Jolting on the seat, her back now ram-rod straight, Gloria glanced toward the door, planning her escape.
“That’s better,” the older woman soothed. “See how much lovelier you feel when you hold your head up? I was just telling Harold that the other day, I said ‘so many girls nowadays cower’. Just like that, that’s what I said.”
Gloria’s cheeks turned a mild pink under her freckles.
“Now,” the older woman waved a hand, “about your clothes…”
Gloria smoothed her white lab coat. “What’s wrong with my clothes?”
With a loud snort, Beatrice rolled her eyes. “You can’t be serious.”
“I— well,” she said quietly, well aware that she had no idea what to wear. Most people were kind enough not to comment on it.
“Don’t slouch!” Beatrice barked, causing Gloria to jump. “Oh, my goodness, this is going to be much more difficult than I first assumed.”
Gloria jumped up. “I don’t need any help; I’m fine,” she fumed, turning to leave. But the older woman was wily and much quicker than Gloria imagined. Beatrice was on her feet and planted in front of Gloria before she was half way to the door. The two women stood eye to eye, and much to Gloria’s surprise, the older woman appeared to be contrite.
Beatrice took Gloria’s arm and led her back to the sofa. Gently she gave the younger woman a push, and Gloria plopped down to sit.
With a long sigh, Beatrice sat beside her and began again. “I know I can be overbearing, but that is not my intention. Lizzie has berated me often enough; you’d think I’d know better than to use city tactics on you country people.”
Gloria pursed her lips, certain that the woman’s admission was a slam, not an apology.
“I want to take you shopping,” Beatrice finally exclaimed.
Gloria collected her wits. “Shopping? Me?”
Beatrice smoothed one hand over her perfectly coifed hair. “Well Lizzie won’t go with me, and it’s simply no fun alone.”
Gloria was lost. “But… I…”
“Oh, I’ll cover the cost, don’t concern yourself with that.” Beatrice sniffed in dismissal. “I just want to take you out and show you how to dress in style.”
Gloria stared at the woman, her expression blank. She could not imagine herself wearing a polyester pantsuit similar to the one Beatrice wore. She may not have a sense of style, but she knew that would never fly.
As the silent moment stretched and sagged, pulling uncomfortably on them both, the older woman’s severe expression faded, then she sighed. “Please don’t make me beg,” she whispered. “I need to go shopping.”
Ever the tender-hearted one, Gloria could see that Beatrice was lonely, and her resolve slipped. “I suppose I could go with you.”
“Of course, you will.” Beatrice bound to her feet, her brusque manner back in place so quickly that Gloria jerked back in disbelief. Had she imagined the whole rueful scene moments before?
“I’ll pick you up Saturday morning at eight a.m. sharp,” Beatrice continued, marching toward the door. “The sales start early, so don’t be late.” She paused with one hand on the door knob and turned back. “You’ll have to meet me here. I have no idea where you might live.” And with that, she flung open the door and waltzed out.
Gloria flinched when the door banged shut, then slumped into the sofa cushions to think back over the whole scene, trying to make sense of it. “Where I might live? As if she isn’t sure I live at all?”
* * *
Bracing himself for a blast of wind, Ned hunched into his uniform jacket and climbed from the patrol car. The ratty, tinsel, bell-shaped decoration attached to the light pole next to his car flapped in the wind. The weather this time of year was hit or miss. There would likely be a few warm teaser days, but more often than not the temperatures were dropping.
Lowering his head into the wind, he gripped his uniform cap to keep it from blowing off and stepped up onto the sidewalk. Once in the vestibule, he gripped the door handle to Justin and Elliot’s office and opened the door just wide enough to poke his head in. “You guys b—busy?”
Elliot grinned from behind his desk, motioning for Ned to enter. “We were just talking about you; come in.”
“Oh yeah?” Ned grinned, heading into the office. Once the door was secure, he turned to survey the property development office. The furniture was wood and steel, clean and crisp, with an industrial vibe. Framed construction drawings filled the exposed brick walls, giving the space a relaxed urban-business vibe.
