Free Tightening the Knot by Amanda Hamm Page B

it couldn’t hurt to try.”   Meredith squirted a bit into the dog’s dish and called her over.   Katie lapped it up eagerly.   “Now I feel pretty silly.”
                “Hey, at least you’re not the one who ate batteries.”
                Meredith laughed.   She was only slightly concerned for the dog and already had the feeling this was going to make a good story, one that she and Greg could tell together.   It was not exactly a romantic story, not by any stretch of the imagination, but it would still be something they would share.   She loved making new memories, but her reverie was short.   It was rudely interrupted by a horrible gagging sound.   She turned quickly away.   “I’m not watching; just tell me when you see batteries.”
                “Um… yeah, there they are.   Wait, no!   No, no, NO!   I don’t believe this!”
                “What?”   Meredith spun around to see Katie licking the floor.  
                “She just ate them again.”
                “ Ewww … again?   That’s so gross.”
                “What do we do now?”
                Meredith shook her head.   She didn’t need to answer because it was obvious that Katie was about to give up the batteries a second time.   Greg quickly put the leash on her and pulled her away as the mess hit the floor.   Meredith grabbed the leash.   “Good idea.   But this time I’ll hold her and you deal with that.”   She pointed at the centerpiece of the less than delightful new memory.  

 
     
     
     
    ╣ Chapter 15 ╠
     
     
     
     
                The story of the dog and the batteries went over well with Meredith’s family that night, even if it wasn’t terribly appropriate dinner conversation.   She arrived home in good spirits and pulled the page from the church bulletin out of her bag, the one Jenna had given her over lunch.   She couldn’t wait much longer to broach the subject with Greg and still have any hope of getting a reservation.   But it felt funny to be holding the suggestion as he walked in, like she was waiting to pounce or something.   There was no need to be overly aggressive.
                An idea struck and Meredith raced up the stairs.   She put the page on the bed next to where she had taken off her church clothes, planning to “notice” it when they were getting ready for bed.   She could mention it very casually.   The sound of the garage door seeped through the floor, it could probably use some WD-40, and told her that Greg was home.   Her stomach fluttered as though she was about to approach a cute boy at a party and she made it back to the living room just in time to meet him at the door.   Immediately, she recognized the church bulletin in his left hand.
                “Hi.” He smiled at her.
                “Hey.”
                “That was a pretty good dinner, huh?”
                “Yeah.”   Why were they both so stiff?
                “I can’t believe Ellie actually asked about your dress.”
                “Uh-huh.   I’m starting to think she really doesn’t care and just wants to find a free dress.”
                “Well, if I remember right, wedding dresses aren’t cheap.”
                “True.”   The bulletin was folded open.   Had he gotten to the page with that ad?
                “Would it be weird if she wore yours?”
                “I don’t think so.”
                “Hmm… hang on a sec.”   He unzipped his coat.   They had both been standing in the middle of the room and he now moved to the closet to put the coat away.   He held the bulletin in his teeth as he took it off.   Meredith watched closely, wondering why he wouldn’t put that bulletin down.   He fiddled with it for a moment, then brought it to the