Read Online A Love All Her Own by Janet Lee Barton - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Janet Lee Barton
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asked if you could come back a little later. He’s showing a prospective client around.”
“That’s all right.” Abigail wasn’t sure she wanted to come back. At least not soon. And possibly not with Marcus. “I’ll check back or make an appointment for another time.”
“We can make an appointment now, if you’d like. That would probably be best,” the young woman said.
She was being nice, and Abigail didn’t want to appear rude—especially not in front of Marcus. “Can we make it for around three today?”
The receptionist consulted her appointment book and nodded. “Yes, he is free at that time.”
“We’ll be back then,” Marcus said, taking Abigail’s arm. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” The receptionist’s smile seemed meant only for Marcus. Deep down, Abigail couldn’t blame her. He was a very nice-looking man.
Once they were outside, Marcus turned to Abigail and asked, “Do you want to try the Palace?”
“Why don’t we just make an appointment there for this afternoon or later this week? I think my chances of getting a good tour will be better if we set up a time instead of hoping for the manager to be free. Then we can head on back to the hotel. It will almost be time for lunch by then.”
“I think that might be for the best, too.” He led her to the next few bathhouses where they set up appointments for the next several days. Then they started back to the hotel. “I’ll pick you up this afternoon around a quarter of three and tomorrow around ten again, if that is all right with you?”
“That will be fine. Oh, and thank your mother for the invitation on Saturday. I’m looking forward to seeing your parents again.”
“You’d be welcome to call on them anytime, you know.”
She did know. She’d felt it that first day when she’d met them. “I do. I just wouldn’t want to interrupt their daily schedule.”
“You needn’t worry about that. If Mother were going out for the day, you’d be welcome to accompany her anywhere. You’ll see as you get to know her.”
His words made Abigail feel better. She had begun to feel a little awkward after seeing Marcus and the receptionist’s reaction to him. After all, this was his town and a lot of these people were his friends. She was the stranger in town, and at the moment, she felt a little lonely.
It was nearing noon when they got back to the hotel and parted ways. She barely had time to freshen up before meeting Sally in the lobby. The other woman looked fresh as a daisy in a yellow and white dress, with a sheer overskirt in yellow draped to the side. Once they were seated at a table in front of one of the windows overlooking the street, Sally smiled at her. “I am so glad you were able to meet me for lunch. How are you liking Hot Springs?”
“Thank you for inviting me,” Abigail said. “I like your town a lot—although all I’ve mostly seen are the bathhouses I’m checking out for my father. I’d like to see some of the shops, but I’ll get to them.”
“I’d love to go shopping with you anytime. I can show you where I like to shop.”
“Wonderful! I’d love to do that.”
“I also wanted to invite you to a dinner I’m giving a week from Friday evening, if you are free. You may bring an escort, of course.”
“Why, thank you. I’d like that. Perhaps Mr. Wellington will come with me.” Abigail didn’t really want to get into the fact that the handsome man was only protecting her while she was here, but Sally probably had an idea, knowing the business he was in.
“That would be perfect. We always enjoy it when we can get Marcus to come to dinner, but it’s not too often that we do.”
Somehow that made Abigail feel better, and she wasn’t sure why. She enjoyed the lunch with Sally, and they lingered over their dessert of coconut cake and coffee.
“I’d think it would be very lonely to travel alone,” Sally said. “Don’t you miss your friends?”
Truthfully, Abigail hadn’t
“That’s all right.” Abigail wasn’t sure she wanted to come back. At least not soon. And possibly not with Marcus. “I’ll check back or make an appointment for another time.”
“We can make an appointment now, if you’d like. That would probably be best,” the young woman said.
She was being nice, and Abigail didn’t want to appear rude—especially not in front of Marcus. “Can we make it for around three today?”
The receptionist consulted her appointment book and nodded. “Yes, he is free at that time.”
“We’ll be back then,” Marcus said, taking Abigail’s arm. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” The receptionist’s smile seemed meant only for Marcus. Deep down, Abigail couldn’t blame her. He was a very nice-looking man.
Once they were outside, Marcus turned to Abigail and asked, “Do you want to try the Palace?”
“Why don’t we just make an appointment there for this afternoon or later this week? I think my chances of getting a good tour will be better if we set up a time instead of hoping for the manager to be free. Then we can head on back to the hotel. It will almost be time for lunch by then.”
“I think that might be for the best, too.” He led her to the next few bathhouses where they set up appointments for the next several days. Then they started back to the hotel. “I’ll pick you up this afternoon around a quarter of three and tomorrow around ten again, if that is all right with you?”
“That will be fine. Oh, and thank your mother for the invitation on Saturday. I’m looking forward to seeing your parents again.”
“You’d be welcome to call on them anytime, you know.”
She did know. She’d felt it that first day when she’d met them. “I do. I just wouldn’t want to interrupt their daily schedule.”
“You needn’t worry about that. If Mother were going out for the day, you’d be welcome to accompany her anywhere. You’ll see as you get to know her.”
His words made Abigail feel better. She had begun to feel a little awkward after seeing Marcus and the receptionist’s reaction to him. After all, this was his town and a lot of these people were his friends. She was the stranger in town, and at the moment, she felt a little lonely.
It was nearing noon when they got back to the hotel and parted ways. She barely had time to freshen up before meeting Sally in the lobby. The other woman looked fresh as a daisy in a yellow and white dress, with a sheer overskirt in yellow draped to the side. Once they were seated at a table in front of one of the windows overlooking the street, Sally smiled at her. “I am so glad you were able to meet me for lunch. How are you liking Hot Springs?”
“Thank you for inviting me,” Abigail said. “I like your town a lot—although all I’ve mostly seen are the bathhouses I’m checking out for my father. I’d like to see some of the shops, but I’ll get to them.”
“I’d love to go shopping with you anytime. I can show you where I like to shop.”
“Wonderful! I’d love to do that.”
“I also wanted to invite you to a dinner I’m giving a week from Friday evening, if you are free. You may bring an escort, of course.”
“Why, thank you. I’d like that. Perhaps Mr. Wellington will come with me.” Abigail didn’t really want to get into the fact that the handsome man was only protecting her while she was here, but Sally probably had an idea, knowing the business he was in.
“That would be perfect. We always enjoy it when we can get Marcus to come to dinner, but it’s not too often that we do.”
Somehow that made Abigail feel better, and she wasn’t sure why. She enjoyed the lunch with Sally, and they lingered over their dessert of coconut cake and coffee.
“I’d think it would be very lonely to travel alone,” Sally said. “Don’t you miss your friends?”
Truthfully, Abigail hadn’t
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