place? It’s vacant.”
“The house?” Instinctively she crossed her arms, hugged her elbows. Fate, she thought, had such a long and sneaky reach. “I don’t know how I feel about it, either. I guess I should find out.”
In a town of less than six thousand it was hard to walk two blocks without running into someone you knew. It didn’t matter if you’d been away sixteen years or sixty. When she stepped into the realtor’s office there was only one person manning a desk.
The woman was pretty, petite, and polished. Her long blond hair was swept back from a heart-shaped face dominated by big baby-blue eyes.
“Afternoon.” The woman fluttered her lashes and set aside a paperback novel with a bare-chested pirate on the cover. “Can I help you?”
Tory had a quick image of the playground at Progress Elementary. A group of little girls shrieking in fear and disgust and running away. And the smug, satisfied look in the big blue eyes of the leader as she tossed a sneer over her shoulder while her long blond hair flew behind her.
“Lissy Harlowe.”
Lissy cocked her head. “Do I know you? Why, I’m so sorry, I just don’t…” Those blue eyes widened. “Tory? Tory Bodeen? For heaven’s sake.” She gave a little squeal and hauled herself to her feet. She looked to be about six months pregnant from the bulge under the pale pink shirt. “Daddy said how you’d be coming by sometime this week.”
Despite Tory’s automatic step in retreat, Lissy scurried around the desk to embrace her like a long-lost friend. “This is so exciting.” She pulled back to beam cheer and welcome. “Tory Bodeen come back to Progress after all this time. And don’t you look pretty.”
“Thank you.” Tory watched Lissy’s eyes scan, measure, then glint with satisfaction. There was no doubt here who’d grown up better. “You look so much the same. But you were always the prettiest girl in Progress.”
“Oh, what foolishness.” Lissy waved a hand but couldn’t stop herself from preening a bit. “Now, you just sit right down and let me get you something cold to drink.”
“No, don’t bother. I’m fine. Did your father get the lease agreement?”
“Seems like he mentioned he did. The whole town’s talking about your shop. I can’t wait till you’re open. You just can’t find pretty things in Progress.” She walked behind the desk again as she spoke. “Lord knows you can’t be driving down to Charleston every time you want something with a bit of style.”
“That’s good to know.” Tory sat, and found herself eye level with the sign that identified Lissy Frazier. “Frazier? Dwight? You married Dwight?”
“Five happy years. We have a son. My Luke’s the cutest thing.” She turned a framed photo around to show off a bright-eyed, towheaded toddler. “And we’re expecting his brother or sister by end of summer.”
She gave the mound of her belly a satisfied pat, and wiggled her fingers so her wedding and engagement rings caught the light and flashed fire from the diamonds.
“You never married, honey?”
There was just enough bite in the question to let Tory know Lissy still liked being the best. “No.”
“I just admire you career women more than I can say. You’re all so brave and smart. Y’all put us homebodies to shame.” When Tory lifted a brow at the desk and the name plate, Lissy laughed and waved her hand again. “Oh, I just come in a couple times a week to help Daddy out. Once the baby’s born, I’m sure I won’t have the time or energy.”
And would, Lissy thought, go quickly and not so quietly mad at home with two children. But she’d deal with that, and Dwight, when the time came.
“Now, you just tell me everything you’ve been up to.”
“I’d love to chat, Lissy.” If you yanked my tongue out and wrapped it around my neck. “But I need to get settled.”
“Oh, how silly of me. You must be just worn out and ready to drop.” The thin smile told Tory that if she
“The house?” Instinctively she crossed her arms, hugged her elbows. Fate, she thought, had such a long and sneaky reach. “I don’t know how I feel about it, either. I guess I should find out.”
In a town of less than six thousand it was hard to walk two blocks without running into someone you knew. It didn’t matter if you’d been away sixteen years or sixty. When she stepped into the realtor’s office there was only one person manning a desk.
The woman was pretty, petite, and polished. Her long blond hair was swept back from a heart-shaped face dominated by big baby-blue eyes.
“Afternoon.” The woman fluttered her lashes and set aside a paperback novel with a bare-chested pirate on the cover. “Can I help you?”
Tory had a quick image of the playground at Progress Elementary. A group of little girls shrieking in fear and disgust and running away. And the smug, satisfied look in the big blue eyes of the leader as she tossed a sneer over her shoulder while her long blond hair flew behind her.
“Lissy Harlowe.”
Lissy cocked her head. “Do I know you? Why, I’m so sorry, I just don’t…” Those blue eyes widened. “Tory? Tory Bodeen? For heaven’s sake.” She gave a little squeal and hauled herself to her feet. She looked to be about six months pregnant from the bulge under the pale pink shirt. “Daddy said how you’d be coming by sometime this week.”
Despite Tory’s automatic step in retreat, Lissy scurried around the desk to embrace her like a long-lost friend. “This is so exciting.” She pulled back to beam cheer and welcome. “Tory Bodeen come back to Progress after all this time. And don’t you look pretty.”
“Thank you.” Tory watched Lissy’s eyes scan, measure, then glint with satisfaction. There was no doubt here who’d grown up better. “You look so much the same. But you were always the prettiest girl in Progress.”
“Oh, what foolishness.” Lissy waved a hand but couldn’t stop herself from preening a bit. “Now, you just sit right down and let me get you something cold to drink.”
“No, don’t bother. I’m fine. Did your father get the lease agreement?”
“Seems like he mentioned he did. The whole town’s talking about your shop. I can’t wait till you’re open. You just can’t find pretty things in Progress.” She walked behind the desk again as she spoke. “Lord knows you can’t be driving down to Charleston every time you want something with a bit of style.”
“That’s good to know.” Tory sat, and found herself eye level with the sign that identified Lissy Frazier. “Frazier? Dwight? You married Dwight?”
“Five happy years. We have a son. My Luke’s the cutest thing.” She turned a framed photo around to show off a bright-eyed, towheaded toddler. “And we’re expecting his brother or sister by end of summer.”
She gave the mound of her belly a satisfied pat, and wiggled her fingers so her wedding and engagement rings caught the light and flashed fire from the diamonds.
“You never married, honey?”
There was just enough bite in the question to let Tory know Lissy still liked being the best. “No.”
“I just admire you career women more than I can say. You’re all so brave and smart. Y’all put us homebodies to shame.” When Tory lifted a brow at the desk and the name plate, Lissy laughed and waved her hand again. “Oh, I just come in a couple times a week to help Daddy out. Once the baby’s born, I’m sure I won’t have the time or energy.”
And would, Lissy thought, go quickly and not so quietly mad at home with two children. But she’d deal with that, and Dwight, when the time came.
“Now, you just tell me everything you’ve been up to.”
“I’d love to chat, Lissy.” If you yanked my tongue out and wrapped it around my neck. “But I need to get settled.”
“Oh, how silly of me. You must be just worn out and ready to drop.” The thin smile told Tory that if she
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