by Josie Belle
Maggie looked from the dress to Joanne. The empire cut would absolutely work over her belly, and the bustline was going to be very voluptuous, but totally doable.
“I think the huge-boob thing is good with this dress,” Maggie said. “Just think—Michael won’t be able to take his eyes off you.”
“Huh,” Joanne scoffed.
“What was that about?” Maggie asked. She knew Joanne was hormonal, but honestly, this was like a roller coaster without safety bars.
“Michael hired a new girl at the deli. She’s young and gorgeous and not fat.” Joanne’s voice ended on a wail that rolled into a flurry of sobs.
Maggie looked at her friend and then handed her a tissue from the box on the counter. “Is that what this is all about? Are you jealous of some woman Michael has hired?”
“No . . . yes,” Joanne admitted, still sobbing.
“Oh, come here, honey,” Maggie said. She opened her arms, and Joanne walked into her hug, still clutching the brown velvet to her chest. Maggie stroked her back and made soothing noises until Joanne’s snuffles subsided.
“Better now?” Maggie asked.
“A little.”
“Joanne, what you’re feeling is perfectly normal,” Maggie said. “Every woman gets a little turfy over her man when she’s pregnant.”
“They do?”
Maggie stepped back and carefully took the dress out of Joanne’s hands before it was crushed beyond saving. As she hung it up, she remembered being pregnant with Laura, and she laughed.
“Yes, in fact, I made Ginger ride shotgun with me one night when I tailed Charlie in his squad car, just because I thought he was spending too much time at the diner eating pie. There was a cute waitress who worked there back then, and I was sure she was planning to put her hooks into my man.”
“And did she?” Joanne asked.
“No,” Maggie said with a shake of her head. “She was studying to be a teacher and in fact is now the principal of the middle school.”
“Rosie Donahue?” Joanne asked.
“She was Rosie Gilbert back then,” Maggie said. “You should have seen Charlie’s and Roger’s faces when they found Ginger and me asleep in our car at the diner.”
“Asleep?”
“We parked and waited for him to come out of the diner so we could tail him, but we fell asleep. Ginger was pregnant with her oldest boy, Aaron, at the time. Well, when Roger and Charlie couldn’t find us, they about went crazy, and then someone spotted our car and called Roger. Well, needless to say, we woke up to find two very unhappy husbands.”
“So Charlie wasn’t interested in the waitress?” Joanne asked.
“Not even a little,” Maggie said. “And you know Michael isn’t interested in this new employee either.”
“I know,” Joanne said. She sounded like she meant it, yet Maggie could hear the but in her voice.
“But?” she asked.
“Usually, Michael talks to me about who he is going to hire,” Joanne said. She fretted her lower lip. “I didn’t even know he wanted more help, and he never said a word about Diane. Diane Jenkins is her name, and she is annoyingly pretty and single, and he seems awfully attentive of her.”
“Of course he didn’t mention her,” Maggie said. “He knows how tired you are with the baby. The last thing he wants to do is burden you with silly business stuff that he can handle on his own. He probably hired her so that when the baby comes he can be around more.”
“You think so?” Joanne asked.
“I know it,” Maggie said. “Just like we get turfy, they get very protective. It’s really very sweet. So let him shoulder the burden for a while, and you just take care of you and that baby.”
Joanne beamed at her. “I never thought of it that way. I bet you’re right. You’ll hold the dress for me?”
“Of course,” Maggie said. Joanne gave her a quick hug, and Maggie let her out the front door and locked it behind her.
She heaved a sigh of relief that disaster had been averted, but she also made a mental note to go check out this Diane Jenkins at the first possible opportunity.
It certainly wouldn’t hurt for the young woman to meet the rest of the Good Buy Girls and know that Joanne traveled in a very protective pack.
Chapter 4
“So, who are you going to the ball with?” Laura asked Maggie the next day as they arranged one of the dresses Bianca had dropped off in the front window.
“You,” Maggie said. “Unless you have other plans.”
