Read Online A Match Made in Dry Creek by Janet Tronstad - Free Book Online Page B

said with a nod. “She’s saving money to buy a new guitar.”
    Doris June looked over at Curt to see if he was noticing how his son was opening up.
    â€œLucy must be about your age,” Mrs. Hargrove said.
    Ben nodded. “Almost.”
    â€œDidn’t you say once that you played guitar, too?” Mrs. Hargrove asked.
    Ben nodded.
    â€œWell,” Mrs. Hargrove said. “I vote that we go over and get pie after we finish up here. My treat.”
    â€œReally?” Ben said.
    â€œReally?” Doris June echoed. She knew her mother had brownies thawing on the kitchen counter.
    Mrs. Hargrove nodded. “I always like to encourage young people, and a guitar is a good thing to have. I like to see a young girl who knows what she wants at Lucy’s age.”
    Doris June looked down at the last little piece of liver on her plate. She hoped no one else was thinking what she was—that her mother hadn’t been so supportive of her own daughter when she knew what she wanted when she was a couple of years older than Lucy. Of course, there was a difference between a guitar and a husband. Still, the thoughts came and Doris June didn’t stop them. She’d missed out on so much. If her mother hadn’t interfered, she and Curt would be sitting at this table now and Ben, well, he would be their son.
    Not that, Doris June assured herself, she was still pining away for Curt and the life they could have had. Her dream of him had died years ago.
    â€œI can stay and do dishes while you go for pie,” Doris June offered. She didn’t feel much like walking aroundDry Creek with the man who was her dead dream glaring at her the way he had been all evening.
    â€œNonsense,” Mrs. Hargrove said as she set her napkin down on the table. “We could all use the walk over to the café.”
    Doris June didn’t want to argue with her mother even though one hundred steps would do nothing for anyone’s exercise routine, especially not if they sat down at the end of the short walk and had a piece of pie.
    Â 
    Mrs. Hargrove didn’t understand how Doris June and Curt had ever gotten together as teenagers. Earlier, they had been looking at each other as though they’d never even thought about kissing each other. Mrs. Hargrove and Charley were leading the way over to the café. The day was just sliding into night and so, while there were deep shadows, it was easy enough to find firm footing on the sidewalk leading down to the front gate of Mrs. Hargrove’s lawn. From there, they walked on the gravel-sided road toward the café.
    â€œDo you think it’s working?” Charley leaned over and asked Mrs. Hargrove softly.
    â€œBen looks like he’s got more romance on his mind than our two kids do,” Mrs. Hargrove said in disgust.
    Mrs. Hargrove didn’t need to turn around to know that Curt and Doris June were walking behind them with a good yard between them and frowns on both of their faces. It was quiet as a tomb so she knew they weren’t talking.
    â€œMaybe they need someone to give them the idea,” Charley said as he reached over and took Mrs. Hargrove’s hand in his.
    â€œWhy—?” Mrs. Hargrove stopped walking to look over at Charley in astonishment.
    Charley winked.
    â€œOh, yeah.” Mrs. Hargrove swallowed and then smiled weakly. She didn’t remove her hand from his, however. Maybe Charley was right, she thought. Maybe their children did need a nudge. She wished she could turn around and see it Curt and Doris June were taking the hint, but she didn’t want to be obvious. Children were so sensitive about their parents prying into their romantic lives and Mrs. Hargrove had always been careful not to do that. Well, except for the time she had stopped their elopement, of course.
    Mrs. Hargrove sighed at the thought. When she made a mistake, it was always a big one. Not that she could have let them get married. But