Eleanor Bishop fled the coffee shop in a panic and ducked into a store across the street. Watching the man exit the café and scan the area for her, her heart leaped into her throat.
She took her phone out of her bag and called home.
The phone rang for a long time before someone answered.
"Eleanor Bishop, did you ruin another blind date?!"
Listening to the tirade on the other end, Eleanor Bishop clutched her phone, hiding behind a mannequin. She lowered her voice and asked urgently, "Mom, did you take his money?"
"What money? When did I ever take his money?"
"Mom, stop playing dumb. The moment I arrived for the blind date, the man wouldn't leave me alone. He wanted to drag me off to get a marriage license! He said you took his money—that you sold me to him. Mom, tell me honestly. Did you really take his money?"
"Really? He really wants to get a marriage license with you?" Yara Ross seemed to have heard nothing else; the only words that registered were "get a marriage license."
