Taking Chances, by E. L. Van Hine and L.H. Nicoll

[MaineWriter]

Chapter 89:

“You train what... horses?” Simon asked, letting Lauren up so he could serve a new customer settling down at a table nearby.

“Yep, sure do.”

“An he is the best at it too,” Ellery chimed in, beaming.

“I’d like ta get a place where I could have a horse. I need a big one though. I ain’t no lightweight,” Simon said. “Might do Lauren good, boy works too hard.”

“That’s why I gave em a raise an cut down his hours a bit,” Ellery said.

“Yeah so he said. Mind if we get goin? My favorite steak house is only open till 11.”

“No go ahead,” Ellery said. “I know how ta serve drinks.”

Lauren returned, and Simon rose. “Boss says we can go, lover,” he said, throwing an arm around him as soon as he got in range, and Lauren made a soft squealing sound. Ennis looked down into his beer, blushing.

“Let’s go then. Thanks for everything, Ellery! See ya soon! Ennis, Jeremy...” he waved, and Simon swept him out the door.

“Ellery, “ Ennis said softly.

“Hm?” Ellery leaned back with his drink, sipping on it as he watched Simon and Lauren go out the door.

“Don’t ever do that kinda thing with me when people are watchin.”

“Oh you’d love it, Ennis.”

“Shut up, Dupree.”

Ellery laughed. “Yer temptin me, boy.”

[MaineWriter]

Chapter 90:

Dupree came in as Wes was retreating to his office, and Joe Tooey behind him, brandishing a large square envelope. “Dupree, get in here,” Ellery said, and Joe sang out,

“Found yer wedding invite, Ellery. Sally didn’t know what ta put on it, “and guest” or “and partner” or whatever so I said I’d deliver it personally.”

“ ’And Ennis’ would a been most appropriate,” Ellery smiled, accepting the envelope as Dupree unfolded in the chair across from his desk.

“So he ain’t... yer cousin?” Joe said, all innocence.

“For the purposes a yer folks an anybody who don’t need ta know, yes he is, Joe,” Ellery said, giving him a warning look.

L

[mariez]

Good Morning, All! 

Shoot - missed the whole dang re-read yesterday - got some catching up to do!  And you're so right, Leslie - these chapters are full of stuff - good stuff!

I'll be back!

Marie

[mariez]

A few thoughts ...

From Chapter 86:

.....as Ennis splashed the cloth up between his thighs and got the majority of come and butter onto the cloth.


Now, there's a phrase you don't read every day!!!! 

and at the end of the chapter...

With his simple declaration, Ennis had given Ellery a hope, that this hunger, lurking inside him for so long, unsatisfied, would be fulfilled, and that he could look forward to a relationship that nourished, rather than drained him. As they fell together, spent, onto the bed, Ellery felt the beginnings of that hope, and the end of a life of frustrated longing.

L

And that's a paragraph I could read every day!  Aww, Ellery. 

Such great quotes, Leslie.  Thanks!

Marie

[mariez]

A lot of interesting little tidbits from Chapter 89:

As he did he caught sight of a tall, long-haired blond sweeping Lauren up into his arms and giving him a hard smack on the lips. “This must be Simon,” Ellery said as he walked back in. Simon let go of Lauren, towering over him by a good foot. Simon was well built, muscular, beefy arms the size of Ellery’s thighs.

“Evenin, you must be the infamous Deputy Ellery,” he boomed, voice like thick molasses. He scooped Lauren into a one-armed embrace with his left arm and extended his right, bristling with expensive looking rings on each finger.

“Infamous huh?” he took the hand, which crushed his fingers together briefly as Simon grinned at him sunnily.

“Well in a manner a speakin. Heard you ran Wayne off when he got inta trouble.”

“He’s still floatin around somewhere, but yeah, got me a new bartender.”

“Can’t say I’m sorry. Listenin ta Lauren go on about Wayne’s little hobbies at the bar was enough ta make me want ta give em a spank myself, an life has been a lot happier since you got somebody new at the bar.”

. . . . . . . .

“Those are real nice rings,” Ennis commented, his eye drawn to Simon’s hand.

“Now look at the ones I made for us. This was for our commitment ceremony.” He lifted Lauren’s long left hand and held it up against his right. On the fourth finger of each hand was the same woven silver band studded with gems.

