ways."
If the situation weren't so grave it would be hilariously funny. Trace didn't know how to speak sweet words and his ways were about as beguiling as a skunk with his tail over his back. Lynn pleaded, “Mother, please..."
The tension in the room rose and sparked as Lillie turned to confront her daughter. “You.” She wagged her finger in Lynn's direction. “Stay out of this."
Lynn had never seen her mother so angry. Maybe it was time she told Lillie the truth. “Please, this is not what it seems. I can explain..."
Lillie snorted, “I thought after Joel you'd learned your lesson. Obviously you haven't.” Before Lynn could come to her own defense, Lillie rounded once more on Trace. “You low-class varmint, how can you be so disrespectful of my daughter?"
Trace lifted one hand. “Mrs. McGuire, Lillie, I do respect Lynn.” He twisted his neck and ran his finger around his shirt collar. “Can we sit down and talk about this?"
Ralph moved to stand beside his son as he said to Lillie, “Your daughter comes here with my son in that dress and you expect him to respect her?” He swung one arm in an all-encompassing gesture. “Do you think any man in this hall respects her?"
Lillie, the usually meek and mild Lillie, lashed out with a fury that startled Lynn and caused Ralph to take a step backward. “My daughter never behaved like this until your son came along. It's his fault. He has corrupted her completely."
By now every person in the long hall was staring at the arguing foursome. Lynn could never remember being so embarrassed. She wanted out of there and the faster the better. She put her hand on her mother's arm. “I'm going home. We can talk tomorrow.” Nodding to Trace she said, “Let's go."
Lillie shook her arm free. “You can't leave with that depraved man."
Lynn sidled toward the door. “I'll be all right. I'll call you tomorrow.” She hurried away with Trace following close behind.
She should be elated. She and Trace had done what they'd set out to do. But all Lynn felt was a sense of restless remorse.
Lillie called after the departing couple, “Come back here."
Ralph added an emphatic, “Right now."
Lynn quickened her pace. She didn't look back until she was out the door. When she glanced over her shoulder Trace was a few paces behind. Neither Lillie nor Ralph were anywhere in sight. She quickened her steps and traveled across the parking lot as swiftly as her stiletto heels would let her move.
They were in Trace's pickup and far down the road before either of them spoke again. Finally, Trace glanced briefly in Lynn's direction. “Do you think we did the right thing?"
It was too late to worry about that now. Lynn leaned her head against the seat. “Right or wrong, what's done is done."
Chapter 10
Trace pulled his pickup into the parking slot behind The Upper Crust Bakery and Specialty Shoppe, stopped, set his brake and turned to face Lynn. Being so near her, holding her and kissing her, had his body pulsating with desire. The steam from his passion fogged his brain and made lucid thinking impossible. He wanted to lash out at the woman who sat so near him. He also wanted to take her in his arms and make passionate love to her.
"We did what we set out to do. Now get upstairs and take that ridiculous dress off and don't ever wear it in public again."
What was wrong with him? He was behaving as if he had every right to dictate to Lynn Evans what she could and could not wear. Quickly he apologized. “I'm sorry.” Damn. It seemed all he did lately was apologize.
Much to his surprise Lynn nodded her head in agreement. “You're right. I should never have worn it in the first place, but Ruthie said..."
Trace's head snapped back in astonishment. “Ruthie advised you to wear that dress?"
Lynn admitted reluctantly, “Well ... yes."
"Why would you take that girl's advice about anything? She's obviously not playing with a full deck."
Lynn came immediately to Ruthie's defense.
If the situation weren't so grave it would be hilariously funny. Trace didn't know how to speak sweet words and his ways were about as beguiling as a skunk with his tail over his back. Lynn pleaded, “Mother, please..."
The tension in the room rose and sparked as Lillie turned to confront her daughter. “You.” She wagged her finger in Lynn's direction. “Stay out of this."
Lynn had never seen her mother so angry. Maybe it was time she told Lillie the truth. “Please, this is not what it seems. I can explain..."
Lillie snorted, “I thought after Joel you'd learned your lesson. Obviously you haven't.” Before Lynn could come to her own defense, Lillie rounded once more on Trace. “You low-class varmint, how can you be so disrespectful of my daughter?"
Trace lifted one hand. “Mrs. McGuire, Lillie, I do respect Lynn.” He twisted his neck and ran his finger around his shirt collar. “Can we sit down and talk about this?"
Ralph moved to stand beside his son as he said to Lillie, “Your daughter comes here with my son in that dress and you expect him to respect her?” He swung one arm in an all-encompassing gesture. “Do you think any man in this hall respects her?"
Lillie, the usually meek and mild Lillie, lashed out with a fury that startled Lynn and caused Ralph to take a step backward. “My daughter never behaved like this until your son came along. It's his fault. He has corrupted her completely."
By now every person in the long hall was staring at the arguing foursome. Lynn could never remember being so embarrassed. She wanted out of there and the faster the better. She put her hand on her mother's arm. “I'm going home. We can talk tomorrow.” Nodding to Trace she said, “Let's go."
Lillie shook her arm free. “You can't leave with that depraved man."
Lynn sidled toward the door. “I'll be all right. I'll call you tomorrow.” She hurried away with Trace following close behind.
She should be elated. She and Trace had done what they'd set out to do. But all Lynn felt was a sense of restless remorse.
Lillie called after the departing couple, “Come back here."
Ralph added an emphatic, “Right now."
Lynn quickened her pace. She didn't look back until she was out the door. When she glanced over her shoulder Trace was a few paces behind. Neither Lillie nor Ralph were anywhere in sight. She quickened her steps and traveled across the parking lot as swiftly as her stiletto heels would let her move.
They were in Trace's pickup and far down the road before either of them spoke again. Finally, Trace glanced briefly in Lynn's direction. “Do you think we did the right thing?"
It was too late to worry about that now. Lynn leaned her head against the seat. “Right or wrong, what's done is done."
Chapter 10
Trace pulled his pickup into the parking slot behind The Upper Crust Bakery and Specialty Shoppe, stopped, set his brake and turned to face Lynn. Being so near her, holding her and kissing her, had his body pulsating with desire. The steam from his passion fogged his brain and made lucid thinking impossible. He wanted to lash out at the woman who sat so near him. He also wanted to take her in his arms and make passionate love to her.
"We did what we set out to do. Now get upstairs and take that ridiculous dress off and don't ever wear it in public again."
What was wrong with him? He was behaving as if he had every right to dictate to Lynn Evans what she could and could not wear. Quickly he apologized. “I'm sorry.” Damn. It seemed all he did lately was apologize.
Much to his surprise Lynn nodded her head in agreement. “You're right. I should never have worn it in the first place, but Ruthie said..."
Trace's head snapped back in astonishment. “Ruthie advised you to wear that dress?"
Lynn admitted reluctantly, “Well ... yes."
"Why would you take that girl's advice about anything? She's obviously not playing with a full deck."
Lynn came immediately to Ruthie's defense.
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