For the Love of Pete

by Debby Mayne

  Murray squawked and made his own smooching sounds.

  Chapter 17

  Bethany met Gina in front of Bloomfield Books first thing Saturday morning, according to plan. They’d asked Naomi to join them, but she bowed out, saying she was happy the younger folks were taking some of the responsibility.

  “You don’t think Naomi’s upset, do you?” Gina asked. “I didn’t mean to be so forceful with my opinions about how this should be done. I’m afraid I can be rather dictatorial if given too much authority.” She made a comical face. “I don’t want to come across . . . well, you know . . .”

  Bethany smiled. “Yes, I do know, but don’t worry about that. The only way people will pay attention around this town is to assert yourself.”

  “Like Pamela does?” Gina crinkled her nose, and they both broke into a fit of laughter. “She’s amazing, though, and Lacy adores her.”

  After Bethany caught her breath, she nodded. “Exactly. You never see her worrying about upsetting anyone, do you? And she pretty much gets what she wants.”

  “Including the title of president of the garden club. Did you know she told me she can see me running the garden club someday?”

  “I can too.”

  Gina tilted her head. “She told me to watch her in action and learn.”

  “I think you’re a natural leader.”

  “Really?” Before giving Bethany a chance to reply, Gina leaned around her and glanced up the street. “Why don’t you start on this side of the street, and I’ll take the other side? That way, we can keep track of what’s going on, and if it doesn’t work, we can figure out something else.”

  “Oh, it’ll work,” Bethany assured her. She admired Gina’s take-charge demeanor. Gina had the ability to lead without offending. Perhaps Pamela should watch her instead of the other way around.

  “Let’s get going. Jeremy needs to help Brad Henderson this afternoon around two, and I promised him I’d be back to take care of Lacy before he leaves.” She sighed. “Or I suppose I could call one of the many grandmothers in Bloomfield for help.”

  “I’m sure my mother would love watching Lacy, but you don’t have to do that. We’ll be done long before then.” Bethany took the stack of flyers and waved. “See you later.”

  As Bethany walked into each store and presented the managers or owners with flyers about the new Welcome to Bloomfield Festival, she was rewarded with smiles. “I wonder why we never thought of that before,” the hardware store owner said. “My wife likes the rummage sale, but I’m not into looking at other people’s junk.” He nodded as he read the flyer. “But this is something I’ll participate in. Tell you what. I’ll donate a toolbox equipped with all the essentials for a prize.”

  “Wonderful! I’ll let Gina know. She’s the coordinator.”

  “What? Pamela let someone else take charge?” He chuckled. “I reckon it’s time to pass the baton to someone else. Pamela, now that’s one smart woman. She’ll be a tough act to follow. Got any more flyers I can hand out?”

  Bethany left some with him and promised to return with more. As she walked out of the hardware store, she spotted Gina across the street and gave her a thumbs-up. An hour later, they were both out of flyers.

  “Wow, you weren’t kidding about this working. This sure is a festival-loving town.” Gina’s eyes widened in amazement. “Not a single person turned me down.”

  “I just hope the actual event is as successful as passing out the flyers,” Bethany said. “Pamela said she really stuck her neck out with the mayor, and if it doesn’t work she’ll have egg on her face.”

  Gina giggled. “I’m sure Pamela can handle whatever happens. Oh, by the way, I have three different people who want to provide the ponies for the children’s pony ride if we have nice weather. I’m not sure what to do.”

  “That’s a question for Pamela or my mom.”

  Gina nodded. “If we have as good of a turnout as we think we might, perhaps I should sign up all three of them and put them in different locations. That way, the kids won’t have to wait too long for their rides, and none of the pony people will get their feelings hurt.”

  “Sounds like an excellent plan to me. My mother used to say more is always better. You fit into Bloomfield even better than I do.”

  “I’ve already told you we love it here.”

  Bethany loved it, too, but she still didn’t feel as though she fit in. She’d always had Charlie with her when they were younger, and she relied on him for their social life, both in Bloomfield and after they moved away. With Charlie gone and Ashley away at school, she risked turning into a hermit if she didn’t live near people who would force her to interact with them now and then.

