Stella came out of the dressing room modeling the green dress, twirling around and looking in the mirrors on the wall. “I like it and best of all it’s not tight, so I can wear it for a while.” She smiled happily, patting her baby bump. The dress reached just below her knees and had long sleeves. “I love the emerald-green color, too, so Christmassy.”
“It does look good on you,” Liz agreed, smiling at her friend. Stella glowed with the happiness of being pregnant and Liz envied her. She had always dreamed of having a family to call her own one day, but that dream seemed so far away right now. Was this feeling what women described as their maternal clock ticking?
“Great, I’ll take this dress now and I’ll come back for the skirt next week,” Stella said, putting her clothes back on. Liz wrapped it up for her. “Are you off work already?”
Stella nodded and yawned tiredly. “Yes, and I’m going home to take a nap. I swear that’s all I do these days besides feel sick at the smell of food. I’m so excited to be a mother but I never thought I’d feel so sick. Poor Lacy has worked so many of my shifts lately.”
“Well, I am sure Lacy and Ally understand. Once you hold that precious little baby it’ll all be worth it,” Liz told her, handing her the bag with a smile.
After Stella left, Liz thought about Gary. Why was he trying so hard to make it seem as if they were a couple when they had only had one date? He barely knew her. She decided to call him once the shop closed. She dreaded the confrontation but it had to be done. She usually tried to avoid situations like this. She was not the type of person that enjoyed rejecting someone, but she couldn’t lie either, and she was getting tired of him making it sound like they were a couple. Liz called his number and got his answering machine, so she told him she wasn’t going to go out with him on Sunday and asked if he could call her because they had things to talk about. When he called back she would tell him she didn’t think they were compatible. She would try really hard to be nice, but Gary was very conceited and it was hard to not get upset with his overbearing attitude.
After closing and locking up the store, Liz went upstairs to her apartment. The stairs leading to her place were on the side of the building but she didn’t mind. It separated her workspace and living space completely. She had so much paperwork to catch up on tonight. She had converted her second bedroom to an office and kept her files there. The apartment was one of the reasons she had bought this building. She loved the convenience of being so close to work and right on the main street. She could walk anywhere if she didn’t feel like driving. She made a salad with diced chicken and avocados and took it to her office with her.
Liz was so into her paperwork she almost didn’t hear the phone ringing. “Hello?” she answered absently.
“This is Gary. What’s this about canceling our date?” he said, sounding annoyed and angry. There was a lot of noise in the background.
“I’m sorry, Gary, but I didn’t think the first date went so well between us, so I don’t see a reason for us to go out again,” Liz explained patiently. “I’m sure a successful businessman like you has many prospective dates.”
“Of course I do but I want you, Elizabeth,” Gary answered her arrogantly. “I am out with some business associates right now, but I’ll come by your store tomorrow and we can talk more.”
Liz sighed. She wanted to settle this once and for all. “Okay, we’ll talk later, Gary,” she said, hanging up. Liz got ready for bed thinking of Gary. She already dreaded having to confront Gary in person. It would have been less awkward through the phone, but Lady Luck wasn’t with her these days.
Chapter 2
The next afternoon Stella came in with a stack of flyers for Liz to put at her store.
Liz looked them over and set them on her c
ounter. “These are great. I’ll make sure people get them.”
“Okay. These classes are good for people and it really will give Lacy the confidence she lost when Chico attacked her,” Stella added, yawning. “I’m taking some to the bank next then I’m going home for my daily nap.”
A few months ago Lacy had witnessed a murder and ended up hiding in Appledale. Chico, the killer, had followed her to Appledale and kidnapped her. Luckily she had been rescued but still had some nightmares left over from her horrifying experience.
Liz smiled at her friend. “You’re right, Stella, and everyone will see how good these classes are. They are free and exercise doesn’t hurt the body.”
Stella laughed, pointing at her stomach even though her friends knew she never liked to exercise. “Hey, I do have an excuse.”
Before Liz could answer her back, Gary walked in and smiled at the two of them. Stella greeted him with a playful smile and teased him. “Gary, I didn’t know you shopped here.”
Gary chuckled and winked at Stella. “I just came to see my favorite girl besides you. Isn’t that right, Elizabeth?”
Liz didn’t want to cause a scene in front of Stella so she just smiled and nodded. Stella gave Gary a flyer and Liz silently groaned and hoped Gary didn’t like to sweat so he wouldn’t show up. Stella said her good-byes and went home.
Liz looked at Gary and decided to be upfront with him. Wasn’t honesty the best policy? “Gary, we had one date and I didn’t think we had much in common. I don’t understand why you are trying so hard to go out with me again.”
“What are you talking about? Our date went great. Besides, we do have so much in common. We are both successful in business and come from a wealthy family. There’s no one else in this pokey little town that can give you the things you need,” he answered, brushing off her concerns as if they didn’t matter.
“If you don’t like it here in Appledale why do you live here?” she asked him out of curiosity. It was true he didn’t seem the small-town type. He had arrived a year ago and always seemed out of place here. Liz had a wealthy background but she did her best not to flaunt it, whereas Gary liked to brag and show off, and it hadn’t made him very popular.
“I’m stuck here temporarily because my uncle wants me to improve this bank, but then I can go back to our California branch, or maybe if your father helps us we can move anywhere we want,” Gary answered, getting excited. “New York, Chicago, or any major city you like.”
So Gary knew who she was. Now Liz understood his determination to date her. It had nothing to do with her but her father, and that made her angry and sad. Wasn’t she likable without her father’s money behind her? This was a common problem in her love life. “Gary, I like this town and don’t plan to move from here. And I don’t take money from my father. I prefer to make my own way in life.”
Gary frowned as if he couldn’t understand her logic. He stared at her for a few seconds as if he didn’t know what to say. “I have an appointment with a client. Let’s have dinner and we will discuss this further. I think we are great together and soon you will see it, too.”
“Gary, look—” Liz began but then got interrupted by the doorbell ringing, and Amy walked in ready to work. Gary took the opportunity to wave cheerfully at her and leave. “Call you later and we’ll finish our talk.”