Season of Sisters (48 page)
Authors: Geralyn Dawson
Max wanted to scold the town's worst gossip. Instead, he literally bit his tongue.
"That Kate was such a disappointment to her parents. We all knew something fishy was going on with her when she left town so fast and didn't come back. I never believed that wild talk about her attending college in California. Jack and Linnie weren't talking, though, and we respected their wish for privacy."
Yeah, right.
Max chose a lens from his bag, his thoughts spinning. Kate was in Cedar Dell.
"Her poor father. He already had so much to bear when Linnie died so suddenly, and then that girl just slaps him in the face by showing up at the funeral with a baby in her arms and no ring on her finger. Jack went red as picante sauce. I feared he'd have a heart attack right in First Methodist. Thank God Tom had the presence of mind to see that Kate didn't attend the graveside service."
"Now, Martha." The Widow Mallow joined them, clucking her tongue as she wiped down her hunter green bowling ball with a lace-trimmed pink handkerchief. "You're being too hard on that girl, like always. She had every right to come to her mother's funeral. She just shouldn't have brought that baby. Not after her mama worked so hard to keep Kate's disgrace a secret."
Disgrace? He smiled grimly.
Just do your job and get out of here.
Max glanced around the room, finding a spot over by the soft drink machines with especially harsh light. He gestured in that direction. "Mrs. Gault? Mrs. Mallow? Why don't you step over into the light and let me get a couple of shots."
"Don't you want action photos? Something that shows the bowling alley? I think that's what Jack would like best. Remember, we want to cheer him up."
"Don't worry, Mrs. Mallow. I'll get what we need."
Max snapped off a few particularly unflattering shots, delighting in his petty revenge. As much as he loved small-town living, he hated small-town gossip. Nobody read the local paper for the news; they just wanted to see what version of events got published.
And yet, today he needed to take advantage of the Widows' knowledge of everyone else's business. "Is Kate staying at her father's house?"
"Oh, no." The Widow Gault shook her head. "She went back to Dallas last night. Why, I don't think she was in town much more than an hour or so. No telling what event she was coming from in the big city; Sue said she had on a slinky black dress and heels that sure weren't made for visiting the sick. That girl is not a credit to her heritage."
So Kate
wasn't
in Cedar Dell.
"Not a credit to her heritage? Oh, Martha." A woman Max didn't know motioned the two widows away from the Dr Pepper machine. She fed it quarters, pushed a button, and as the machine thumped and clattered out a can, she folded her arms over a generous bosom and snorted. "You are such a mean-spirited old biddy. Kate Harmon is not the Jezebel you make her out to be."
"Don't you call me 'old.' I'm younger than you."
"It's not your age, it's your attitude, and yours stinks."
"Well, I never." The Widow Gault put a hand to her breast.
The other woman rolled her eyes and extended her hand toward Max. "You probably don't remember me, but I'm Lorraine King. My husband owned the Dairy Queen over on Kemp Street."
Recognition dawned quickly. "I do remember you, Mrs. King. Whenever I ordered a single cone, you'd give me a double."
"And you'd grin at me. My, oh my, you were such a handsome fella, and that grin of yours... my lands... you were a charmer even at twelve."
She was a breath of fresh air. One of the good guys, so to speak. Max smiled and brought her hand to his lips for a gallant kiss.
Lorraine King gasped, then theatrically fanned her face. "Oh, my. You are potent, aren't you?" She linked her arm through his and walked him toward Lane Four. "I understand you're not married. Darling, how do you feel about older women?"
"I think age on a woman can be downright interesting."
"Are you flirting with me, Max Cooper?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"Good! Keep it up."
"Lorraine, you stop that," the Widow Mallow scolded.
Lorraine tossed a smug look over her shoulder. "I may be one of Cedar Dell's Widows, but I'm not dead yet." She squeezed Max's arm. "They're jealous of me because Tom Harmon asked me to take the first shift looking after Jack once he's dismissed from the hospital. Martha, Melody, and I will be taking turns doing for poor Jack until Kate gets all her ducks in a row and moves home."
Max pulled up short.
Kate is moving home? To Cedar Dell?
The Widow Gault, her pinched mouth conveying her annoyance at losing control of the conversation, sidled up next to Max. "We'll need to help out for at least two weeks, maybe a little longer. I think that Harmon girl should come home right away, but, apparently, she's determined to stay in Dallas—that's where she lives—until school lets out for the summer. She's bringing her bastard with her."
Max couldn't let that one go. He wanted to tell the old biddy off, but he settled for a mildly chastising, "Mrs. Gault, I don't think name-calling is necessary. He's just a boy, after all."
She wrinkled her nose, but thankfully, didn't respond.
"Now," Max continued, "I'd better get these pictures done or they won't make the deadline. Ladies? Y'all want to start your game?" Max forced a smile on his face and joked with the women as he took the additional action shots the editor of the newspaper had requested. The entire time, his mind was otherwise occupied.
Kate Harmon was coming back to Cedar Dell.
Unless she'd changed dramatically in the past three years, Kate would not come alone. She'd bring Ryan with her.
Ryan. Max's son.
The young man who hated his guts.
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Geralyn Dawson is a
New York Times
and
USA Today
bestselling author of over twenty-five novels written in a variety of sub-genres including historical romance, contemporary romance, romantic suspense, and women's fiction. She is a three-time Finalist for Romance Writers of America's prestigious RITA award and a recipient of
Romantic Times
magazine's Career Achievement Award. Her novel THE WEDDING RANSOM was named one of Romance Writers of America's Top Ten Favorite Novels of the Year. The
Detroit Free Press
named her THE WEDDING RAFFLE as one of the best romances of the year.
Geralyn is currently writing romantic women's fiction for Ballantine Books under the pseudonym Emily March. The first three novels of Emily March's Eternity Springs series, ANGEL'S REST, HUMMINGBIRD LAKE, and HEARTACHE FALLS each earned coveted starred reviews from
Publisher's Weekly
magazine. The fourth book of the series, LOVER'S LEAP will be published December 27th, 2011 with NIGHTINGALE WAY to follow in Fall 2012.
Geralyn invites you to visit her website at
http://www.emilymarch.com
and register for her e-newsletter, which includes contests, news about her upcoming releases, and other fun stuff. You can follow her on Twitter at both @geralyndawson and @emilymarchbooks. Geralyn is also active on her Facebook page,
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Excerpt from THE LAST BACHELOR IN TEXAS by Gerlayn Dawson