approval and the party planning committee is on top of everything. Good food, good wine, and dancing. We’re calling it the Fall Ball.”
Uh-oh. She had a feeling she knew where this was heading. The community was notorious for hosting themed parties, which she’d always been able to avoid by playing the old I-don’t-have-anything-to-wear-card, but that excuse was likely wearing thin. “I’m sure you’ll have a wonderful time.”
“I’m sure you will, too, because you’re coming.”
Sophie winced regretfully. “Sorry, I can’t. I’m busy tomorrow night.”
Cora scowled at her. “Watching reruns of The Office doesn’t make you busy, Sophie.”
That was a matter of opinion, but as it happened… “I hadn’t planned on watching reruns of The Office.”
“Watching old episodes of All Creatures Great and Small doesn’t make you busy either.”
Dammit, she should have known better than to tell Cora about those. “But they make me happy,” she countered. “And that’s what’s important.”
“Piffle. You can watch those any time.”
“That may be true, but—” She hesitated, feigning disappointment. “—I wouldn’t have anything to wear. No formal gowns lurking in the back of my closest, I’m afraid.”
Cora’s smile became uncomfortably triumphant. “No worries, dear. I’ve already bought you a dress.”
She blinked, stunned. “What? When?”
“Two actually, so you’ll be able to choose which one you like the best. Betty is on standby to do any alterations, so I want you to scoot over to her house before you leave this afternoon. You’re finished with appointments at three—I checked with Curtis—so you don’t have to rush home to the farm. Betty says it’ll only take a few minutes.” She stood. “I’ve got shoes and accessories for both dresses as well, so once you’ve made your choice then let me know. You can get ready at my place,” she said. “I’ll help you with your hair and make-up.”
Sophie’s head was whirling. Two dresses? Shoes and accessories? Hair and make-up? And she still hadn’t answered her question. “When did you buy me these dresses?”
“Immediately after the last time you wriggled out of coming to one of our parties,” she said archly. Her gaze softened and she laid a hand atop hers. “I promised your grandmother that I would look after you, dear, and I take my promises seriously.”
Sophie swallowed, touched. She knew and she appreciated it, she really did. But she failed to understand how coming to a dance where she wouldn’t have a single person—in her generation, at least—to dance with fell into the “looking after her category.” Not that she expected—
Sophie stilled as realization dawned and her gaze swung to Cora’s. Oh, but she would have someone to dance with, wouldn’t she?
Foy’s cursed Grandson—Jeb.
Which was no doubt why Cora and her Band of Merry Matchmakers were going to such great lengths to host a ball , for pity’s sake, at such short notice. Oh, for the love of all that was holy, she thought, equally mortified and horrified. She felt like the good-hearted but homely friend who was always tragically looked over in those teen-targeted made-for-TV movies. It was a good message for a high school girl, but pretty damned pathetic at her age. Disgusted, she glanced at Cora, who looked innocently back at her.
Sophie wasn’t buying it. And she sincerely doubted that her well-intentioned but seriously misguided friend had bought those dresses months ago. She’d be willing to bet Cora had called one of the boutiques she liked to frequent and had something appropriate and in Sophie’s size delivered this very afternoon. Renewed misery washed through her.
She’d become their pity-project.
One that was going to be paraded like a prized animal in front of the best-looking, most lethally attractive man she’d ever encountered in her life.
“Indulge an old woman, would you?” Cora said, smiling softly. “It
Uh-oh. She had a feeling she knew where this was heading. The community was notorious for hosting themed parties, which she’d always been able to avoid by playing the old I-don’t-have-anything-to-wear-card, but that excuse was likely wearing thin. “I’m sure you’ll have a wonderful time.”
“I’m sure you will, too, because you’re coming.”
Sophie winced regretfully. “Sorry, I can’t. I’m busy tomorrow night.”
Cora scowled at her. “Watching reruns of The Office doesn’t make you busy, Sophie.”
That was a matter of opinion, but as it happened… “I hadn’t planned on watching reruns of The Office.”
“Watching old episodes of All Creatures Great and Small doesn’t make you busy either.”
Dammit, she should have known better than to tell Cora about those. “But they make me happy,” she countered. “And that’s what’s important.”
“Piffle. You can watch those any time.”
“That may be true, but—” She hesitated, feigning disappointment. “—I wouldn’t have anything to wear. No formal gowns lurking in the back of my closest, I’m afraid.”
Cora’s smile became uncomfortably triumphant. “No worries, dear. I’ve already bought you a dress.”
She blinked, stunned. “What? When?”
“Two actually, so you’ll be able to choose which one you like the best. Betty is on standby to do any alterations, so I want you to scoot over to her house before you leave this afternoon. You’re finished with appointments at three—I checked with Curtis—so you don’t have to rush home to the farm. Betty says it’ll only take a few minutes.” She stood. “I’ve got shoes and accessories for both dresses as well, so once you’ve made your choice then let me know. You can get ready at my place,” she said. “I’ll help you with your hair and make-up.”
Sophie’s head was whirling. Two dresses? Shoes and accessories? Hair and make-up? And she still hadn’t answered her question. “When did you buy me these dresses?”
“Immediately after the last time you wriggled out of coming to one of our parties,” she said archly. Her gaze softened and she laid a hand atop hers. “I promised your grandmother that I would look after you, dear, and I take my promises seriously.”
Sophie swallowed, touched. She knew and she appreciated it, she really did. But she failed to understand how coming to a dance where she wouldn’t have a single person—in her generation, at least—to dance with fell into the “looking after her category.” Not that she expected—
Sophie stilled as realization dawned and her gaze swung to Cora’s. Oh, but she would have someone to dance with, wouldn’t she?
Foy’s cursed Grandson—Jeb.
Which was no doubt why Cora and her Band of Merry Matchmakers were going to such great lengths to host a ball , for pity’s sake, at such short notice. Oh, for the love of all that was holy, she thought, equally mortified and horrified. She felt like the good-hearted but homely friend who was always tragically looked over in those teen-targeted made-for-TV movies. It was a good message for a high school girl, but pretty damned pathetic at her age. Disgusted, she glanced at Cora, who looked innocently back at her.
Sophie wasn’t buying it. And she sincerely doubted that her well-intentioned but seriously misguided friend had bought those dresses months ago. She’d be willing to bet Cora had called one of the boutiques she liked to frequent and had something appropriate and in Sophie’s size delivered this very afternoon. Renewed misery washed through her.
She’d become their pity-project.
One that was going to be paraded like a prized animal in front of the best-looking, most lethally attractive man she’d ever encountered in her life.
“Indulge an old woman, would you?” Cora said, smiling softly. “It
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