tops and jeans to try on.
Claire showed her the small red dress, store tags still attached. “This will be perfect for Zoey’s Christmas dress.”
“It will,” Judy agreed, “but haven’t you found anything for yourself yet?” Judy, an inch or two over five feet, was a good three inches shorter than Claire, and more uniformly figured, so she never had a problem finding clothes. She also had the advantage of nearly every color going with her shoulder-length, auburn hair and creamy complexion.
“I’m looking.” Claire began to slide the hangers and examine the blouses in front of her. She was slender, but had a disproportionately large bust, making it difficult to find tops that fit her right. She pulled out a couple that might work and put them in her cart.
“This one would bring out your blue eyes.” Claire looked at the cobalt blue sweater Judy held up. She didn’t have to look in the mirror to know Judy spoke the truth. Spencer would have a fit if he knew how she usually chose the right color of clothes for herself. With the exact same coloring as his mom, she just pictured the clothes next to his face. The poor boy had no idea of how many blouses he had tried on.
She took the garment from Judy’s hand and added it to her small collection.
“What are you doing for Thanksgiving?’ Judy asked her as she continued looking through the tops.
Claire sighed. “I signed up to work at the hospital party.”
“You didn’t!” Judy’s mouth dropped open. “What possessed you to make you volunteer to work on Thanksgiving?”
“It’s the first time Butlers has ever catered it. Stan said they wanted to make a good impression on the hospital administration, so they’re paying us double time to make it worth our while. I really need the money if I’m going to get a laptop computer for Spence. It’ll be the perfect Christmas present for him.”
Judy placed another top in Claire’s basket. “What are Spencer and Zoey going to be doing?”
“Spence is watching Zoey and making do for lunch.” Spencer had once again insisted he’d keep his sister home with him. “There will be plenty of turkey and trimmings left from the party for me to take home for our dinner.”
Judy harrumphed. “Spencer and Zoey can both spend the day at our house, and you can come over right after work. There’s no reason for you guys to eat leftovers when Mom fixes enough food to feed a small army.” Judy smiled craftily, putting Claire on high alert. “Besides, my brother, Bryan, will be home from Iraq. We’ve never been able to work it out for you two to meet when he’s been home on leave. I’d really like for you to meet him.”
“Oh, no, you don’t.” Claire shook her head. “You’re not trying to set me up with your brother. You know I’m part of a large package deal that’s guaranteed to scare off men of any shape and size.”
An “I gotcha!” smile was on Judy’s face. “My brother’s a soldier. It takes a lot to scare him off.”
“Really,” Claire insisted. “I’m not in the market for romance.” She wanted her friend to take her seriously. “I won’t come over if you’re going to try and get us together.”
“Fine.” That smile was still on her friend’s face. “But just remember it’s not my fault if spontaneous combustion takes place.”
Claire determinedly went back to looking at blouses. “Judy, do you think a father should have the right to see his daughter, no matter how much he hurt her mother?”
Judy’s smile disappeared, and her brow furrowed. “Are you talking about physically, or emotionally hurting her?”
Claire had to think about that for a minute. She hadn’t been clear-headed, but she knew deep down Mason hadn’t forced himself on her. “Emotionally.”
“Then I think that whatever the child needs should come first,” her friend stated. “If the mother can’t get past her own hurt feelings enough to let her baby have the love of both parents, then
Claire showed her the small red dress, store tags still attached. “This will be perfect for Zoey’s Christmas dress.”
“It will,” Judy agreed, “but haven’t you found anything for yourself yet?” Judy, an inch or two over five feet, was a good three inches shorter than Claire, and more uniformly figured, so she never had a problem finding clothes. She also had the advantage of nearly every color going with her shoulder-length, auburn hair and creamy complexion.
“I’m looking.” Claire began to slide the hangers and examine the blouses in front of her. She was slender, but had a disproportionately large bust, making it difficult to find tops that fit her right. She pulled out a couple that might work and put them in her cart.
“This one would bring out your blue eyes.” Claire looked at the cobalt blue sweater Judy held up. She didn’t have to look in the mirror to know Judy spoke the truth. Spencer would have a fit if he knew how she usually chose the right color of clothes for herself. With the exact same coloring as his mom, she just pictured the clothes next to his face. The poor boy had no idea of how many blouses he had tried on.
She took the garment from Judy’s hand and added it to her small collection.
“What are you doing for Thanksgiving?’ Judy asked her as she continued looking through the tops.
Claire sighed. “I signed up to work at the hospital party.”
“You didn’t!” Judy’s mouth dropped open. “What possessed you to make you volunteer to work on Thanksgiving?”
“It’s the first time Butlers has ever catered it. Stan said they wanted to make a good impression on the hospital administration, so they’re paying us double time to make it worth our while. I really need the money if I’m going to get a laptop computer for Spence. It’ll be the perfect Christmas present for him.”
Judy placed another top in Claire’s basket. “What are Spencer and Zoey going to be doing?”
“Spence is watching Zoey and making do for lunch.” Spencer had once again insisted he’d keep his sister home with him. “There will be plenty of turkey and trimmings left from the party for me to take home for our dinner.”
Judy harrumphed. “Spencer and Zoey can both spend the day at our house, and you can come over right after work. There’s no reason for you guys to eat leftovers when Mom fixes enough food to feed a small army.” Judy smiled craftily, putting Claire on high alert. “Besides, my brother, Bryan, will be home from Iraq. We’ve never been able to work it out for you two to meet when he’s been home on leave. I’d really like for you to meet him.”
“Oh, no, you don’t.” Claire shook her head. “You’re not trying to set me up with your brother. You know I’m part of a large package deal that’s guaranteed to scare off men of any shape and size.”
An “I gotcha!” smile was on Judy’s face. “My brother’s a soldier. It takes a lot to scare him off.”
“Really,” Claire insisted. “I’m not in the market for romance.” She wanted her friend to take her seriously. “I won’t come over if you’re going to try and get us together.”
“Fine.” That smile was still on her friend’s face. “But just remember it’s not my fault if spontaneous combustion takes place.”
Claire determinedly went back to looking at blouses. “Judy, do you think a father should have the right to see his daughter, no matter how much he hurt her mother?”
Judy’s smile disappeared, and her brow furrowed. “Are you talking about physically, or emotionally hurting her?”
Claire had to think about that for a minute. She hadn’t been clear-headed, but she knew deep down Mason hadn’t forced himself on her. “Emotionally.”
“Then I think that whatever the child needs should come first,” her friend stated. “If the mother can’t get past her own hurt feelings enough to let her baby have the love of both parents, then
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