“How’ve you been?” Justin asked, leaning back in his chair, tossing a toy basketball from one hand to the other.
“I’m g—good,” Ned answered.
“How’s your family?” Justin continued, throwing the ball to Ned from across the room.
Ned’s long arm shot up and snagged the ball in mid-air. “Momma’s good, getting b—busy with Christmas shopping and all. D—daddy’s well, still in remission. Thanks for asking.” He lobbed the ball back across the room.
Elliot protectively covered his coffee cup as he watched.
“Glad to hear it.” Justin grinned, catching the perfectly aimed throw, then turned to make a basket in the tiny hoop suctioned to the wall over his desk.
“Nice shot,” Ned grinned, but followed the comment with a glance at his watch. He enjoyed goofing around out with the guys, but he was on duty. Add to that his general dismay with the whole pageant situation, and he was more than a little on edge.
“I’ve been working on drawings for the backdrops,” Elliot said. “Come take a look and tell me what you think.”
Ned crossed the room to Elliot’s desk. Even though his uniform was clean and pressed, he couldn’t help but feel small town and dingy next to the immaculately dressed man. Elliot always looked as if he’d stepped from the pages of GQ Magazine.
Ned was no clotheshorse, but he knew the feel of a finely cut tuxedo, and it was a pleasure. With a grim nod, he put aside his discomfort. His uniform was exactly what he should be wearing today.
Justin put the ball in his desk drawer and stood to stretch. He headed to the conference table near the front windows and motioned toward the other men. “Bring the drawings over here so we can all see.”
Elliot and Ned tossed glances of agreement back and forth. Chairs scraped along the floor as Elliot moved up to the table and spread out the drawings, shifting them to put them in the correct order. “This is the manger scene,” he started, pushing a drawing toward Ned at the end of the table. “…and this is the winter scene behind the children’s choir, but,” his brow wrinkled, “I don’t think I like it.”
Ned unrolled the drawing of the stable and manger scene, pushing it open with both hands to keep the ends from curling, then looked up. Curious about Elliot’s comment, he released it again, and it curled back into a tight roll. He and Justin both moved closer to look over Elliot’s shoulder.
“What’s wrong with it?” Justin asked.
“It looks good to me,” Ned added.
Elliot pointed. “It’s the supports; I’m not sure they’ll work.”
All three men leaned closer.
“Do you think two supports will b—be enough?” Ned asked
“That’s what I’m wondering,” Elliot mused, rubbing the back of his neck. “Maybe if we make the whole set into three sections instead of two?”
Justin straightened. “Whatever you guys decide is fine with me.”
Ned moved back to the end of the table and unrolled the manger scene drawing, his practiced eye skimming the paper. The stable looked easy enough, he supposed, and the manger was typical. It would be no problem. Glancing up, he reached for another drawing. “What’s this backdrop for?”
Still lost in thought, staring hard at the drawing of the choir backdrop, Elliot didn’t answer.
Justin came around the table to see the drawing in question. “Oh, that will go behind the head table where the mayor and city officials will sit for the dinner.”
> “I see,” Ned murmured, taking in every detail. “This is going to be a b—big deal.”
Finally looking up, Elliot grinned. “Appears so, but then I’ve never seen this town do anything by half.”
“That’s one way to put it.” Justin chuckled. “Tara is already pulling her hair out.”
Ned saw a faraway look cross Justin’s face and he knew his friend was thinking about his wife and baby daughter. Little Isabell was adorable. Thoughts of her reaching for him every time they met came to mind, and he grinned. Babies loved him, he couldn’t deny that, and the feeling was mutual. He always figured he’d have a few of his own by now, but... A spark of regret and sadness lit in his gut before he doused it and returned his attention to the drawing. “What are the ladies taking on first,” he asked.
Justin rubbed his jaw. “Tara has been choosing musical numbers and lining up the town band to practice. She’s also been calling people about cooking for the bake sale. They hope to make a huge chunk of funding from baked goods. It’s a big thing here evidently.”
“You know who’s a good cook,” Elliot interrupted. “Gloria.”
Both of the men turned to him in question. Elliot didn’t often comment on his girlfriend Lizzie’s coworker.
