Read Online A Love For Keeps (Truly Yours Digital Editions) by Janet Lee Barton - Free Book Online
Authors: Janet Lee Barton
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your home? I can’t join you if you won’t let me pay for your lunch.” He half stood before Meagan’s mother shook her head and chuckled.
“Please sit, Mr. Brooks. We’ll be honored to have lunch with you.”
“Good.” He sat back down and grinned at Meagan. “It’s not often I have the opportunity to have lunch with such lovely ladies.”
His glance captured Meagan’s, and she could feel the warm rush of color steal up her cheeks. The man had a way of making the blood race through her veins.
He smiled and took a sip from his water glass. “What brought you out and about besides your celebration?”
“We ordered some fabric, and we’re going to buy some trim and notions this afternoon. I need trim for the coat you’ve ordered for Natalie.”
“Natalie’s grandmother loved the new Sunday dress. I gave her your name and the address of your shop. I’m hoping she and Natalie’s aunt Abigail will spread the word about the shop. The women in their circle seem to have a new outfit every time I see them. I’ve also heard that one of the dressmakers in town is getting married, and everyone is worried that there just aren’t enough seamstresses in town. I’m getting word out as fast as I can.”
“Oh, thank you for telling me. I’ll give your friends a discount if they come in.”
Nate shook his head. “There is no need to do that.”
“But—”
“Most of these women can well afford your prices. Don’t worry about that.”
“All right, I’ll charge them what I charge you.”
Nate raised an eyebrow and grinned at her. “No. I have a feeling you are giving me a very good discount. You charge them the going rate.”
Meagan sighed. She did give him a discount from what she normally charged. How could she not? He was the reason she’d been able to start her shop in the first place. “All right, I will.”
“Good.”
The waiter brought their meals out and served them. Once he was gone, Nate asked, “May I ask a blessing?”
“Of course you may,” Meagan’s mother said, and they bowed their heads while he did.
Meagan couldn’t remember when she’d had a better time. Nate was attentive to her and her mother, and the conversation flowed smoothly. Of course, she gave the credit for that to her mother. They talked about the Crescent Hotel, which looked down over the town, and about what a beautiful addition it was to the landscape.
“It really is quite lovely on the inside. And the management is very dedicated to seeing that the guests are treated like royalty,” Meagan’s mother said.
“The opening gala is coming up soon. I’m sure it will be very lavish,” Nate said.
“Oh, it will be. They were planning it before I left.”
Meagan could only imagine what a gala at the hotel would be like. She’d heard it was by invitation only and was sure that only the richest and most influential people in town were invited—which certainly didn’t include her.
That Nate knew many people in town became obvious as they enjoyed their meal, because several diners came up to their table and spoke to him. He was diligent in introducing them—never failing to mention her dressmaking shop.
A nice-looking couple stopped at the table, and Nate introduced them as Mr. and Mrs. Richardson.
“I’ve heard wonderful things about the quality of your work,” Mrs. Richardson said. “I do need a few things for this spring and summer. Would it be possible for me to make an appointment to see you later today?”
“Of course. I should be back at the shop by three o’clock,” Meagan said. “Could you come then?”
“I will be there. It was very nice to meet you and your mother,” Mrs. Richardson said. “I’ll call on you this afternoon, then.”
The couple took their leave, and Meagan smiled at Nate. “Thank you. Again.”
“You are very welcome. She’s a very nice woman, and
“Please sit, Mr. Brooks. We’ll be honored to have lunch with you.”
“Good.” He sat back down and grinned at Meagan. “It’s not often I have the opportunity to have lunch with such lovely ladies.”
His glance captured Meagan’s, and she could feel the warm rush of color steal up her cheeks. The man had a way of making the blood race through her veins.
He smiled and took a sip from his water glass. “What brought you out and about besides your celebration?”
“We ordered some fabric, and we’re going to buy some trim and notions this afternoon. I need trim for the coat you’ve ordered for Natalie.”
“Natalie’s grandmother loved the new Sunday dress. I gave her your name and the address of your shop. I’m hoping she and Natalie’s aunt Abigail will spread the word about the shop. The women in their circle seem to have a new outfit every time I see them. I’ve also heard that one of the dressmakers in town is getting married, and everyone is worried that there just aren’t enough seamstresses in town. I’m getting word out as fast as I can.”
“Oh, thank you for telling me. I’ll give your friends a discount if they come in.”
Nate shook his head. “There is no need to do that.”
“But—”
“Most of these women can well afford your prices. Don’t worry about that.”
“All right, I’ll charge them what I charge you.”
Nate raised an eyebrow and grinned at her. “No. I have a feeling you are giving me a very good discount. You charge them the going rate.”
Meagan sighed. She did give him a discount from what she normally charged. How could she not? He was the reason she’d been able to start her shop in the first place. “All right, I will.”
“Good.”
The waiter brought their meals out and served them. Once he was gone, Nate asked, “May I ask a blessing?”
“Of course you may,” Meagan’s mother said, and they bowed their heads while he did.
Meagan couldn’t remember when she’d had a better time. Nate was attentive to her and her mother, and the conversation flowed smoothly. Of course, she gave the credit for that to her mother. They talked about the Crescent Hotel, which looked down over the town, and about what a beautiful addition it was to the landscape.
“It really is quite lovely on the inside. And the management is very dedicated to seeing that the guests are treated like royalty,” Meagan’s mother said.
“The opening gala is coming up soon. I’m sure it will be very lavish,” Nate said.
“Oh, it will be. They were planning it before I left.”
Meagan could only imagine what a gala at the hotel would be like. She’d heard it was by invitation only and was sure that only the richest and most influential people in town were invited—which certainly didn’t include her.
That Nate knew many people in town became obvious as they enjoyed their meal, because several diners came up to their table and spoke to him. He was diligent in introducing them—never failing to mention her dressmaking shop.
A nice-looking couple stopped at the table, and Nate introduced them as Mr. and Mrs. Richardson.
“I’ve heard wonderful things about the quality of your work,” Mrs. Richardson said. “I do need a few things for this spring and summer. Would it be possible for me to make an appointment to see you later today?”
“Of course. I should be back at the shop by three o’clock,” Meagan said. “Could you come then?”
“I will be there. It was very nice to meet you and your mother,” Mrs. Richardson said. “I’ll call on you this afternoon, then.”
The couple took their leave, and Meagan smiled at Nate. “Thank you. Again.”
“You are very welcome. She’s a very nice woman, and
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