LITMIR.BIZ

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      “I know the exact thing. Keep her sitting there. I’ll be back in a couple of minutes.”

      Sara lay sprawled in her chair, eyes closed, obviously resting. Abby examined her own reflection in the mirror opposite and wished she hadn’t. She was dusty, part of her hem was loose and the shirt that had been pristine this morning looked tired.

      Not exactly party material.

      She caught sight of a rich red dress in the next department and longed to try it on. Just looking at it made her feel lighter, prettier, younger.

      “How about these?” The shoe salesman held a pair of wedge-heeled shoes that, while flattering the ankle, didn’t have the wobbling height of Sara’s borrowed stilettos.

      “Perfect,” Abby whispered. “Now how do we get her to wear them?”

      “I can hear you talking about me, you know.” Sara tried on the shoes and asked to have them put on her account. “What are you staring at?”

      Abby turned away, but she was too late.

      “That dress is perfect for you, Abby. You haven’t got time to go home and change now anyway because of me.” Sara frowned. “Unless—do you have to do something for your parents about dinner?”

      “No. It’s all taken care of.” Her parents thought she was working. And she’d intended to be. But she hadn’t known about the welcome-back party when she’d said that. She gave the dress another wistful glance.

      Wouldn’t it be wonderful to wear a dress like that? But buying the dress would take a bite out of the savings she needed for gems for her project.

      “I can’t afford it,” she said to quell Sara’s urging.

      “Yes, you can. It’s on the forty percent–off rack. Come on, Abby. Tonight’s a celebration.”

      Once she had tried the dress on, Abby knew she couldn’t give it up.

      Sara agreed.

      “It’s perfect.”

      “I think so, too.” Abby giggled. “Stop pushing. I’ll take it already.”

      “Good. You deserve to do something nice for yourself once in a while.” Sara’s phone pealed. “Hi, honey,” she said into it, her face a wreath of smiles. “I’m helping Abby pick out a dress. Yes, I’d love to go for a drive. Why don’t we take the twins? It would give Olivia a breather. In fact, tell her to trade places with me. Abby might try and put this dress back and she shouldn’t. Olivia will persuade her.”

      Sara’s obvious joy in talking to her husband carved a little jealous hole in Abby’s heart. How wonderful to feel so loved, so precious to someone else without feeling you had to earn it. Sara wore the same glow that Abby saw in Reese Woodward’s eyes whenever he looked at Olivia, his new wife. Abby could only imagine what it was like to have someone with whom to share her life, to feel his support when you stretched to reach your goals.

      Sara shut off her phone.

      “I’m going for a ride with Cade and the twins,” she said, her voice breathless, as if she couldn’t wait.

      “Congratulations again. You haven’t told anyone about the baby yet?”

      “No, and we’d really appreciate it if you’d keep our secret for a little while longer, Abby. We’re going to tell the family tonight.”

      “They’ll be ecstatic.” Amid the family’s excitement over this momentous event, no one would even notice what she wore, Abby was sure. But she refused to give up the dress. There was something about wearing it that made her feel as if she could fit in anywhere, as if she didn’t have to try so hard to prove herself.

      A minute later, Olivia arrived, breathless and laughing as she hugged Sara first, then Abby.

      “That is the most fantastic dress, Abby,” she enthused. “You’re a knockout.”

      “Thanks. With this new project I’m working on, I might even get to wear it a second time.”

      “What project?”

      “I’ll show you, if you want.”

      “Olivia! You’re supposed to take her mind off work,” Sara scolded. “I have to go.” She touched her lips to each of their cheeks, then hurried away in her new shoes, glowing like a bride.

      “She looks so happy.” Jealousy tugged at Abby.

      “She is. God did a wonderful thing when he put Sara and Cade together.” Olivia followed Abby to her office. “What are these?” she asked, looking at a tray on a cart.

      “Beads. I sometimes fool around with them when I’m trying to come up with a design.” Abby pushed the cart against the wall, out of the way, before she showed Olivia her ideas for the contest.

      Olivia oohed and ahhed over Abby’s preliminary sketches.

      “Very ambitious. I know you’ll win.”

      “Thank you.”

      “It’s a lovely design for a ring. Is it for someone special?”

      “Yes. A consignment that I want to use as my project centerpiece.”

      “How do you come up with ideas like this?”

      Abby had just begun to explain when she realized Olivia’s attention had drifted to something behind her.

      “Hello.” Olivia’s voice softened. “I’m Olivia. This is Abby. You must be Ariane.”

      A young girl stood in the doorway, dark head nodding. Abby caught a flash of interest in the wide brown eyes when they rested on the little cart full of beads. One slender hand reached out to touch the yellow ones.

      “Would you like to make something?” Abby offered. She drew a roll of wire from the drawer and cut off a six-inch length.

      Ariane frowned at her and backed away as if afraid.

      “I’d like to make something,” Olivia murmured. She drew two chairs forward, one obviously for Ariane. She sat down, then picked up the wire. “What do you do now, Abby?”

      “It’s very simple. Choose the beads you like and thread them onto the wire. Like this.” Abby demonstrated, peeking to see if Ariane was watching. She was.

      “I can do that.” Olivia slipped two on the wire, but then hesitated. “I don’t know what to do next,” she said with a wink at Abby. “Should I choose red or blue?”

      Abby remained silent, pretending to be perplexed. After a moment, Ariane stepped forward, picked up one red and one blue bead and slid them on, placing a white one between.

      “You’re absolutely right. That’s perfect. Thank you, Ariane.”

      Ariane nodded. She smiled at Abby, then turned and left.

      “Well, that was interesting.” Abby put back the beading tray. “I guess she’s here waiting for Donovan.”

      “She looked lonely. I’m going to see if she’s all right.” Olivia hurried away.

      Abby stared at the little bracelet Ariane had begun. She added a few twists, some bigger beads and little closures on the end. She laid the finished product on the cart. It was too girly for Olivia’s twin boys. Maybe she’d give it to Ariane if she came back.

      “Donovan has her. She’s a sweet child.” Olivia picked up the bracelet, shook her head. “I had no idea you could create something like this out of beads. It’s lovely.”

      “I only embellished on the red, white and blue theme she started,” Abby demurred, an idea flickering through her mind for her own collection.

      “Ariane looked so defenseless that I wanted to hug her and reassure her that she’s not alone. She has a great big new family

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