Elliot’s expression faltered at his friend’s reaction. “What? She sent over a casserole that night Lizzie was away in Boston.” After a short pause, he continued, “…and I ate the whole thing in one sitting. Couldn’t help myself.” When no comment came from either Justin or Ned, his eyebrows lowered to focus on the drawing again. “How much paint do you think we’ll need for all this?”
“I’ve tasted her cooking a few times,” Justin belatedly agreed with a nod, ignoring Elliot’s question. “All of her cooking that I’ve sampled has been pretty amazing.”
Once again Ned fought down a bout of jealousy. Not for the food, but the woman. He was satisfied with his life in Smithville, his job as deputy, and his other pursuits, but his one sore spot was the lack of a woman. And since that night on the porch, Gloria had been on his mind. Unwilling to dwell on his issues, he turned toward Elliot. “I’m not sure about the p—paint, have you got colors chosen?”
“Have you ever tasted Gloria’s cooking?” Justin persisted.
But all Ned heard was “…have you tasted Gloria…” and his mind wandered off. Memories of his cloddish reaction to her tears, made his cheeks turned a deep shade of red.
Elliot, oblivious to the ongoing conversation about Gloria, continued his line of thought about paint. “I’ve got a basic pallet selected, but I haven’t—”
Justin took a step back, realizing he’d upset Ned. Wanting to get things back on track, he backpedaled. “I didn’t mean anything.”
Ned’s lips thinned into a tight line at the thought of Gloria sobbing, knowing it was most likely because some thoughtless woman had treated her badly. “I’m fine.”
Elliot organized the drawings on the table. “Speaking of cooking, I’m starved.” He looked up, the tension between Justin and Ned obvious. Realizing he’d missed something, his face fell. “What… what happened?”
Justin raised a hand, indicating for Elliot to wait a moment. When the deputy looked troubled, it could mean anything. “Ned, did something happen?”
The deputy shrugged one shoulder. He’d never even said Gloria’s name out loud, let alone admit he had a crush on her. “I saw her a couple nights ago at your place.”
Elliot’s eyes bounced back and forth between the men like a tennis match as he struggled to catch up on the conversation. “Saw who?”
Justin shushed Elliot again with his hand, wanting to give Ned time to answer. He knew Ned wasn’t one to talk unless he had something to say, so normally he wouldn’t push. But he and Tara had a soft spot in their hearts for the receptionist of their spa. If Gloria was in trouble of some sort he wanted to know.
Ned frowned and blew out a long breath. “She was crying. On your porch.”
“On my porch? When?” Justin blustered, clearly shocked. “At the committee meeting?”
The deputy nodded.
“Who—” Elliot tried again, clearly feeling left out of the conversation.
“I didn’t know anything about it,” Justin interrupted, running his fingers through his hair. “Do you know why?”
Ned shook his head. “She didn’t say, but I know why, and I’m sure they make her cry all the time.”
Justin’s frown deepened, finally understanding. “This damn town and their scarlet letter mentality.”
“Scarlet letter?” Elliot blurted, raising both his hands. “What?”
Ned stared at the table, not one to talk about folks behind their backs. This whole conversation had derailed, and he wasn’t happy about it. All he wanted to do was to get the drawing, and then get back to work. He felt bad enough about his failure with Gloria. He didn’t need everyone else knowing about it too.
“They treat her pretty badly, don’t they,” Justin continued.
“Who?” Elliot finally barked, placing both palms on the table to lean between the two men. “Will one of you please tell me what is going on?” His sharp gaze fell on Ned; then he turned to face Justin. “What do you mean, scarlet letter?”
Justin shook his head and dropped into a chair to glare at the table. “Oh, it’s just Smithville dirt. Nothing important, but dirt none the less.”
“Well, Gloria doesn’t deserve it.” Ned huffed, his voice harsher than he’d intended.
Elliot straightened and tugged at his cuff-linked sleeves. “Well, nothing would shock me in this town.” Then he paused, and his eyes lit on Ned. “But Gloria seems nice enough. Why do people treat her badly?”