“Oh, come on. You know Pete Daniels is going to ask you,” she said. “He seems awfully nice, and he always has a joke at the ready.”
“He is a very nice man,” Maggie agreed.
“But?”
“No buts,” Maggie said.
“Really?” Laura asked. Her look was sly, and Maggie frowned. “What about Sam Collins? Word on the street is that he’s got a thing for you.”
“Would that street be Inaccurate Road?” Maggie asked.
“Ha-ha-ha,” Laura said, but she smiled. “He’s got really nice blue eyes.”
Maggie’s head snapped up. “When did you see Sam’s eyes?”
“Well, they were walking down the street . . .”
“Ha-ha-ha back at you,” Maggie said.
“He was in the Daily Grind,” Laura said. “He and Pete were joking about which one of them should ask you to the ball. They asked me what I thought, and I told them a nice two out of three on rock, paper, scissors should do it.”
“You didn’t!”
“Okay, I didn’t,” Laura said. Maggie could tell by the twinkle in her eye, however, that she had.
“That does it,” Maggie said. “I’m not going.”
“Oh no, you have to go,” Laura said. “It won’t be any fun without you.”
And just like that, Maggie knew she’d be going. How often did she and Laura get to dress up and go to a party together? She wasn’t going to miss this chance because Pete and Sam were morons. In fact, having Laura here was the perfect excuse to say no to the both of them.
“Fine, but you’re my date,” she said.
“Only if you’re mine,” Laura agreed. “No throwing each other over for the first handsome face that comes along either.”
“Agreed,” Maggie said.
“Good.” Laura glanced out the window. “Because handsome number one is on the move.”
“What?” Maggie dropped the dress she was draping on a mannequin. “Where? Which one? How do I look?”
“Oh yeah, not going to throw me over, huh?” Laura laughed. “It’s Pete. Oh, he’s met up with Claire. Now they’re walking together. Yep, they are definitely coming this way.”
Maggie blew out a breath of relief. She liked Pete, she really did, but he did not make her as nervous as Sam did, which was undoubtedly why she felt relieved that it was Pete and not Sam. The bells on the door chimed, and Pete strode in with Claire beside him.
Hellos were exchanged all around, and Maggie was pleased with the praise, even if it was over the top, from Pete and Claire over her window display.
“So, if rock beats scissors, and scissors beats paper, and paper beats rock, what beats all three of them?” Pete asked with a conspiratorial wink at Laura, who grinned at him
Maggie and Claire exchanged a look, and then they shook their heads at Pete.
“Chuck Norris,” he said.
Maggie and Laura chuckled, but Claire busted up, slapping Pete on the shoulder. He gave her a bright smile, and it struck Maggie that Pete and Claire would make a perfect couple. She was mid-thirties, he was early forties. They were both book lovers and, best of all, Pete made her laugh, which Claire sorely needed, given the dark days of her past.
“So, Pete, do you have a date for the ball?” Maggie asked.
“Uh, no,” he said. “I haven’t asked anyone yet. Why?”
He seemed so hopeful that Maggie felt bad, until she glanced at Claire, who looked rueful, as if she figured Maggie was about to ask P
ete and there went her chance.
“Well, you need to get on that,” Maggie said. “Not to brag or anything, but I have three dates.”
“Three?” Pete asked, looking surprised.
“Yes, my daughter, my niece, and my grand-nephew and I are all going together. No pretty boys allowed,” Maggie said.
She was pleased that her voice sounded casual and not as if she and Laura had cooked this up so she could avoid going with Pete.
“We figured we’d never get another chance to do it up together, so we wanted to enjoy this one. Besides, with Sandy’s husband still stationed in Afghanistan, I think this might be hard for her.”
She saw Laura shrug at Pete out of the corner of her eye as if this was news to her, and he nodded. He looked accepting while Claire looked hopeful. Maggie wanted to toss a shoe at Pete’s head. A really great date was standing right next to him, the big doofus, and he didn’t even notice.
In the end, it was Laura who connected the dots for him.
“So, Claire, what about you? Hot date, or do you want to join us?”
