Page 273 of Champagne Nights

“Good. She deserves to be for the way she treated Ellie.”

Suddenly, one of his friends walked over and took him away. After grabbing a couple of drinks, I headed back to the table.

“Any trouble?” I asked Addison.

“Nope. Mom won’t even come over here.”

“Well, she has to eventually for dinner. Are you okay?” I signed to Ellie.

“I’m fine, Henry. Stop worrying.”

Just as I was about to sit down, a family friend walked over.

“Henry, it’s good to see you,” Ken Cambridge spoke as he shook my hand.

“Hello, Ken. How are you?”

“I’m good. I heard about Kirsten,” he whispered in my ear. “Who would have thought.”

“It was a blessing in disguise.” I smiled.

“And who is this beautiful woman I saw you walk in with?”

“This is my girlfriend, Ellie Scott,” I signed. “Ellie, I’d like you to meet Ken Cambridge, a family friend.”

“It’s nice to meet you.”

“Oh wow. You can speak.”

I inhaled a sharp breath as I could feel the anger rise.

“I-T’-S – V – E- R- Y?—”

“You can talk normal, Ken. She can read lips.

“My apologies. It’s nice to meet you.”

“Thank you,” Ellie signed.

Ken hooked his arm around me and turned his head so Ellie couldn’t read his lips.

“It must be difficult to communicate.”

“Not at all. You know I’m proficient in sign language. We communicate better than most hearing couples.”

“Right. Perhaps you do. It was good to see you, Henry.” He patted my back and walked away.

“What’s wrong?” Ellie asked.

“Nothing, sweetheart,” I signed as I sat down.

“Parent alert!” Addison said and pulled out her phone.

“Put that thing away,” I said, and Ellie laughed.

My parents walked over to the table and took their seats across from us. Silence filled the table until Ellie decided to speak.

“Congratulations, Mr. Walker, for being honored as Businessman of the Year,” she said.

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