
m
no
t
bein
g
a
nag
!
Tha
t
poo
r
guy
wa
s
humiliate
d
b
y
yo
u
tw
o
droolin
g
ove
r
hi
m
an
d
Gina actin
g
lik
e
sh
e
wa
s
stil
l
mid-orgas
m
–
s
o
jus
t
admi
t
that yo
u
wer
e
ou
t
o
f
lin
e
instea
d
o
f
takin
g
i
t
ou
t
o
n
m
e
and makin
g
m
e
fee
l
bad!
”

Th
e
atmospher
e
a
t
th
e
tabl
e
wa
s
droppin
g
in
temperatur
e
a
t
a
rapi
d
rat
e
an
d
Rut
h
an
d
Gin
a
exchanged awkwar
d
glances
.

“I’
m
jus
t
sayin
g
tha
t
yo
u
shouldn
’
t
fee
l
lik
e
yo
u
need t
o
trea
t
u
s
lik
e
yo
u
d
o
you
r
husban
d
an
d
children,
”
said
T
ess
.
“
W
e
don
’
t
nee
d
yo
u
t
o
tel
l
u
s
whe
n
w
e
ar
e
righ
t
and whe
n
w
e
ar
e
wrong
.
Sav
e
i
t
fo
r
whe
n
yo
u
ge
t
home.
”

Rut
h
notice
d
tha
t
Polly
’
s
han
d
wa
s
tremblin
g
a
s
she
lifte
d
he
r
glas
s
t
o
hav
e
a
drin
k
o
f
wine
.
Sister
s
coul
d
b
e
so crue
l
t
o
eac
h
othe
r
an
d
sh
e
hate
d
t
o
se
e
suc
h
tension betwee
n
T
es
s
an
d
Poll
y
.
Ther
e
reall
y
wa
s
n
o
nee
d
an
d
it certainl
y
wasn
’
t
th
e
righ
t
tim
e
o
r
plac
e
fo
r
a
domestic. Perhap
s
sh
e
shoul
d
ste
p
in
.

“Mayb
e
w
e
di
d
g
o
a
bi
t
fa
r
,
”
sh
e
admitted
.
“Bu
t
that w
a
s
probabl
y
m
y
fault
.
I
starte
d
i
t
wit
h
th
e
whol
e
barbecue-
ri
b
thing.
”

“
Y
es
,
yo
u
ar
e
goo
d
a
t
startin
g
thing
s
an
d
lettin
g
others
tak
e
th
e
blame
,
aren
’
t
you
,
Rut
h
Monaghan?
”
sai
d
the normall
y
bashfu
l
Poll
y
.
Sh
e
ha
d
a
wil
d
loo
k
i
n
he
r
eyes
an
d
sh
e
looke
d
lik
e
sh
e
migh
t
cr
y
.
“Thi
s
wa
s
m
y
ide
a
to hav
e
yo
u
al
l
com
e
awa
y
fo
r
th
e
nigh
t
an
d
thi
s
i
s
ho
w
I
am treated
,
jus
t
becaus
e
I
thin
k
you
r
behaviou
r
wa
s
childish
an
d
ove
r
th
e
mark!
”