wondered why Allison Lee had left Louisiana and moved into her grandmother’s old house. And where was her husband?
Curiously, he glanced at her left hand to check for a ring. There was none. She wasn’t wearing any jewelry that he could see, yet she appeared anything but plain. She was like a jewel herself—full of vibrant color and a touch of mystery.
Olivia came into the room and took a seat on the arm of the couch beside Sam. Allison smiled warmly at the woman who’d become her friend over the past month.
“Are you nearly ready for the wedding?” Allison asked her.
Olivia laughed softly. “Right now I think we have things in an organized sort of chaos.”
“Well, I’ll be glad to help anyway I can,” Allison assured her.
Olivia exchanged glances with Sam, then looked back at Allison. “Actually, there was something I wanted to ask you,” Olivia began carefully.
Allison looked at her expectantly. “Yes?”
“Sam and I talked it over and we’d love for you to be my bridesmaid.”
Allison couldn’t have been more shocked. “Oh, but surely Kathleen is—”
“Going to be my maid of honor. So please say you will. I know it’s a little late to ask but it would please Sam and me if you would agree.”
Allison was overwhelmed. These people wanted to include her in something that was obviously a family affair. She couldn’t quite believe it. “Oh,
Olivia, I—”
Embarrassed, especially because she knew Nick was listening, she broke off. But then she realized there was nothing she could say except the truth. “I’m so touched that you want me to be your bridesmaid, but to be honest I—don’t have a dress that would be—”
“Don’t worry about a dress,” Olivia quickly assured her. “What you wear isn’t important. Is it, darling?” she asked, glancing down at Sam.
He shook his head. “Olivia isn’t worried about a person’s clothes.”
Sensing how awkward she must be feeling, Nick felt compelled to lighten the mood. “That’s right, Allison, or she definitely wouldn’t be marrying Sam,” he told her. “He’s a true farmer. He wears long johns until April. I just hope the neck doesn’t show when he puts on his tie.”
“Sure, Nick,” Sam said while the rest of them laughed.
“I won’t take no for an answer,” Olivia said when the laughter died away. “Besides, Kathleen has all sorts of dresses you can wear if need be.”
Allison smiled and lifted her hands in a gesture of compliance. “Then I’d be honored to be your bridesmaid.”
“That’s wonderful!” Olivia exclaimed.
From across the room, S.T. broke into the conversation. “Sam, Benjamin wants to know where Jake and Leo are.”
Sam motioned for the boy to come to him. Benjamin approached the couch shyly, one finger stuck in the side of his mouth. Nick could see his resemblance to Allison and for the second time he wondered about the child’s father.
“The dogs are down at the barn, Ben. They’re asleep on the hay.”
“Why?”
“Because it’s cold and dark and they’re sleepy,” Sam explained.
“I’m not sleepy,” Benjamin said, in a way that implied the dogs shouldn’t be sleepy, either.
Amused, Sam got to his feet and held his hand out to the boy. “I know where there’s another dog. Come on, I’ll find him for you. Want to come with us, Olivia?”
Ben placed his hand in Sam’s and the three of them left the room. Nick quickly slid off the arm of the couch and took up his brother’s vacated seat.
Allison took a sip of her wine and crossed her legs. She wished Ella would call them in to supper. She felt like a bird cornered by a persistent tomcat.
“Benjamin is a fine looking boy. How old is he?”
“Three.”
“He seems fond of Dad.”
“S.T. entertains him.”
Nick leaned back and crossed his ankles. He wanted to appear casual and uninterested, but found it impossible to keep his eyes off her. The green dress she was wearing was made of something soft and clingy. The neck was high, but the bodice was fitted, outlining her rounded breasts. She had a lush figure, full at the breasts and hips, narrow and trim at the waist. She was the kind of woman who could turn a man’s mind to a pile of mush in a matter of minutes. In fact, his was getting pretty mushy, he realized with a start.
Allison could feel Nick’s eyes making a slow appraisal of her. A part of her resented it, but a foolish part of her was flattered that he might find her attractive.
After a few moments of silence passed, Nick asked, “Do you always talk this much?”
She looked at him, her green eyes slightly veiled by thick brown lashes. “I’m afraid I’m not that much of a talker. Especially after a day like today.”
His brows lifted with curiosity. “And what was your day like?”
She knew he was merely making friendly conversation, so why did she feel so cornered by each question he put to her? “It was very busy. I work as a bank teller, you see, and today was my turn at one of the drive-in windows.”
“Hmm. I suppose at this time of year it’s even worse,” he mused, then smiled. “Are you ready for Christmas? I’ll bet you’re one of those people who has her shopping done weeks ahead of time.”
She glanced away from him as his words reminded her just how meager her shopping would be this Christmas. “No... I’m one of those last minute shoppers,” she said, while twisting the stem of her glass between her fingers.
Damn Nick, why did you have to mention shopping? he asked himself. She’d already admitted she couldn’t afford to buy herself a dress. No doubt she could afford little more than necessities.
“I was sorry to hear your grandmother is in a nursing home,” he said, deciding to quickly change the subject. “I can’t imagine her not living in the old farmhouse anymore. When I was a small boy I went to see her every day.”
“I know. She speaks of you from time to time.”
Nick was surprised. “Does she really? I would have thought she’d forgotten me by now.”
A faint smile touched Allison’s lips. “She said you were a pesky little thing, but when you grew up and stopped coming to see her, she missed you.”
Nick wondered why he suddenly felt a pang of guilt because he’d stopped visiting the old woman. “I’d like to see her while I’m here,” he said suddenly. “Is she
