Read Online Your Heart's Desire by Melody Carlson - Free Book Online Page B

no offense, but wearing your hair like that makes you look like an old schoolmarm.”
    Caroline reached up to touch her tightly pinned hair. “I just want to be taken seriously.”
    “I know, but this is California, Sis. The style out here is more easygoing and youthful, you know? Women pay more attention to fashion. Especially since the war ended.” She touched her own shoulder-length hair. “Women have been letting their hair down and wearing colorful clothes. And some of us even use lipstick.”
    Caroline nodded. “Yes, I sort of gathered that at church yesterday.”
    “You went to church?”
    Caroline quickly explained about Joe directing their way to church.
    Marjorie grabbed Caroline’s left hand, staring at her bare ring finger. “At least you’ve done one thing right.”
    Caroline made a sheepish smile. “I thought about what you said. It made sense.” She didn’t confess that it had been a tearful moment when she’d removed the ring last night, or that she felt uneasy and vulnerable without it today. “It will probably help when I’m applying for a job. Most businesses feel better about hiring single women.”
    “Good for you. And I suppose we can address your wardrobe issues later.”
    Caroline just sighed.
    “In fact, I think I’m getting a plan.” Marjorie made an impish smile. “A really good plan.”
    “Oh, dear!” She made a mock-horrified face.
    “Yes!” Marjorie clapped her hands like Lulu. “A perfect plan!”
    “What?”
    “I’ll tell you more when you come home.”
    “I can hardly wait,” Caroline said dryly. “Anyway, I doubt I’ll be gone long. I should be back by noon.”
    “No worries if you’re not. Joe is just fine here.”
    Caroline told her goodbye, then, feeling a bit like a girl heading out for her first day of school, she walked toward town. As she walked, she prayed a silent prayer, asking God to help her find the right job. And then, since Rich had been so helpful and since he’d even asked Marjorie to remind her, she decided to go to the chocolate factory first. Get it out of the way. The truth was she did not want to work the assembly line, but she knew she couldn’t afford to turn her nose up at anything. Besides, it wasn’t as if they were going to offer her a job today.
    As she turned onto Main Street, she remembered that Terry Whatever-His-Last-Name-Was worked in the chocolate factory. Certainly this wasn’t the first time this had occurred to her, but it wasn’t a comforting thought. Something about the man made her feel off balance, and the idea of running into him was unsettling. She suspected he worked in sales. Attractive guys like him almost always worked in sales. And although they were smooth talkers and not hard on the eyes, she had learned over the years that they were not always to be trusted. She didn’t like being judgmental and would never say this to anyone, but she’d found that many of them were disingenuous.
    As she came to the big brick building, she paused under the striped awnings of the chocolate shop, gazing into the plate glass window, where all sorts of beautiful chocolates were displayed. Just looking at them made her mouth water.
    As she pushed open the big glass door that led into the marble-tiled foyer of MG Chocolates, the first thing that hit her was the aroma—the sweet, heady smell of chocolate nearly swept her off her feet. Had these people considered bottling this scent and selling it as perfume? Next she noticed a large display case filled with colorful candy boxes, stacked in a decorative way. Very pretty.
    The sound of a jangling phone reminded her why she was here. And suddenly she felt nervous. But then she reminded herself that she had been a loyal and dependable employee for a total of nearly ten years. She had much to offer. Even if it was on an assembly line. She braced herself, standing up straighter.
    “May I help you?” a pretty redheaded woman asked brightly.
    “I would like to apply for a job,”