As he walked back to his teammates, Penny caught his eye and smiled at him from the refreshment area. That was the smile that had melted his heart. She had wanted to come tonight. She had wanted to watch him bowl in the last match for the IBM team. He couldn’t think of a sport more boring to watch than bowling, so she must really love him. Which was good, because he really loved her.

Gary rolled his two bonus balls. It took both balls for him to knock down ten pins, but he still had the best game of his life-a 216. When you’re hot, you’re hot. Since this was the last night of league play, there was some sort of an awards ceremony taking place in the refreshment area. Very informal, since this was primarily a social league. He collected Penny and introduced her to his teammates. With her smile and her personality, not to mention her looks, she was an immediate hit.

Gary was surprised when his name was called for an award. After all, he wasn’t even the best bowler on his own team. The award was for “highest single game score, including handicap.” His 216 had done it when added to his handicap. It paid to have a big handicap. He laughed as he accepted the award, but he got a good-natured round of applause, and Penny clapped enthusiastically.

A little later his team gathered for a drink. Lee, one of the older men in his IBM office-he was in his forties-said, “Gary, I hear you’re going on a trip. Tell us about it.”

“Well, we’re going up north. We’re going to hit some of the national parks. And I guess we’re getting married.”

Everybody looked surprised and then offered congratulations. Gary accepted them, grinning. He glanced at Penny. She was sitting with her mouth open, as if in shock. She shouldn’t be. They had discussed marriage. For example, whether to get married at the beginning or the end of the trip. She favored the beginning-because of what her New England relatives would say. And she just happened to have a wedding dress that she had purchased on her summer visit home. A dress her relatives insisted she buy, she had told Gary, making a face at the memory.