Free Destiny by chance: A Contemporary Romance Fiction Novel by Margaret Ferguson

handed them to Ralph and Harry while cutting her eyes at her friend.  “Uh-huh.”
    “Here’s our good luck charm.” Harry patted Destiny on the back as she sat down.
    Lisa laughed.  “What am I now?  Chopped liver?”
    Ralph patted her arm as she sat.  “You’re more like filet mignon, Sweetheart,” he said with a smile.
    Harry sipped his drink.  “They forgot the alcohol again.”
    Lisa snapped her fingers.  “I knew we forgot something.”
    Ralph handed Destiny two of his cards and a stamp.  “Make me proud, Sweetie,” he grinned.
    They played six more games, without another win, and then it was time for everyone to go home.  Lisa and Destiny helped wheel Harry and Ralph outside to the bus waiting to take them back to the local Veterans Administration hospital.  Ralph made Destiny promise to return the following Friday, and she reluctantly assured him she’d be back.
    Lisa and Destiny walked back inside to clean tables and repack the bingo equipment.  A little while later, Owen made his way back over to them, to help them clear several tables.
    “Sorry you missed the fish,” Owen said with a smile.  “If you snooze, you lose around here.”
    “I’ll just have to get here earlier next Friday.” Destiny cleared the table without looking up at him.
    “I’ll make sure to hold you a few back if you don’t make it in time.”
    Destiny looked up.  Owen was trying so hard she almost felt bad for him.  Almost.  “Thank you.” 
    Owen drew in a deep breath and glanced at Lisa, who encouraged him with a nod of her head.  He turned back to Destiny, nervously.  “Hey, would you like to get a drink sometime?”
    Destiny continued to wipe down the table she had just cleared, with hot soapy water.  “That’s sweet, but I’m not really a drinker.”
    Owen sighed and glanced at Lisa again for encouragement.  She motioned with her head for him not to give up.  “How about going for a cup of coffee, then?” he asked.
    Destiny put on the kindest smile she could muster.  “I don’t really do coffee, either.”
    Owen felt himself struggling now.  “You do eat, right?”
    Destiny glanced at her friend and saw her encouraging Owen.  Lisa grinned and shrugged, knowing she was busted.  Destiny turned back to Owen, who looked like a little lost puppy.  “I’ve been known to eat.  On occasion,” she added with a smile.
    “So, meet me here, next week, and we’ll talk about eating,” he offered.
    Destiny tilted her head, her smile softening.  “Sure, we’ll talk next week.”  What the heck was she thinking?
    “So, it’s a date?” he asked coyly, then quickly added, “Unofficially?”
    “ Unofficially ,” Destiny agreed. 
    Owen smiled and nodded ever so slightly.  “Next week,” he added, triumphantly.  “See you then.” He backed up, turned and ran straight into a table.  He nonchalantly looked around, thought no one saw him and walked casually back to the kitchen.
    Lisa had to cover her snicker.  Destiny didn’t even look up, unable to appreciate the humor at the moment.  Lisa walked over to her friend.  “See.  That wasn’t so hard.”
    Destiny glared at her, her stare following her friend as she moved to cleaning the next table.
    Bill shook his head and laughed, watching his brother make a fool of himself.  Then he turned his attention to the woman with whom Owen had been flirting.  Maybe he shouldn’t have been so quick to dismiss Lisa when she had told him there was someone she wanted him to meet.  When she first walked up to stand in his line, he found he couldn’t keep his eyes off her.  Destiny was not just pretty, as Lisa had described her, she was drop-dead beautiful—maybe a couple of inches shorter than he was, her hair dark as a moonless night, beautifully framing her delicate features.  It had been years since he had even thought of asking another woman out, and now, the only one he would even think of asking was being set up with his