As he droned on, Allie scanned the table for anything missing, grabbed her handbag, and they headed out from under the canopy, carefully watching Sam to make sure their exit went unnoticed.
“And the winner is…Allison McBride! Allie, I know I saw you around here earlier!”
She couldn’t move. Horrified, she looked over to see Laney frozen, too.
“Allie? Is that you there in the back?”
People around them were calling out her name and pointing. There was no way she could pretend she hadn’t heard.
Crapola. She hadn’t even bought a freaking raffle ticket. She would have remembered.
A memory suddenly trickled through her abject horror. Molly. Hadn’t she mentioned something about putting Allie’s name on the tickets? Molly had really wanted that bike.
“Mom! You won a prize! We can’t leave!” Vi was jumping up and down in excitement.
Allie had to go up to the stage. She straightened her shoulders and tried to smile at Laney. “Guess I’ll be right back.”
Her face went red hot as she made her way past all the smiling faces until she reached the podium. She was careful to keep her gaze well away from one particular table.
“Any ideas of who you might be taking with you, honey? I’m sure Patty could spare me if you’re interested,” Tom said and winked, to the amusement of the crowd. “Hey gentlemen, just a reminder, this beautiful gal here is single and available. I’m sure I can make something happen, just give me the word.” A few hoots and whistles followed.
Dear Lord. Strike me down now. Please.
“Okay, Allie will be taking phone numbers following the event. Let’s give her a round of applause for being such a good sport.”
She glared at Tom. Thankfully, the music came up, and the crowd turned their attention back to food and conversation. Somehow, she managed to form complete sentences to Delores, who was saying something about signing a form about accepting the prize. She vaguely recognized the dozens of faces that smiled and congratulated her as she passed on her way back to Laney and the girls.
Finally free of the tent, they headed for the car.
The sun was bright and shining directly on the back of her neck, and she was suddenly aware of how hot it was today. “Laney, I—”
Why were the girls spinning?
Black spots swam through her vision.
And then everything went dark.
Chapter Eleven
Sam watched in alarm as Allie hit the ground in a dead faint.
What the hell?
He jumped up and left Meredith without explanation. He had to reach Allie.
He’d been following her progress across the lawn toward her family when suddenly she’d faltered and wilted to the grass. Now she was just lying there, still as death.
He’d totally forgotten Meredith until he felt her pulling on his arm, trying to slow him down.
“Sam, what’s the matter? Is everything okay?”
He shook her off and kept going, despite the curious stares of the people around them. How the hell had she convinced him to come to this thing? It was one thing to agree to coffee in a private setting, but to let her parade him around like this would give everyone the wrong impression. How stupid could he be?
A few strides later, he reached Allie’s side, and he didn’t think it necessary to offer an explanation for his haste.
“Allie?”
Her sister, Laney, was already kneeling on her other side, her voice frightened as she tried to rouse her. “Allie! Wake up!”