Free One Wedding Night... by Shirley Rogers

toppled.
    Everyone in the diner was looking at them. Some of the people were getting out of their seats and coming toward them. She looked to Russ, panic in her eyes.
    “Do something!” she hissed, then, with a frozen smile on her lips, faced Rebecca who had grabbed Lynn’s hand to inspect the ring she’d received from Russ only a short while ago. The waitress squealedagain when she got a closer look at it. The diamond sparkled, twinkling as the woman tilted Lynn’s hand back and forth.
    “Like what?” Russ wasn’t sure what she wanted him to do. He’d told her that word would get out. He figured they might as well face it now. Besides, he wasn’t any happier than she was about the commotion. He was used to keeping his distance from people, not sharing his thoughts or being the center of attention.
    His voice was smothered by the chatter of the group gathering around their table. Although he’d known these people only a few years, Lynn had known them her entire life. It wasn’t unusual for her friends and neighbors to be interested in her or for news of her engagement to be something to talk about.
    Larry Melton, the owner of the feed store in Crockett, slapped Russ on the back good-naturedly. “You lucky dog!” he declared, wriggling his eyebrows with a silly grin on his face.
    Fixing a smile on his face, Russ replied, his voice a little unsteady, “That I am.” He glanced again at Lynn, who looked about to be smothered by the throng of women trying to get a closer look at her ring. Mrs. Weaver, known for being the biggest gossip in Crockett, was maneuvering her way through the group gathering at their table. She used her ample body to push those closest to Lynn aside.
    “I haven’t heard a word about anything goin’ on between you two. When did all this happen?” she asked baldly, her keen eyes shifting back and forth between Russ and Lynn.
    “Well, we—”
    Lynn was saved from answering when Jeannie Bates, the clerk at the small grocery store, stated excitedly, “Boy, you McCalls are all getting hitched!” She took a turn looking at the ring, staring at it with envy. “First Ryder, then Jake and now you!”
    “Yeah, what’s in the water out there?” Ty Colbert asked Russ, then chuckled. “Think I’ll stick to beer!” Ty was Deke’s age, and he was well known in Crockett for his love-’em-and-leave-’em reputation.
    He groaned when his current girlfriend, Samantha Evans, elbowed him in the ribs. “It wouldn’t hurt you to think about marriage,” she chided with a look of reproach. “I’ve been tryin’ for months to get him to propose,” she said wistfully. She glanced at Lynn as she stared at the ring. “Oh, it is so beautiful!”
    Lynn wanted to crawl under the table. She glanced over and shot a get-me-out-of-here look at Russ. He was talking to one of the men, and she kicked his leg under the table to get his attention.
    “Ow!” Russ’s eyes pinned her with an accusing stare. It wasn’t as if this was his fault.
    Lynn was smiling, but he could tell from her expression that she wasn’t at all happy. Her face was nearly bloodred. He scooted to the edge of his seat, then managed to get out and stand beside the booth. Moving slowly among the well-wishers, he made his way to Lynn, pulling out his wallet and tossing some money on the table to pay for their meal.
    He accepted congratulations from nearly everyone before he could get a hold of Lynn’s hand and make room for her to get out of her seat. As she stood, he put his arm around her shoulders. The crowd was still talking to them as they slowly made their way to the door.
    Russ studied Lynn as she walked beside him, a smile fixed on her pretty face, anxiety in her eyes. Her face was still flushed, her skin hot. He knew how she felt. He’d never admit it to her, but he’d been unable to get a steady breath since they’d left the jewelry store, and all the attention and hoopla wasn’t helping.
    “Have you set a date?”