Unable or unwilling to put years of history into words, Ned shrugged.
“Oh it’s petty jealousy, plain as day,” Justin said.
Elliot sighed. “Obviously I’m only getting half the story.” He cocked an eyebrow at Justin. “Are you going to tell me what’s going on, or do I need to beat it out of you?”
Justin held up one hand. “Okay, okay. It’s really not a big deal.”
Ned snatched up the manger scene drawing and scowled over it as if he disagreed.
Tossing him a glance, Justin continued. “Gloria is a pretty little thing, and she dressed… flashy, you know. Low cut…” he drew a line with his finger across his chest. “High cut…” his hand moved down to draw a line on his thigh. And she dated darn near every guy in town.”
Elliot chanced a look toward Ned then returned his attention to Justin, waiting for the rest of the story.
“And that’s about it,” Justin said, tossing his hands. “The wives don’t like her because they see her as a threat of some sort.”
Elliot blinked a few times. “Well, does she chase married men?”
Ned came out of his chair. “Hell no, she doesn’t!” he snarled, surprising even himself.
The other men froze in shock, their eyes wide. An awkward hush opened across table. Ned huffed out a breath and dropped back into his chair, his face red.
Justin cleared his throat.
Still a relative newcomer, Elliot wasn’t sure if he should have known Ned had a temper, so his unease bounced from the drawings to Justin, to Ned, then back to the table.
“It would appear,” Justin said to Ned, gaging his words carefully, “that you have an issue with the whole Gloria situation.”
Glaring at the edge of the table Ned didn’t respond.
The proverbial light bulb clicked on over Elliot’s head, and his expression brightened. “Oh, I get it, you have a thing for Gloria, and…”
Justin cocked his head to one side, giving his coworker an annoyed look.
Elliot cringed, then looked toward Ned, who rubbed his hands down his face. “….am I wrong?” he asked, puzzled by the entire conversation. “I mean, I thought maybe you were upset because…” He tossed Justin a look of desperation.
Taking the situation in hand, Justin stood and moved to the window, giving Ne
d a moment to relax. In the distance, a train rumbled past, and the sound of a garbage truck dropping a dumpster clanged in the ally out back. “I can see why you’re upset,” he finally said, turning back to the men and propping his hip against the conference table. “You don’t like to see injustice.”
Ned glanced up, his expression contrite. “Well, if I’m honest, it m—may be more— than that.”
“I knew it!” Elliot exclaimed, but his face fell when both men turned to him in annoyance. “So, what’s the problem?” he asked, beginning to think he’d never get caught up.
With a sigh, Ned pushed the drawings further back on the table. “I’m the problem,” he stated flatly.
Justin tossed Elliot a look that told him to be patient, then pulled up a chair by his friend. “Why don’t you ask her out?” he asked Ned, his question sincere.
The deputy cocked his head to one side, giving Justin a ‘duh’ look. Wasn’t it obvious why he didn’t ask her out? He couldn’t even talk to her without stuttering like a fool. Even if he could manage to ask her for a date, what would he do if he spent a whole evening with her? Use sign language?
Justin glanced up at Elliot with a ‘help me here’ expression, but Elliot shrugged in response.
“You act like there’s some huge problem with asking her out,” Justin finally tried again. “I don’t see it.”
“Me either,” Elliot chimed in, trying to be helpful.
“Well, you guys w—wouldn’t, w—would you!” Ned stuttered, then held out his hands as if he’d made his point.
Justin tried again. “Do you think Gloria would care if you stutter?”
“I’d care.” Ned pouted. “Girls who look like her d—don’t want to be with me.”
“So you’re writing her off too, is that it?” Justin snapped.
Ned’s head came up, his eyes bright with emotion. “That’s n—not fair.”
“You’re right,” Elliot agreed. “It’s not fair to her. Or to you.”
The deputy shrugged and stared at his hands, so Elliot continued. “Look at you. You’re fit, smart, and successful. You come from a good family.” He glanced at Justin for support and his friend nodded, so he continued. “I think you should at least give her a chance.”
Hometown Series Box Set Page 84