crisp bills and waited.
She fidgeted at his intent gaze, her cheeks warming beneath his scrutiny. Ethan Heyward truly had the most beautiful eyes. “Is there anything else?”
“Actually, there is. Blue Smoke will be finished at the end of May. I’m conducting a reception and tour for the newspaper and magazine reporters. Harper’s has agreed to send someone. So has the Boston Globe and several papers from around the state. I’m inviting you too. It’ll be a chance to meet your colleagues and to see how everything turned out.”
Feeling both pleased and surprised, Sophie could only nod. How wonderful it would be to meet others who shared her love of newspapering. But what on earth would she wear? The one fancy dress Ada had insisted she bring from Texas, just in case, wasn’t quite right for such an occasion, but the plain dresses and jackets she wore to the newspaper office each day were unlikely to make a favorable first impression. Her bank account wouldn’t allow for much extravagance. The sensible thing to do was to decline. And yet . . .
“Thank you.” She smiled into his eyes. “I’d like that.”
He nodded. “And something else. The Blakelys and I are hosting a ball the following night. Dinner, dancing, no expense spared. I’d be pleased to escort you.” His eyes met hers. “Unless you’ve some objection to mixing business with pleasure.”
She smoothed the folds of her skirt. Of course she wanted to spend a glittering evening at Blue Smoke. Who wouldn’t? It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Most folks in Hickory Ridge, including her, would never have a chance to set foot inside the resort once the opening-week excitement died down. And she liked Mr. Heyward very much, or she would if she allowed herself to dwell on it. But she couldn’t forget his apparent displeasure with the Chinese workers. If the taunts of her childhood were true, would he look at her in the same way? Maybe it was better to keep her distance despite her feelings. Keep their connection strictly business.
“I’m honored, Mr. Heyward, but—”
“O’Brien said I should ask you now, so you’d have time to buy a fancy dress.”
He looked boyish, so hopeful and shy, that she forgave his earlier attempts to manage the news and tamped down the unsettling feeling that he might be just as prejudiced as some others in Hickory Ridge. Perhaps it was only her own insecurities talking and she had misread him altogether. Perhaps he deserved the benefit of the doubt.
“Thank you. I’d love to come. It sounds wonderful.”
“I’ll look forward to it.” He headed for the door.
She leaned against the desk and watched him go. It was hard not to like Ethan Heyward, and she was flattered that he wanted her company for the ball. The question was, would he still want to dance with her once he read this week’s Gazette ?
“You’re late,” Gillie whispered, sliding down the pew to make room for Sophie.
“Sorry,” Sophie whispered back.
The church was nearly full. Sophie spotted the Rutledges and Robbie’s parents sitting a few rows ahead of her. Sheriff McCracken sat on the aisle next to Jasper and Jeanne Pruitt. But where was Mr. Heyward? She felt a stab of disappointment at his absence. Perhaps he was too busy to come all the way to town so early on Sunday morning. Or perhaps he attended services at Blue Smoke with his men.
Sophie plopped down beside her new friend. “I went by the office to check on one small thing. Next thing I knew, half an hour had evaporated, just like that.” She snapped her fingers, causing the woman in front of her to turn around and frown.
Gillie elbowed Sophie and grinned. “There’s a reason we’renot supposed to work on Sunday. It’s too easy to forget about the Lord.”
Robbie Whiting, dressed in a black suit, his wild blond hair slicked down, entered through a side door and crossed to the lectern, his Bible tucked under his arm. Sophie’s mind filled with memories of their
She fidgeted at his intent gaze, her cheeks warming beneath his scrutiny. Ethan Heyward truly had the most beautiful eyes. “Is there anything else?”
“Actually, there is. Blue Smoke will be finished at the end of May. I’m conducting a reception and tour for the newspaper and magazine reporters. Harper’s has agreed to send someone. So has the Boston Globe and several papers from around the state. I’m inviting you too. It’ll be a chance to meet your colleagues and to see how everything turned out.”
Feeling both pleased and surprised, Sophie could only nod. How wonderful it would be to meet others who shared her love of newspapering. But what on earth would she wear? The one fancy dress Ada had insisted she bring from Texas, just in case, wasn’t quite right for such an occasion, but the plain dresses and jackets she wore to the newspaper office each day were unlikely to make a favorable first impression. Her bank account wouldn’t allow for much extravagance. The sensible thing to do was to decline. And yet . . .
“Thank you.” She smiled into his eyes. “I’d like that.”
He nodded. “And something else. The Blakelys and I are hosting a ball the following night. Dinner, dancing, no expense spared. I’d be pleased to escort you.” His eyes met hers. “Unless you’ve some objection to mixing business with pleasure.”
She smoothed the folds of her skirt. Of course she wanted to spend a glittering evening at Blue Smoke. Who wouldn’t? It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Most folks in Hickory Ridge, including her, would never have a chance to set foot inside the resort once the opening-week excitement died down. And she liked Mr. Heyward very much, or she would if she allowed herself to dwell on it. But she couldn’t forget his apparent displeasure with the Chinese workers. If the taunts of her childhood were true, would he look at her in the same way? Maybe it was better to keep her distance despite her feelings. Keep their connection strictly business.
“I’m honored, Mr. Heyward, but—”
“O’Brien said I should ask you now, so you’d have time to buy a fancy dress.”
He looked boyish, so hopeful and shy, that she forgave his earlier attempts to manage the news and tamped down the unsettling feeling that he might be just as prejudiced as some others in Hickory Ridge. Perhaps it was only her own insecurities talking and she had misread him altogether. Perhaps he deserved the benefit of the doubt.
“Thank you. I’d love to come. It sounds wonderful.”
“I’ll look forward to it.” He headed for the door.
She leaned against the desk and watched him go. It was hard not to like Ethan Heyward, and she was flattered that he wanted her company for the ball. The question was, would he still want to dance with her once he read this week’s Gazette ?
“You’re late,” Gillie whispered, sliding down the pew to make room for Sophie.
“Sorry,” Sophie whispered back.
The church was nearly full. Sophie spotted the Rutledges and Robbie’s parents sitting a few rows ahead of her. Sheriff McCracken sat on the aisle next to Jasper and Jeanne Pruitt. But where was Mr. Heyward? She felt a stab of disappointment at his absence. Perhaps he was too busy to come all the way to town so early on Sunday morning. Or perhaps he attended services at Blue Smoke with his men.
Sophie plopped down beside her new friend. “I went by the office to check on one small thing. Next thing I knew, half an hour had evaporated, just like that.” She snapped her fingers, causing the woman in front of her to turn around and frown.
Gillie elbowed Sophie and grinned. “There’s a reason we’renot supposed to work on Sunday. It’s too easy to forget about the Lord.”
Robbie Whiting, dressed in a black suit, his wild blond hair slicked down, entered through a side door and crossed to the lectern, his Bible tucked under his arm. Sophie’s mind filled with memories of their
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