  Andy pulled up to the curb in front of Gina and Bethany and rolled down his window. “Hey there, ladies. How’s it going?”

  “Good!” Gina waved her hand in the air. “Everyone is super excited about the festival.”

  “Nice job!” Amusement twitched at the corners of Andy’s lips. “Pamela said to tell you two she wants to treat you both to lunch at the Pink Geranium when you’re done.”

  Gina waved. “Sounds great. Tell her we’ll be there in about half an hour.”

  He waved back and sped off. Bethany stared after Andy’s car.

  “What’s wrong?” Gina asked.

  “Nothing. I’m just having a moment.” Bethany didn’t want to alarm her friend, but she suspected Pamela might have something up her sleeve. She’d never seen the garden club president summon anyone without having an ulterior motive. All of Pamela’s moves were well calculated, and the timing of her invitation pointed in that direction.

  “I’m sorry.” Gina sighed. “Back to what I was saying, moving here was the best thing we could have done.”

  Bethany smiled. “I agree for our sake. Your family fits in so well, and you’re such an asset to the garden club. As my mom would say, we needed an infusion of some fresh blood.”

  Gina’s lips quivered into a half smile as she tilted her head and looked at Bethany. “Has anyone told you why we came?”

  Bethany thought back. “Doesn’t it have something to do with Jeremy finding work here?”

  “Yes, but that’s only after Lacy and I discovered it. Someone gave us a flyer about what a wonderful place Bloomfield was to raise a family. Jeremy had lost his job and was working out of town. He was gone more than he was home.” She swallowed hard. “I was so lonely, and Lacy clung to me. I think she was afraid I’d leave. Not only did I feel sorry for myself, I was sad for our daughter. I’ve never been one to dwell on sadness, so one day I up and decided that Lacy and I should take a road trip and check out Bloomfield to see if it was as nice as the flyer said it was. Your mother sealed the deal.”

  “I heard about those flyers, and I wondered what they were thinking.” Bethany paused. “Obviously they work, and that’s a good thing, right?” She lifted one of the flyers. “Even if only one person decides to visit for the festival, that’s one person who wouldn’t have come before. So where does my mother come into the picture?”

  “I asked around about where to worship. We met your mother at church, and then everything fell into place.”

  “I did hear that Mom instigated your move into Sherry’s old family home.”

  “She did!” Gina laughed. “I think Sherry was as blindsided as we were, but after she thought about it, she was happy to let us rent from her. And it’s the perfect place for us. Now that Sherry and Brad are engaged, she’s decided to sell us the house when we’re ready.”

  Everything was working so well for both Gina and Sherry. Bethany wanted just a fraction of their joy, but she wasn’t sure if that could ever happen again.

  Caroline greeted them at the door as they entered The Pink Geranium Tea Room. “Right this way, ladies. Pamela’s at her favorite table waiting for you.”

  When Bethany glanc
ed up, she spotted Pamela right away, wearing an out-of-season, wide-brimmed straw hat with a big pink bow on one side and a multicolored floral arrangement on the other. The pastel green-and-white-striped wall behind her provided the perfect backdrop to show off her flamboyant blooms.

  Pamela fluttered her pink fingernails that matched the bow on her hat and gestured toward the other two chairs. “Have a seat. I was starving, and I didn’t know what you wanted, so I went ahead and ordered a variety platter of sandwiches.” She nodded toward the three-tiered sandwich stand. “Help yourself and order whatever soup you want.”

  Gina cut an amused glance in Bethany’s direction. “I’ll just have whatever you think is good.”

  Pamela leaned toward her. “No, you’ll have whatever you like. Everything here is delicious.”

  “Oh.” Gina glanced at the menu the server placed in front of her. “Last time I was here, I had the vegetable. I think I’ll have tomato basil today.”

  “Same here.” Bethany glanced up at the server, who nodded and smiled. “And I’d like some peach tea.”

