The Promise - By Danielle Steel Page 0,3

worth stopping for?”

“Hell, yes. We won a pink dog”—he pointed at the ugly little creature in Jeannette's basket—“a green turtle, which somehow got lost; and two cans of beer. Besides, they have corn on the cob and it's terrific.”

“You just sold me.” Michael looked over at Nancy and smiled. “Shall we?”

“Sure. You guys going back already?” But she could see that they were. Ben had a recognizable gleam in his eyes, and Jeannette seemed to be in agreement. Nancy smiled to herself as she watched them.

“Yeah, we've been out since about six this morning. I'm beat. What are you two doing for dinner tonight, by the way? Want to stop in for a pizza?” Ben's room was only a few doors down from Mike's.

“What are we doing for dinner, señor?” Nancy looked at Michael with a broad smile, but he was shaking his head.

“I have some business to attend to tonight. Maybe another time.” It was a rapid reminder of the meeting with Marion.

“Okay. See ya.” Ben and Jeannette waved and were off, as Nancy stared at Michael.

“You're really going down to see her tonight?”

“Yes. And stop worrying about it. Everything is going to be just fine. By the way, Mother says he's got the Job.”

“Ben?” Nancy looked up questioningly as they started pedaling toward the fair.

“Yes, We start at the same time. Different areas, but we start the same day.” Mike looked pleased. He had known Ben since prep school, and they were like brothers.

“Does Ben know yet?”

Michael shook his head with a secretive smile. “I thought I'd let him get the thrill of hearing the news officially. I didn't want to spoil it for him.”

Nancy smiled back at him. “You're a nice guy and I love you, Hillyard.”

“Thank you, Mrs. H.”

“Stop that, Michael.” She wanted the name too much to hear it bandied about, even by Michael.

“I won't stop it. And you'd better get used to it” He suddenly looked serious.

“I will. When the time is right. But until then, Miss McAllister will do Just fine.”

“For about two more weeks, to be exact. Come on, I'll race ya.”

They sped ahead, side by side, panting and laughing, and Michael reached the entrance to the fair a full thirty seconds before she did. But they both looked tanned and healthy and carefree.

“Well, sir, what's first?” But she had already guessed, and she was right.

“Corn, of course. Need you ask?”

“Not really.” They parked their bikes next to a tree, knowing that in that sleepy countryside no one would steal them, and they walked off arm in aim. Ten minutes later they stood happily dripping butter as they ate their corn, and then they gobbled hot dogs and sipped ice-cold beer. Nancy followed it all up with a huge stick of cotton candy.

“How can you eat that stuff?”

“Easy. It's delicious.” The words were garbled through the sticky pink stuff, but she wore the delighted face of a five-year-old.

“Have I told you lately how beautiful you are?” She grinned at him, wearing a faceful of pink candy, and he took out a handkerchief and wiped her chin. “If you'd clean up a little we could have our picture taken.”

“Yeah? Where?” As she gobbled another pink cloud, her nose disappeared again.

“You're impossible. Over there.” He pointed to a booth where they could stick their heads through round holes and have their photographs taken over outlandish outfits. They wandered over and chose Rhett Butler and Scarlett O'Hara. And strangely enough, they didn't even look foolish in the picture. Nancy looked beautiful over the elaborately painted costume. The delicate beauty of her face and the precision of its features were perfect with the immensely feminine costume of the Southern belle. And Michael looked like a young rake. The photographer handed them their photograph and collected his dollar.

“I ought to keep that, you two look so good.”

“Thank you.” Nancy was touched by the compliment, but Mike only smiled. He was always so damned proud of her. Just another two weeks and. … but Nancy's frantic tugging on his sleeve distracted him from his daydreams. “Look, over there! A ring toss!” She had always wanted to play that at the fair when she was a little girl, but the nuns from the orphanage always said it was too expensive. “Can we?”

“But of course, my dear.” He swept her a low bow, offered her his arm, and attempted to stroll toward the ring toss, but Nancy was far too excited to stroll. She was almost leaping like a child,