Be My Valentine by Debbie Macomber Page A

her!
    To his credit, Jason paused at the front door. “Mom, you coming?”
    â€œJust bringing up the rear,” she muttered.
    Jill shook her head, her shoulders lifting, then falling, in a deep sigh. “You’ll have to forgive my mother,” she told Steve confidingly. “She can be a real slowpoke sometimes.”

Seven
    â€œO h, Mom,” Jill said softly. “You look so beautiful.”
    Dianne examined her reflection in the full-length mirror. At the last moment, she’d been gripped by another bout of insanity. She’d gone out and purchased a new dress.
    She couldn’t afford it. She couldn’t rationalize that expense on top of everything else, but the instant she’d seen the flowered pink creation in the shop window, she’d decided to try it on. That was her first mistake. Correction: that was just one mistake in a long list of recent mistakes where Steve Creighton was concerned.
    The dress was probably the most flattering thing she’d ever owned. The price tag had practically caused her to clutch her chest and stagger backward. She hadn’t purchased it impulsively. No, she was too smart for that. The fact that she was nearly penniless and it was only the middle of the month didn’t help matters. She’d sat down in the coffee shop next door and juggled figures for ten or fifteen minutes before crumpling up the paper and deciding to buy the dress, anyway. It was her birthday, Mother’s Day and Christmas gifts to herself all rolled into one.
    â€œI brought my pearls,” Martha announced as she bolted breathlessly into Dianne’s bedroom. She was late, which wasn’t like Martha, but Dianne hadn’t been worried. She knew her mother would be there before she had to leave for the dinner.
    Martha stopped abruptly, folding her hands prayerfully and nodding with approval. “Oh, Dianne. You look…”
    â€œBeautiful,” Jill finished for her grandmother.
    â€œBeautiful,” Martha echoed. “I thought you were going to wear the red dress.”
    â€œI just happened to be at the mall and stumbled across this.” She didn’t mention that she’d made the trip into Tacoma for the express purpose of looking for something new to wear.
    â€œSteve’s here,” Jason yelled from the bottom of the stairs.
    â€œHere are my pearls,” Martha said, reverently handing them to her daughter. The pearls were a family heirloom and worn only on the most special occasions.
    â€œMom, I don’t know…”
    â€œYour first official date with Steve,” she said as though that event was on a level with God giving Moses the Ten Commandments. Without further ado, Martha draped the necklace around her daughter’s neck. “I insist. Your father insists.”
    â€œMom?” Dianne asked, turning around to search her mother’s face. “Have you been talking to Dad again?” Dianne’s father had been gone for more than ten years. However, for several years following his death, Martha Janes claimed they carried on regular conversations.
    â€œNot exactly, but I know your father would have insisted, had he been here. Now off with you. It’s rude to keep a date waiting.”
    Preparing to leave her bedroom, Dianne closed her eyes. She was nervous. Which was silly, she told herself. This wasn’t a real date, since she was paying Steve for the honor of escorting her. She’d reminded herself of that the entire time she was dressing. The only reason they were even attending this Valentine’s dinner was because she’d asked him. Not only asked, but offered to pay for everything.
    Jill rushed out of the bedroom door and down the stairs. “She’s coming and she looks beautiful.”
    â€œYour mother always looks beautiful,” Dianne heard Steve say matter-of-factly as she descended the steps. Her eyes were on him, standing in the entryway dressed in a dark gray