“Them... diamonds?” Ennis asked, impressed.

“Cubic zirconium. More beautiful than diamond if ya ask me, but less expensive.”

Ennis nodded, still looking at the beautiful woven silver. “Maybe get me one a them.”


Our first look at beefy Simon with arms the size of Ellery's thighs (!!!)  Interesting to hear Simon's comments about Wayne.

I had completely forgotten that Simon and Lauren had a commitment ceremony and wore matching rings!

And, yes, Ennis - you will be getting a ring - a 24k gold ring!   

Marie

[belbbmfan]

A few thoughts ...

From Chapter 86:

.....as Ennis splashed the cloth up between his thighs and got the majority of come and butter onto the cloth.


Now, there's a phrase you don't read every day!!!! 

Marie

    

You could say that again !!

[louisev]

hahahahaha!

[MaineWriter]

Today, chapters 91-95:

http://louisev.livejournal.com/73311.html

“Well set a spell an I’ll put dinner on an we can visit a bit when Wes gets home before ya head out for the bar. I don’t know how you boys can just go go go like you do.” She shook her head.

“We eat a lot a biscuits.”

“Speakin a which, I made some fresh.”

“You gonna spoil my dinner?”

She smiled. “Just don’t tell Wes. Let me get ya a couple. You want butter?”

Ennis spat out part of his mouthful of lemonade in response to her comment, and she raised her eyebrows. “Sorry, Edna.”

“Rather have jam then?”

“No, butter’s fine.” Edna went back in the house, tut-tutting to herself, and Ennis rubbed a hand over his face, now flaming hot with embarrassment. She don’t know nothin, boy, just settle down, he chided himself, and managed to get a straight look on his face by the time she returned with a small plate with buttered biscuits on it. “Thank you kindly, Edna.”

[MaineWriter]

More from Edna:

“I hope Ellery gets over that. I didn’t know he had a heartbreak like that when he was so young. I am amazed he is so even tempered when ya consider.”

Ennis smiled faintly. “Yes ma’am, most a the time he’s pretty even tempered.”

“Everythin... gonna be okay ya think?”

Ennis smiled and nodded. “Yes ma’am.”

“You two... still gettin on okay?”

Ennis blushed slightly. “Good as ever, maybe better.”

“You ain’t... upset about this... other one showin up from the past?”

“No, well... no.”

“You didn’t feel jealous or anythin? Give em a hard time?”

Ennis stared at his biscuit, suddenly intensely uncomfortable with her probing. “I got ta take Pal out for a run. I’ll be back in a while."

“I’m stickin my nose in too far,” she concluded, rising. “You take yer time, finish yer biscuit, no need ta run off.”

He smiled helplessly, still blushing. “Thanks Edna.”

[MaineWriter]

Chapter 92:

Ellery gave him a quick glance. “Do you want to watch?”

“Thinkin a goin into law enforcement myself.”

“Oh really. You in the criminal justice program?”

“Well well, Jeremiah,” Dupree said from the third floor stairwell.

“Jeremy!”

Ellery blinked. “You two know each other?”

“As only a Jeremy and a Jeremiah could,” Dupree smiled. “Part a the reason I go by Dupree.” He shook Stokes’ hand.

“Jeremiah here was thinkin a becomin a policeman. Well guess what, I made it into the Sheriff’s office myself.”

“Damn, Dupree,” Stokes said, smiling widely. “Good ta know. You workin for the Chief Deputy an all?”

Dupree smiled proudly. “Sure am. On the murder case.”

“Hot damn,” Stokes said. “Chief Deputy here says you might be fingerprintin and stuff.”

“We haven’t got a Brad Sevigny but if there was somebody in that room we can fingerprint em and find out who he was if he’s in the national computer,” Ellery said, a little flattered at discovering the house father was in the CJ program. Might make life a little easier.

“Let’s do it,” Dupree said.

“We’re gonna be here for a while, Dupree, I better call Edna an have her try ta get Ennis ta stay for dinner. We’ll probably be eatin pizza while we inventory the room. I hope you ain’t got plans,” Ellery said.

“Just at the bar.”

“Shit. Not fair you workin tonight. Rudy’ll have ta go it alone.”

“Okay. Mondays are pretty dead anyhow. He’ll survive.”

“There’s a phone in the upstairs office you can use here,” Stokes offered. “Just step inside there.”