get home?”
Her question, and the timid way she asked it, made him realize that she wanted him here. That hadn’t even occurred to him.
“Yeah.” He nodded, not giving it another thought. “I’m staying.”
Which meant that somehow in the middle of all of this he had to figure out how to write again. If he was about to sink tens of thousands into a remodel, he couldn’t very well afford to return an advance.
But first, he had to know if there was a problem with his sister. She had to be honest about that. He gave her a penetrating look. “Are you really okay?”
She nodded, but her eyes told a different story.
“Sad?” he asked. “Hurt?” He recognized the look.
More tears slid from her lids. “Heartbroken,” she whispered.
“And that’s all?”
“That’s all.”
He studied her, thinking about the similarities between them. He didn’t know the details of her relationship or lack thereof, but her pregnant-and-alone state said enough. “I’m here if you need anything,” he told her.
She looked so small, but his words seemed to fortify her. Her shoulders straightened, and for a few brief seconds, she didn’t look quite as miserable as he felt.
Then more tears fell, and he knew that they were quite the pair.
“One of your eyelashes is on crooked.”
Ginger halted at the words—she was on her way out the front door—and faced her mom. “Which one?” She brought both hands to her eyes. She’d thought she had them on right.
Her mother put down the strands of ribbon she was working with—she was personalizing her wedding favors—and rose from her chair. She tilted Ginger’s head back and Ginger closed her eyes in surrender, thankful someone was around who knew how to do this stuff.
It was Saturday night. Date two with Patrick. And she wanted everything to be right.
The other night she’d barely tried, and he’d really seemed to like her. Which made her almost giddy at the thought of the effort she’d put into her appearance tonight. She’d even gone by Samantha’s and bought a new dress. Samantha’s was the only boutique on the island, but that didn’t mean the selection was limited. Samantha Greene, the owner, took regular trips to New York to stay abreast of the latest trends, as well as to secure pieces to sell in her store.
Tonight Ginger had on a design that had come in only last week. A cute little sleeveless frock with a sweetheart collar. The dark blue of the dress was covered with tiny butterflies.
It wasn’t exactly her style, but it was lovely. And it made her feel very feminine.
She’d gone all out, too. Strappy silver heels, makeup, and her hair had never been so cute. Curls bounced at her shoulders. She’d even gotten a manicure that afternoon. Patrick didn’t stand a chance.
“There you go.” Her mother finished with the eye and patted Ginger on the cheek.
“Everything else look okay?” Ginger asked. Nerves had her suddenly wondering if she shouldn’t have tried so hard. Was it too much? She looked down at herself, hoping Patrick liked what he saw, and did a little spin for her mom.
“Perfect,” her mother confirmed. She gave Ginger a soft smile, and Ginger expected wise words of wisdom to come from her. Instead, what she got was “Should I make myself scarce tonight? In case you two want to . . .”
“Mom!” Ginger’s eyes went wide. “It’s only the second date.”
Which didn’t mean she hadn’t seriously considered bringing out the cute underwear.
But on the off chance that she was tempted to toss her morals out the window, she’d left the lace in her dresser drawer. She preferred cotton undies anyway. And with the nerves she had going on, she needed all the comfort she could get.
“Well, it’s not like you’re getting any younger,” her mom pointed out. “And he did seem to really like you the other night.” She cast a shrewd eye at Ginger. “You liked him, too, right?”
“I did.” Ginger answered without thinking,
Her question, and the timid way she asked it, made him realize that she wanted him here. That hadn’t even occurred to him.
“Yeah.” He nodded, not giving it another thought. “I’m staying.”
Which meant that somehow in the middle of all of this he had to figure out how to write again. If he was about to sink tens of thousands into a remodel, he couldn’t very well afford to return an advance.
But first, he had to know if there was a problem with his sister. She had to be honest about that. He gave her a penetrating look. “Are you really okay?”
She nodded, but her eyes told a different story.
“Sad?” he asked. “Hurt?” He recognized the look.
More tears slid from her lids. “Heartbroken,” she whispered.
“And that’s all?”
“That’s all.”
He studied her, thinking about the similarities between them. He didn’t know the details of her relationship or lack thereof, but her pregnant-and-alone state said enough. “I’m here if you need anything,” he told her.
She looked so small, but his words seemed to fortify her. Her shoulders straightened, and for a few brief seconds, she didn’t look quite as miserable as he felt.
Then more tears fell, and he knew that they were quite the pair.
“One of your eyelashes is on crooked.”
Ginger halted at the words—she was on her way out the front door—and faced her mom. “Which one?” She brought both hands to her eyes. She’d thought she had them on right.
Her mother put down the strands of ribbon she was working with—she was personalizing her wedding favors—and rose from her chair. She tilted Ginger’s head back and Ginger closed her eyes in surrender, thankful someone was around who knew how to do this stuff.
It was Saturday night. Date two with Patrick. And she wanted everything to be right.
The other night she’d barely tried, and he’d really seemed to like her. Which made her almost giddy at the thought of the effort she’d put into her appearance tonight. She’d even gone by Samantha’s and bought a new dress. Samantha’s was the only boutique on the island, but that didn’t mean the selection was limited. Samantha Greene, the owner, took regular trips to New York to stay abreast of the latest trends, as well as to secure pieces to sell in her store.
Tonight Ginger had on a design that had come in only last week. A cute little sleeveless frock with a sweetheart collar. The dark blue of the dress was covered with tiny butterflies.
It wasn’t exactly her style, but it was lovely. And it made her feel very feminine.
She’d gone all out, too. Strappy silver heels, makeup, and her hair had never been so cute. Curls bounced at her shoulders. She’d even gotten a manicure that afternoon. Patrick didn’t stand a chance.
“There you go.” Her mother finished with the eye and patted Ginger on the cheek.
“Everything else look okay?” Ginger asked. Nerves had her suddenly wondering if she shouldn’t have tried so hard. Was it too much? She looked down at herself, hoping Patrick liked what he saw, and did a little spin for her mom.
“Perfect,” her mother confirmed. She gave Ginger a soft smile, and Ginger expected wise words of wisdom to come from her. Instead, what she got was “Should I make myself scarce tonight? In case you two want to . . .”
“Mom!” Ginger’s eyes went wide. “It’s only the second date.”
Which didn’t mean she hadn’t seriously considered bringing out the cute underwear.
But on the off chance that she was tempted to toss her morals out the window, she’d left the lace in her dresser drawer. She preferred cotton undies anyway. And with the nerves she had going on, she needed all the comfort she could get.
“Well, it’s not like you’re getting any younger,” her mom pointed out. “And he did seem to really like you the other night.” She cast a shrewd eye at Ginger. “You liked him, too, right?”
“I did.” Ginger answered without thinking,
Similar Books