“Oh, I wouldn’t want to intrude on a family thing,” she said. “I don’t know that I’ll be going. I’m not really comfortable in crowds.”
Pete turned to look at her, and their eyes met. Maggie held her breath. How could he not notice the cute, curvy librarian with the bobbed blonde hair and smart-girl glasses? Come on! she wanted to yell, but she didn’t.
“Well, if you’re looking for someone to buffer you from the crowd, I’d be happy to take you to the ball,” Pete said. His voice sounded strained, and Maggie thought his cheeks had the faintest tinge of pink. Was he nervous asking Claire? She took that as a very promising sign.
“I . . . uh . . . I would like that,” Claire stammered. Maggie almost fell out of the window from relief.
“Excellent. It’s a date,” he said. They grinned at each other, and he left the shop whistling. He didn’t even remember to wave good-bye to Maggie or Laura as he went.
“Oh my god,” Claire said as she slumped onto a nearby poufy chair. “I have a date!”
“Yes, you do,” Maggie said. “So, what are you going to wear?”
“Oh, I don’t know,” Claire said. “I haven’t had to dress for anything formal since I can’t even remember when.”
“Well, isn’t it fortunate that I have a plethora of dresses for you to choose from?” Maggie asked.
Claire looked delighted, and then her face fell.
“You know Pete came here to ask you to go to the ball,” she said. “Don’t you?”
“I have no such information,” Maggie said. “As far as I’m concerned, it worked out exactly as it was supposed to.”
“Are you sure?” Claire asked. “If you like him, I would totally understand and cancel the date. I mean, he’s cute and funny, and he likes you. Everyone knows that.”
“But he didn’t ask me, he asked you,” Maggie said. She looked Claire right in the eyes so that Claire knew she was being straight with her. “I do like Pete, but just as a friend.”
“Oh, good.” Claire sagged. “Because I really like him, but you know the rule. . . .”
“Sisters before misters,” the three of them said together and then shared a smile.
“Mom, what about that deep blue chiffon number with the silver halter straps?” Laura asked. “Claire would totally rock that dress. Pete won’t even know what hit him.”
“Oh, and I have some silver sandals,” Claire said.
“Perfect,” Maggie said. “Go try it on, and if it needs alterations, you can take it to Mrs. Kellerman at the dry cleaner. She has serious needle skills.”
Laura led Claire off in search of the dress while Maggie went to check out her window display from the outside. She had gone with a winter-wonderland theme. She had draped the window in dark blue velvet and had shimmering white snowflakes suspended on different lengths of fishing wire hanging all around her mannequins.
She stood on the sidewalk, examining her window from every angle. She had to admit it looked festive and fun with a handsome couple all dressed up in a tuxedo and ball gown with glittery snowflakes falling all around them. Laura’s gold box accented the window perfectly with the sign for free gift wrap facing the door as people walked into the shop.
“Excuse me.” A voice interrupted her scrutiny. “Is the gown in the window for sale?”
Maggie turned to see a handsome, dark-haired man in a camel overcoat standing beside her.
“Excuse me?” she asked, sure she must have heard him wrong.
“Is this your shop?”
“Yes,” she said.
“I was wondering if that gown is for sale,” he said.
Maggie glanced at the Anne Barge gown. Simple white satin with a black-and-white floral embroidered hem and a long black satin ribbon that was tied in a bow at the waist and embellished with a glittery brooch, the gown was a work of art and by far her favorite of all the gowns Bianca had dropped off. Maggie was all about resale, but somehow she knew that selling this gown was going to hurt.
“Yes, it is.” She forced the words out.
“Excellent,” he said. He looked so pleased that Maggie had a hard time begrudging him the dress. “I want to buy it for my soon-to-be wife. I think she’ll love it. Is it by any chance a size six?”
“Yes, it is,” Maggie said. That settled it. How could she feel bad about the sale when it was such a romantic gesture and it was the perfect size?
“If you’d like, we do gift wrap free of charge,” she said as she led the way into the store.
