LITMIR.BIZ

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she drove away, Grady went back to the gravy simmering on top of the stove and gave it a stir. Strange how things worked out. For two years he’d essentially stopped dating. He’d used Danielle as the standard by which he’d measured all women, and no one had measured up.

      And now it seemed that his standard had been something he’d worked up in his head, not the woman he’d once thought he’d loved.

      * * *

      ANNIE GET YOUR GUN smelled of potpourri, spices and flowers, and Lex always inhaled deeply as she walked into the homey space she and Danielle had worked so hard to create after she’d lost her father and Danielle broke up with Grady. She loved this place.

      On the far wall was a framed poster of Annie Oakley with her rifle, embellished with paint and glitter. The store itself was filled with quirky Western-themed decor items as well as personal accessories, books, jewelry, T-shirts and fun gift ideas. Most of the stuff they purchased outright, but they had consignment stock—antiques and small furniture items—as well as items that Danielle and Lex made themselves. Lex’s father had been a silversmith, and Lex used his tools to create funky metal jewelry accented with beads and gemstones. Danielle made one-of-a-kind collector’s quilts, and Kelly, their one employee, was a potter.

      “Is that you, Lex?” Danielle’s voice came from the back room, where they kept extra stock as well as a refrigerator and electric teakettle.

      “Yep. I got the scones.” She shook the white bag. The pleasant aroma of the cinnamon tea Danielle always made for their weekly business meetings wafted from the back room. She set the bag on the antique table they used for their conferences and sat down.

      “Kelly won’t be here for the meeting,” Danielle said as she came out of the back room carrying a tray with the teapot and cups. She smiled tightly as she approached, the picture of stress, and Lex’s first thought was, What did Grady do now? She’d had a feeling that Danielle would contact him after she left, just to finish unfinished business. She kept her mouth shut, though, as Danielle set down the tray and opened the bag of scones to arrange them on a porcelain plate embellished with small cowboy boots. When she finished pouring the tea, she finally met Lex’s gaze.

      “You look like you could use a shot of whiskey in your tea,” Lex said.

      Danielle waved her hand dismissively. “I told my mom and grandmas that I was going to buy my own dress this morning. I hate disappointing any of them.”

      Okay. At least it wasn’t Grady that was bothering her. And as for Danielle buying her own dress, it had to be done. That ’80s dress...

      “I have a feeling,” Lex said, raising her cup, “that your mom might have disappointed her mom, who in turn disappointed Great-granny, since they all have their own dresses.”

      “Good point.” Danielle frowned and then said, “Great point. Anyway, now I’m going to be gown shopping, and I was hoping you might be able to squeeze some time in to help me.”

      “As long as it’s not Saturday morning, I’m at your disposal.”

      “Big plans?”

      “I promised Jared I’d bring quiet horses to the Kids’ Club riding lessons that start this weekend.” Her only cousin, a single dad, worked long hours in a machine shop during the week and then volunteered for the local recreation program on his weekends. “After all the help he gave me after Dad died, I figured it was the least I could do.”

      “Are you helping with lessons?”

      “Just providing mounts. Jared has high school kids helping with lessons.” Lex frowned at Danielle. “Where is Kelly?” Who was the kind of person who never missed work, never missed a meeting.

      Danielle’s mouth flattened as she said, “Job interview.”

      Lex set her cup back on the saucer. “No.”

      “Afraid so. County courthouse. Primo benefits.”

      “Wow.” They paid Kelly fairly well but weren’t in a position to offer anything better than bare-bones benefits. “What now?”

      “She’ll know tomorrow if she gets the job and has promised to do everything she can to help us find someone.”

      “I don’t think we can find someone like her.” Kelly made every customer feel special, even the crotchety ones like Mrs. Lacombe, who came to browse and complain about prices at least once a week.

      “I know,” Danielle said wearily, “but we have to think about what’s best for Kelly.”

      * * *

      OF COURSE KELLY got the job. Danielle called later in the afternoon to break the news to Lex, who was just heading out to feed.

      “I can help out at the store until we get someone.” Lex loved stocking the store and guiding the business decisions, but she wasn’t the warm and fuzzy people person that Kelly and Danielle were. She’d been in deep mourning for her father when she and Danielle started the business, and because of that, Danielle had taken charge of the day-to-day operations. She also pulled in a larger percentage of the proceeds. It worked well. Danielle had more income and Lex had the time she needed to focus on her farm.

      “I have an idea,” Danielle said slowly. “What do you think of interviewing Annie Owen?”

      “Annie Owen?” Lex barely kept herself from saying, Are you nuts? Instead she said, “Why Annie?”

      “Her name is perfect. Annie?” Lex rolled her eyes and waited for the real reason. “We know her. She needs a full-time job. It would help her and it would help us.”

      And also bring Grady, Annie’s brother, firmly back into Danielle’s sphere.

      “But,” Danielle said, “if you have a problem with hiring her, I won’t call.”

      Lex could almost hear her dad saying, Step back, as he often did when Lex felt the urge to fix matters that weren’t necessarily her concern. She liked Annie Owen, had nothing against her, except for her brother. And honestly, the only thing she had against him was that he’d been utterly selfish in regards to her friend.

      Let things play out. Stop trying to save everyone.

      Fine. She’d back off...but that didn’t mean she wouldn’t remain vigilant. She smiled at Danielle and gave a dismissive shrug. “If you’re good with it, I’m good with it.”

      “If you’re concerned about me and Grady, don’t be. I went to see him.”

      “I figured you would.”

      “Yes. And I felt...nothing.” Danielle gave a small shrug. “I’d bet the store that Grady felt the same.”

      “Well...that’s good news.” Very good news. No more worrying about her friend getting mixed up with a selfish bull rider.

      “It is. And now there’s no reason not to hire Annie.”

      Lex gave a slow nod. “I agree.”

      “Great. I’ll see if she wants to meet us at the store tomorrow.”

      * * *

      “ARE YOU SURE about this?” Annie asked, casting Grady a concerned look as she wrapped a blue silk scarf loosely around her neck.

      All of her looks seemed to be concerned lately. Stress had taken a toll on his sister. She didn’t smile as much as she used to, didn’t seem to feel as bulletproof. She was dressed for her interview in clothes that Grady recognized, and he hadn’t been home for two years, which made him wonder if he should have pressed harder for her to take the money he’d offered her. Annie had her pride, but there came a point where accepting monetary help was a matter of common sense. The house needed work, she needed some new clothes and there were her two young daughters to care for.

      “I’m sure,” Grady said with an easy grin.

      “Emily offered to

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