  “Yum.” Gina took a sip from her water glass. “I’ll have some too.”

  Pamela tipped her head to one side. “Well, if it isn’t Tweedledee and Tweedledum.”

  Gina’s eyes widened. “What?”

  Pamela’s lips slanted into a mock smirk. “Where one goes, the other follows.”

  “She—” Bethany began before Gina gave her a gentle kick beneath the table.

  “I’ve never heard that before,” Gina said.

  Pamela waved her hands around and laughed. “I’m just being funny. You do understand that, don’t you?”

  “Oh, yes, of course.” Gina leaned back and let out a nervous giggle.

  “Some people around here take me entirely too seriously. I’m actually a very laid-back, humor-loving person.”

  When silence fell, Bethany thought it might be a good idea to let Pamela know what they’d been up to. “We delivered flyers to all the businesses on Main Street for the festival.”

  Pamela smiled conspiratorially. “Did that old mean man at the tack store tell you to get lost?”

  “No,” Gina said. “In fact, he seemed happy to take the flyers.”

  “Don’t be surprised to see them in the garbage can outside his store later. He hates the garden club.”

  Bethany doubted that. She suspected Mr. Potter was so jealous about Pamela being cozy with Andy, he couldn’t control his bad manners when she was around. According to what she’d heard, shortly after Pamela’s husband had passed away, Mr. Potter had made it known to everyone at the church that he planned to be the next man in her life. Then Andy came along and ruined it for him.

  Pamela snapped her fingers in front of Bethany’s face, making Bethany jump. “You always go off into your own little world.”

  “Sorry.” Bethany gave her an apologetic look.

  “What all do you have planned for publicity?”

  “Um . . . flyers and . . .” Bethany glanced at Gina. “I thought we might see if we can get some of the businesses in nearby towns to hand out flyers.”

  “No, no, no, no, no.” Pamela shook her head as she wagged an index finger. “That will never do. Remember, this is a promotion to help persuade people to leave wherever they live and take up residence in Bloomfield.” She leaned back and scowled. “I can’t imagine business people in other towns being willing to hand out those flyers. You have to be a little more discreet than that.”

  “Maybe the businesses will want to move too,” Gina said.

  “I seriously doubt it.” Pamela gave Gina a dismissive look. “In fact, I think it’s rather naïve to even think such a thought.”

  Bethany saw Gina purse her lips, so she came up with something else to keep the conversation moving. “Radio spots would be good.”

  This time, Pamela nodded. “Yes, that’s what I was thinking. Call around and get some prices so we can get board approval to spend the money.”

  It was no secret the only approval anyone needed was Pamela’s for the Bloomfield Garden Club to spend money, but Bethany knew they still had to go through the motions. “I’ll do that first thing Monday.”

  “Ya know,” Gina began. “I really don’t think we’ll have a problem handing out flyers in other towns.” She glanced at Bethany and smiled. “That is, if we agree to do something for them in exchange.”

  “Like what?” Pamela asked.

  “Maybe give them a discount on a booth at our festival.”

  “A discount, huh?” Pamela squinted for a moment. “Hey, I like that.” She slowly nodded as she grinned at Gina. “You’re a smart girl. And who knows? Maybe the business people will decide they like Bloomfield so much they’ll want to move here too.”

  Gina looked confused. “That’s what I was say—”

  “Hey, ladies. Andy said I could find you here.”

  Bethany glanced up and spotted Pete standing in front of the table, his thumbs hooked in his belt loops, a goofy grin on his face. The blend of masculinity and kindness standing before her made her head spin. And the stirring she felt in her chest caught her breath and rendered her speechless.

  Pete hadn’t been in the Pink Geranium in years. Considering the tearoom was a place with pastel walls and napkins to match, lace everywhere, and girly food, there wasn’t much reason for him to frequent it, except when he needed to talk to his favorite woman. Naomi had given him a pair of tickets to the latest drama production at the high school with an unstated understanding he’d ask Bethany to join him. Since it was tonight, he didn’t have time to waste. She’d made sure he knew they were having lunch with Pamela.