“That’d be nice,” he said. “I’m sure you’ll do a much better job than I would, given my ham-fisted tendency with tape and scissors.”
“Are you and your fiancée going to the Madison ball?” Maggie asked. “It’s going to be the event of the season in St. Stanley.”
The man smiled. “It should be a wonderful time.”
“Oh, I’m Maggie Gerber, by the way,” she said and held out her hand.
“Blake,” he said as he took her hand in his. “Blake Caulfield.”
“So, you’re a friend of Bianca Madison’s?” she asked.
“My fiancée is an acquaintance of hers,” he said. “I haven’t met her yet.”
“Oh, she’s delightful. You’ll like her,” Maggie said as she climbed back up into the window and carefully stripped the mannequin.
“I’m looking forward to it,” he said. Maggie handed the dress down to him and climbed out of the window.
“Have you been engaged for long?” she asked.
“Not as long as I’d like,” he said with a grin. “The fact is, she gave me a heck of a chase, but I finally made her mine.”
Maggie took the dress back from him and headed over to the wrapping table.
“Well,” she said, “she’s a lucky woman to have such a thoughtful fiancé.”
“Oh, wow. You sold the Barge gown,” Laura said as she joined them.
Maggie glanced at Laura and knew her daughter was feeling the same mix of emotions that she had felt at the thought of selling it.
“Do you want to take over the wrapping while I ring it up?” she asked.
Laura nodded. “Would you prefer gold or silver paper, Mr. . . .”
“Caulfield,” Maggie said. “Blake Caulfield, this is my daughter, Laura Gerber.”
“How do you do?” Blake gave her a warm smile as they shook hands. “Please call me Blake.”
“All right, Blake. Which do you prefer?” Laura asked as she held up the two papers.
He looked perplexed, and asked, “Which do you think?”
“Well, I like the silver with a navy blue velvet ribbon,” Laura said. “Very elegant.”
Blake tipped his head as he considered it. “Elegant. I think that would be perfect for my girl. Thank you.”
Laura smiled and set to the wrapping while Maggie led the way to the cash register. Blake took out his wallet, and Maggie was surprised when he counted out five crisp
one-hundred-dollar bills.
He caught her look and grinned. “I hadn’t planned on dropping all of my Christmas shopping budget in one store on one item, but . . .”
He shrugged, and Maggie smiled.
“If it makes you feel better, this is an amazing bargain,” she said. “You’re getting seventy-five-percent off.”
“It does,” he said. “Thanks.”
When Maggie had done the inventory for the gowns, she’d discovered that the Barge gown retailed at over two thousand dollars, but on consignment it was a smokin’ hot deal for less than five hundred.
Most of the residents in the small town of St. Stanley didn’t have that kind of money to spend, which was why Maggie had figured the gown would be in the front window for a while. But Blake Caulfield wasn’t a local, and he didn’t look like money was a big issue. His camel overcoat was cashmere, his watch was gold and his loafers had a newly polished sheen to them.
She glanced at the wallet he’d left open on the counter. A photo of a pretty brunette girl standing on the beach with the wind tossing her hair across her face was visible in the picture holder.
“Is that your fiancée?” Maggie asked. Blake nodded and held the picture up for her to see more clearly.
“Yes, that’s Ann,” he said.
“She’s lovely,” Maggie said. “That dress is going to be stunning on her.”
Blake gave her a charming grin. “I think so, too.”
Maggie counted out his change and handed it back to him with the receipt. “If for some reason it doesn’t fit, you can always bring it back.”
“Thanks,” he said.
“Okay, what do you think?” Claire asked as she stepped out of the dressing room.
Maggie felt her mouth slide open in surprise. Claire looked gorgeous. The blue brought out her eyes and complimented her pale skin tone. The halter cut to the bodice made her figure go va-va-va-voom while the straight line of the skirt flirted around her legs, making them seem longer than they were.
“Pete is going to have a heart attack,” she said.
“Do you think so?” Claire asked, looking pleased.
“Definitely,” Blake said, and he put his hand over his chest as if to check to see if he was having one.