Free Marrying Mallory by Diane Craver

understands you’d want to be with him for his
first plane trip. She’s right. It’ll be fun to have you come too.”
    “Is Samantha still going?”
    “She’ll come sometime.” He cleared his throat. “I didn’t
suggest you come in the first place because, I thought it might be too
difficult for you. I know it was traumatic when your dad left to go to Vegas.
I’ve changed my mind. It’ll be good for you to make good memories in Vegas.”
    “Hey, that’s right. My dad left me at age five to go there
and Josh’s five.” But it wasn’t going to be the same outcome. She might have
thought briefly that Toby wanted to gamble, but he’d never been interested in
it. Unfortunately, her dad loved gambling more than her mother and herself.
Toby could be right. Deep down she was bitter about her father leaving her when
she was young.
    “I promise not to bet,” Toby said.
    “I know you won’t, especially since you want me there. It
depends when we’d go. I do have something planned in June.”
    “You don’t have to decide now. You can think about it.” 
    Was Toby being sincere in wanting her to visit with Josh?
She’s seen him in action in the courtroom. He could charm his opponent into divulging
all kinds of confidential information. Why did he want her now in Vegas?
    Or perhaps Samantha had told him to invite her. But why
would she want the ex-wife around? 
    Dummy. Samantha probably wants a babysitter so she could go
out with Toby and party in Vegas. “Am I now being invited to watch Josh while
you and Samantha go out?”
    “Would you like to babysit?” Before she replied, he
chuckled. “I’m kidding. I just thought you’d enjoy getting away.”
    “I’ll think about it but Seth wants me to fit him in my
schedule sometime in June when school’s out for the summer.” If Toby thought
she meant Seth wanted to date her, it wasn’t her fault. And she hadn’t lied.
She was going to see Seth in June unless she moved the surgery up to an earlier
date. She wasn’t going to Vegas with a swollen nose.
    “I thought you wanted to fix Seth up with Heather. Did you
change your mind?”
    Great. Toby had listened to her when she’d mentioned
having coffee with Seth, and his factual mind never forgot a name or dates.
“Heather thinks Seth’s perfect for me, but there’s an old friend who wants to
date me.”
    “Anyone I know?” he asked.
    “Jeremy Turner.”
    She waited for him to make a comment about a minister
wanting to date her, but instead he said, “I better go. The movie will be over
soon. I want Josh to visit. It’ll be great if you can make the trip with him.
And Mallory, thanks for the cookies and coffee. I’ll catch you later.”
    “Bye.” After she heard his click, she looked again at the
pictures of her nose. She couldn’t imagine not having the surgery, but it was
possible. If she changed her mind, one good thing came out of learning more
about rhinoplasty…and that was meeting the handsome Dr. Whitman. He had
definitely been a bright spot in her week. She smiled. Oh yeah, he wanted her
to call him Seth. No problem. She’d call him Seth. And her mom was right. A
doctor never had invited her out for coffee after an appointment. 
     
     

Chapter Eight
     
    Mallory smiled at Elizabeth and Heather. “I’m glad you two
are here.” 
    She had the best friends. They’d been there for her when
Toby left her, and now once again wanted to support her. Heather’s offer of
money for her plastic surgery meant a lot to her. She might not agree with
Elizabeth for having a dinner party with the sole purpose of fixing her up with
Jeremy, but she loved her for caring and wanting to help.
    “Hey, what are friends for,” Elizabeth said. “I thought we
better get together and plan this dinner I’m hosting. Besides, when you
mentioned Toby’s leaving the state, I thought we should celebrate.” She wore
jean capris with a flowered scarf weaved through the belt loops. Her straight
blonde hair