LITMIR.BIZ

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pitiful. All because she was pregnant.”

      Rafe leaned toward him. “Eat your sandwich, boy. You’re not scoring any points with either Gil or Lindsay.”

      After checking their expressions, Pete decided Rafe’s advice was sound and bit off a big bite of his sandwich.

      As he chewed determinedly, Gil sighed, then spoke. “If you made your intentions clear, then what’s the problem?”

      Lindsay gave her husband a disgusted look. “None of you know anything about women. Really, Gil, no woman would believe his warning. It’s like waving a red flag in front of a bull and expecting him to ignore it. That’s ridiculous!”

      “Hey, I was trying to be honest!” Pete swore, his voice rising.

      “So stop seeing her,” Gil suggested.

      “I haven’t asked her out for a couple of weeks, but she keeps showing up wherever I go. And she hangs all over me.” Pete sent a disgusted look in his sister’s direction. “What can I do?”

      Lindsay sighed. “Well, you could pay attention to another lady, but then you’d end up with her expecting marriage. Though why these women think you’d be good marriage material, I’ll never know. You need a woman who feels the same way you do about mar—” She broke off midword, staring into space.

      Pete glowered at her. “There isn’t a woman alive who doesn’t want to catch a man,” Pete muttered. Gil reluctantly nodded in agreement.

      “You’re wrong. I know a lady who feels that way.” Pete looked doubtful. “Are you sure?”

      “Yes. Kelly. She won’t even consider marriage. All we have to do is talk her into helping.”

      Pete remembered Kelly’s attitude when he’d involved her earlier. “Uh, Lindsay, I don’t think that’s going to work.”

      When Lindsay arrived at the store at one o’clock, Kelly didn’t mention her problem with Pete. She figured the least said, the soonest mended. She felt sure she’d gotten her point across to Pete Crawford. She didn’t think he’d try that “stuff” again.

      Which was good because the “stuff” was bothersome. She couldn’t get that kiss—those kisses to be technically correct—out of her head. But she would. She was determined.

      “I’m going upstairs to have lunch with Mom and Drew,” she said. “If you need help, just call.”

      When they’d agreed to be partners, Lindsay had no intention of marrying. She’d returned home after a year in Chicago. She’d bought the entire building and converted the second floor above the shop into a roomy three-bedroom apartment she intended to share with Kelly and Kelly’s son, Drew. But by then, Gil, who’d met Kelly in Chicago, had convinced her to marry him.

      Lindsay had moved to Gil’s ranch. She’d offered Kelly the apartment at a ridiculously low rate, and Kelly had convinced her mother to move in with her and give up her waitressing jobs to take care of her grandson, sometimes also helping out in the store.

      “I’ll come down again when Drew takes his nap,” Kelly added, hurrying away before Lindsay could say anything.

      When Kelly entered the apartment, she heard her two-year-old son chattering to his grandmother. He didn’t always get the words right, but he was happy. And she adored him.

      “Hey, little guy, how are you?” she asked as she moved into the kitchen.

      He beamed at her and held out his arms. “Mama!”

      Kelly gave him a hug but didn’t take him out of his high chair. Her mother was filling a plate for him full of chopped-up bites of hamburger, mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli. Kelly wanted him to eat properly. “Mmm, mmm, good. Look at what Grandma has fixed for you.”

      Mary Wildenthal grinned at her daughter. “I hope your enthusiasm works.”

      “Maybe if we bribe him with cookies,” Kelly returned.

      Drew squealed in excitement. “Cookie!” It was one of his favorite words.

      “Oops,” Kelly acknowledged her mistake. “After you eat your lunch.”

      “You’d better eat your lunch, too. I heard the high school was letting out early for parent conferences. I bet you’re busy this afternoon.”

      “I hope so,” Kelly said, sitting down at the table. She felt spoiled letting her mother serve her, but Mary insisted. After holding down two waitressing jobs for twenty-five years, she said she felt lazy.

      Kelly followed her mother’s advice. It meant her mother wouldn’t expect conversation, and Kelly was afraid she might let slip her difficulty with Pete. Like Lindsay, her mother thought Kelly should date.

      Kelly thought the one dating should be Mary. She was only forty-one, having had Kelly when she was sixteen. Kelly’s father ran away to avoid responsibility and Mary’s strict parents had kicked Mary out of the house.

      “Kelly?” Lindsay’s voice sounded on the intercom between the apartment and the dress shop. “We’re filling up.”

      Kelly punched the button to respond. “I’ll be right down.” She’d barely eaten half of her lunch, and she wasn’t scheduled to work the afternoon, but a new business needed flexibility. After six months of operation their efforts were really beginning to pay off.

      “But you haven’t finished your meal,” Mary protested.

      “I know, but we need the customers. Come down after Drew goes to sleep,” she added. They’d gotten a baby monitor so as long as Drew couldn’t get out of his bed, they were okay. But Kelly was getting worried about his prowess these days.

      “Okay,” Mary agreed.

      When Kelly got downstairs, she discovered they were having a run on the prom gowns. She and Lindsay had spent more than they’d intended because they’d found a new supplier with great designs when they’d come to market in Dallas. Today, it looked like their investment was paying off.

      When Mary came down, she took over the counter, ringing up customers, leaving Kelly and Lindsay to the actual selling.

      The store closed officially at 6:00 p.m., but it was almost six-thirty when Lindsay locked the door behind the last customer. Since Mary had gone back upstairs a couple of hours ago to care for Drew, Lindsay and Kelly were on their own.

      “We did over three thousand in sales today,” Kelly exclaimed from behind the counter tallying sales. “I bet we’re even busier on Saturday. We’re getting a lot of good word of mouth.”

      Lindsay agreed. “Those gowns you found at market are almost gone. I think we should call the supplier in the morning and have them overnight some more. Today’s Wednesday. We could have them on the racks Saturday.”

      Kelly beamed at her partner. “Brilliant idea! I’ll call first thing in the morning. And I’m calling Addie McCracken. She wanted that plum dress and it was too small. I can order a bigger size if she wants it.”

      “Great! You have such a memory. I’d forgotten about Addie.” Lindsay paused and then added, “With that great memory of yours, it’s amazing that you forgot to mention Pete’s visit today.”

      Kelly froze. That was a subject she had hoped to avoid. She attempted a casual shrug. “What’s to mention? He was looking for you, and I told him where to find you. I hope that was okay?”

      “Of course it was okay. So he didn’t upset you?”

      Kelly noted how closely Lindsay was watching her. “No, of course not.”

      Lindsay heaved a big sigh. “Oh, good, ’cause he needs your help.”

      Kelly drew a deep breath. “I don’t think I’d be very good as a cowboy. Sorry.”

      “That’s okay, ’cause he doesn’t need you to

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