besides,” Allie said, “I think she likes you.”
Ryan’s back straightened. “She does?”
Their nods were enthusiastic.
Just then their Sunday school teacher, Mr. Carmichael, shuffled down the hall toward them, a stack of books in his hands. He stopped long enough to peer first into Ryan’s face, and then Joan’s. “If you’re ready to get started, Mr. Adams, Miss Sanderson.” His gaze slid to Allie. “Are you joining us this morning, Mrs. Harrod?”
The disapproval he managed to pour into the title let them know exactly what he thought of a married woman attending the singles Sunday school class.
Allie awarded him a broad smile. “No, sir. I’m just on the way to my class with my husband.” Before she stepped away, she looked at Ryan and mouthed, Call her .
Ryan ignored her and gestured for Joan to precede him into the classroom. He liked Tori, but being the object of a pair of scheming women’s plans was a bit unnerving. He wasn’t sure he was willing to play along, even if it meant a date with the youngest and, in his opinion, the prettiest Sanderson sister.
After a delicious fried chicken dinner, the women chased the guys into the living room and Tori joined her sisters for cleanup duty. They each took their places in the familiar kitchen where they’d spent their teenage years, and settled into their routine. The sound of a cheering crowd drifted their way from the television, Eric’s and Ken’s voices an accompanying low murmur as they commented on some boring old ball game.
Tori ran a fork across a dirty plate, shoving chicken bones and a few stray green beans into the trashcan. “It’s an amazing opportunity, but it’s going to be a lot of work.”
She set the plate on the counter. Joan picked it up and plunged it in the sink full of soapy water. “Well, you’re used to that. I don’t know anybody who works harder than you do.”
On the other side of the kitchen Allie snapped the lid on a plastic container full of leftover mashed potatoes. “Maybe once you’re the boss you’ll be able to take a weekend off every now and then. You know.” She raised her eyebrows. “Get a real life.”
Tori scowled and reached for the last dirty plate. “I doubt it. Kate works every weekend.”
“Is that because she has so much work to do, or does she choose to work all those hours?” Joan asked as she took the scraped plate.
Actually, Tori had often wondered the same thing. Kate seemed to have no life outside the office. Unmarried, no steady boyfriend. As far as anyone knew, the only time she went out socially was when she was entertaining a client. All her energy went into her career, and that was one reason the clients loved her. Which, of course, was why she was being made a partner at Connolly and Farrin when she couldn’t be much over thirty years old.
Tori shrugged. “Doesn’t really matter. She’d still be my boss. I’m sure she expects whoever takes her place to give 120 percent in the job, like she has.”
On the other side of the kitchen counter, Mom sat in a straight-backed chair at the dining room table while Gram ran a damp dishcloth across the gleaming wooden surface. Beside Mom, Joanie was still picking at the food on her highchair tray. Mom selected a green bean from the plastic tray and held it up before the child, but instead of taking it with her chubby, mashed potato-covered hand, she leaned forward and ate it directly from her grandmother’s fingers.
The overhead light glinted off Mom’s glasses as she turned her head to look into the kitchen. “Are you sure you want this job, honey?”
“Mom’s right.” Allie stacked the leftover container on top of an identical one containing buttered corn, then picked them both up and opened the refrigerator. “Would it be so terrible to let this other guy get the promotion and report to him?”
Her, work for Mitch? Tori shuddered expansively. “I’d rather quit the company.”
Joan half turned to look at her.
Ryan’s back straightened. “She does?”
Their nods were enthusiastic.
Just then their Sunday school teacher, Mr. Carmichael, shuffled down the hall toward them, a stack of books in his hands. He stopped long enough to peer first into Ryan’s face, and then Joan’s. “If you’re ready to get started, Mr. Adams, Miss Sanderson.” His gaze slid to Allie. “Are you joining us this morning, Mrs. Harrod?”
The disapproval he managed to pour into the title let them know exactly what he thought of a married woman attending the singles Sunday school class.
Allie awarded him a broad smile. “No, sir. I’m just on the way to my class with my husband.” Before she stepped away, she looked at Ryan and mouthed, Call her .
Ryan ignored her and gestured for Joan to precede him into the classroom. He liked Tori, but being the object of a pair of scheming women’s plans was a bit unnerving. He wasn’t sure he was willing to play along, even if it meant a date with the youngest and, in his opinion, the prettiest Sanderson sister.
After a delicious fried chicken dinner, the women chased the guys into the living room and Tori joined her sisters for cleanup duty. They each took their places in the familiar kitchen where they’d spent their teenage years, and settled into their routine. The sound of a cheering crowd drifted their way from the television, Eric’s and Ken’s voices an accompanying low murmur as they commented on some boring old ball game.
Tori ran a fork across a dirty plate, shoving chicken bones and a few stray green beans into the trashcan. “It’s an amazing opportunity, but it’s going to be a lot of work.”
She set the plate on the counter. Joan picked it up and plunged it in the sink full of soapy water. “Well, you’re used to that. I don’t know anybody who works harder than you do.”
On the other side of the kitchen Allie snapped the lid on a plastic container full of leftover mashed potatoes. “Maybe once you’re the boss you’ll be able to take a weekend off every now and then. You know.” She raised her eyebrows. “Get a real life.”
Tori scowled and reached for the last dirty plate. “I doubt it. Kate works every weekend.”
“Is that because she has so much work to do, or does she choose to work all those hours?” Joan asked as she took the scraped plate.
Actually, Tori had often wondered the same thing. Kate seemed to have no life outside the office. Unmarried, no steady boyfriend. As far as anyone knew, the only time she went out socially was when she was entertaining a client. All her energy went into her career, and that was one reason the clients loved her. Which, of course, was why she was being made a partner at Connolly and Farrin when she couldn’t be much over thirty years old.
Tori shrugged. “Doesn’t really matter. She’d still be my boss. I’m sure she expects whoever takes her place to give 120 percent in the job, like she has.”
On the other side of the kitchen counter, Mom sat in a straight-backed chair at the dining room table while Gram ran a damp dishcloth across the gleaming wooden surface. Beside Mom, Joanie was still picking at the food on her highchair tray. Mom selected a green bean from the plastic tray and held it up before the child, but instead of taking it with her chubby, mashed potato-covered hand, she leaned forward and ate it directly from her grandmother’s fingers.
The overhead light glinted off Mom’s glasses as she turned her head to look into the kitchen. “Are you sure you want this job, honey?”
“Mom’s right.” Allie stacked the leftover container on top of an identical one containing buttered corn, then picked them both up and opened the refrigerator. “Would it be so terrible to let this other guy get the promotion and report to him?”
Her, work for Mitch? Tori shuddered expansively. “I’d rather quit the company.”
Joan half turned to look at her.
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