  He sure hoped it wasn’t a mistake coming here and interrupting Bethany’s lunch with friends. Based on the look on her face, she didn’t mind, and from the looks of what was left on the table, they were probably finishing up.

  “Do you want to go to the play at the high school with me tonight?” he asked Bethany.

  “Sounds like fun,” Pamela said before Bethany had a chance to reply. “They’re doing Arsenic and Old Lace.”

  “That’s what Naomi said.” Pete turned to Bethany. “I think the last time Bloomfield High School put on that play was when we were there.”

  Bethany nodded and cleared her throat. “Remember when Mrs. Blankenship made us see it for a grade?”

  He laughed. “Yeah, and we all grumbled. But ya know, it turned out to be one of the funniest productions I’ve ever seen.”

  Gina looked baffled. “What’s this Arson and Lace? A play about some sort of fancy person who sets fires?”

  Everyone at the table laughed, including Pamela, who reached out and placed her hand on Gina’s arm. “No, dear. It’s Arsenic and Old Lace, a story about a couple of little old ladies who poison men with arsenic.”

  “Really?” Gina’s forehead crinkled. “Sounds kind of bizarre.”

  “Yes.” Pamela smiled at Bethany and Pete before turning back to Gina. “It will leave you in stitches.”

  Now Gina looked more confused than ever. “You think it’s funny they poison men?”

  Pamela nodded. “That’s what I said.”

  “How can that be funny?”

  Pete exchanged another conspiratorial glance with Pamela and then Bethany. “Why don’t you and Jeremy come along with us and find out for yourself?”

  A wistful look washed over Gina’s face. “I would, but Lacy—”

  Pamela cleared her throat. “I would love to watch that darling little girl of yours so you and your sweet husband can enjoy a double date.”

  Gina’s mouth formed into a crooked grin, and she nodded. “Another reason to love this place. Back home, if my mom was busy, I would have been on the phone for hours looking for a babysitter. Here, all I have to do is act like I want to do something, and I get offers.”

  Pam
ela pointed to Gina’s handbag. “Give Jeremy a call to make sure he’s interested. If not, I’ll talk to him.”

  Pete looked at Bethany and knew she was thinking the same thing he was—that Pamela left nothing to chance. She wanted to be right there, making sure everything happened as she thought it should, and she wasn’t willing to settle for anything else.

  While Gina called Jeremy, Pete studied the relationship between Bethany and Pamela. He knew many people didn’t care for Pamela, even though they respected her ability to get things done. However, he saw more than respect flowing between the two women—at the moment, at least—an almost we’re-in-this-together sort of camaraderie. He wondered if Naomi had anything to do with this.

  Gina slipped the phone back into the side of her purse and grinned. “He said yes! We’re going if we can get tickets.”

  Pamela whipped a stack of cardboard tickets out of her bag, removed two, and handed them to Gina. Then she turned to Pete, who gave her a curious look. “What?” Her gaze darted toward Bethany and then back to Pete. “I always get a few extras for garden club giveaways.”

  “Oh, I wouldn’t want to take them if they’re for—” Gina reached for her purse.

  Pamela held up a hand. “Nonsense. This is exactly what they’re for. Now go enjoy yourselves tonight.” Pamela stood. “I need to run now. I promised Andy I’d help him look for new window treatments for his sunroom.” She made a clicking sound with her tongue. “He actually thought he could slap a bunch of blinds on his windows and be done with it. Where is that man’s sense of style?” She shook her head and laughed. “Good thing he has me to set him straight, or his place would look like an institution.”

  “I can only imagine what you’d say about my apartment,” Pete said.

  Pamela lifted an eyebrow. “Want me to come take a look at it? I can make any place look like home.”

  He laughed. “No, but thanks. I’m hardly ever there, so it doesn’t matter.”

  She clicked her tongue and shook her head. “That’s what you men don’t seem to understand. Home should be your sanctuary—a place that makes you happy.”