ON WEDNESDAY MORNING, TUCKER slipped in to Dinner Belles to tell Mama Pearl about the orientation meeting for the competition. Norah had pulled off her usual organizational miracle. Not that he was surprised. As he wasn't due in court until eleven, he had ample time for a hot breakfast. And he wasn't above admitting - to himself, at least - he hoped to run into Corinne.
Having Mama Pearl agree to be his partner wasn't exactly what he'd had in mind when he'd approached her. But maybe she thought Corinne wasn't ready. Or that he wasn't right for her. Or, hell, maybe that Corinne just flat wasn't interested - in him or the competition. Tucker wasn't about to fault the older woman for watching out for her employee. Corinne had few enough allies in her corner. But he'd hoped for the chance to be one of them.
Luck was with him. Moments after he slid into a booth, Corinne was at his elbow filling his coffee cup.