“Deadbang sure.”
“He’s a damn good catch.
“Then let someone else go fishing.”
“cut.”
Ellen gave her a cheeky grin. “Thought so myself.”
“Of course, I’ve been told he’s sworn off women, that he’s only interested in raising his son.”
“Kudos to him.”
“Heavens, sis, you’re a hard nut to crack. Aren’t you the least bit interested in how he got all his money?”
“No, but I’m sure you’re going to tell me anyway.”
“Right.”
“Then get it over with,” Ellen said in a bored tone.
“He owns a huge farm equipment store, plus thousands of acres of prime ranch land.”
“So he’s a real East Texas cowboy.”
“And what’s wrong with that?”
“Down girl. Nothing’s wrong with that He’s just not my type, even if I were interested in a man, which I’m not.”
“I hope that creep you were married to hasn’t turned you off men for good.”
“Maybe not for good, but certainly for now.”
“You’re too young to have that attitude.”
“That’s easy for you to say, Meggy. You didn’t live with Samuel.”
Meg’s face sobered along with Ellen’s. “I know it was bad, but—”
“Let’s just say that it was far worse than even you knew.”
Meg’s face turned pale. “He...he didn’t physically abuse you, did he?”
“No, but—” Ellen broke off. “Look, Samuel’s history, and I’d rather not dredge up the past.” She forced a lame smile. “Especially when I smell like stale pee.”
Meg giggled, then cocked her head to one side. “I can understand that, although Kyle only showered me one time that I can remember.” She paused. “Seriously, you wouldn’t consider going out with Porter if he were to ask you?”
“Read my lips. No, Megan!”
Meg backed up and held up her hands. “Okay, okay. I get the picture.”
“I’m not sure you do. I don’t care how much money the man has, or how much land. He’s not my type. Besides, I have my shop, and that’s enough for me. I need to heal emotionally. Only time will tell if I can handle another relationship.”
“You’re right Sorry, I got out of line. But you can’t blame me for trying. I really like Porter, and I really like you, so—” Meg broke off with a grin.
“So it ain’t gonna happen. Babies and cowboys are not my thing and never will be.”
And with that Ellen flashed her sister a saccharine sweet smile and walked out the door.
Three
Ellen couldn’t control the smile that spread across her face, even though she still smelled like a dirty diaper. Instead of going home as planned, she’d gone to the shop.
Every time she walked inside her domain, a giddy feeling washed through her. This Sunday afternoon proved no exception.
She didn’t know why she had changed her mind and come here. Maybe it was because she had wanted to prove something to herself. Even though she didn’t have the two things in her life that most women had or coveted: a husband and a child, she was nevertheless a fulfilled woman.
Envy of others’ situations was utter nonsense, she knew. Yet she couldn’t seem to toss such feelings aside as easily as she once had, especially after today and her experience in the church nursery.
However, this morning had changed nothing, except to reenforce the fact that she had made the right decision in divorcing Samuel. Conceiving a child under those circumstances would have been a disaster.
Ellen perused the coffee shop, which was at the end of a building housing several antique shops, each unique in what it sold. Coffee, Anyone? carried that uniqueness a step further in that it had a small private courtyard attached, giving her customers the feeling of drinking and dining in an atmosphere rivaling that of an open-air French café.
She had made the most of that unusual outdoor setting by decorating it to the hilt with small tables and flowering potted plants. A wonderful fountain in the middle provided an extra touch.
The inside was no slouch, either. The shelves featured a wide range of prepackaged gourmet foods, gift items from stationery to small wedding presents, and custom gift baskets.
Of course, the drawing card was the coffee. Virtually every popular gourmet brand, with frozen cappuccino the most sought after, was served. In addition, finger sandwiches, salads and delectable desserts were on the menu.
In just six months, this second Coffee, Anyone? was as successful as the larger one she’d left behind in Tyler. A friend, who was also a savvy businesswoman, was the manager there now.
But her success in Nacogdoches hadn’t been without its price. Ellen was bone-weary from working day and night to get to this stage. There had been bumps along the way, bumps that still hadn’t been smoothed out. The equipment was one of her biggest concerns. She’d had trouble with some of the machines since day one, mainly because they were used models. Soon she hoped to replace them with new ones.
She’d been fortunate with her help, which was a big hurdle to overcome. In the beginning, Meg had pitched in and helped sort through boxes. Before opening, she’d hired a college girl who so far had been good and dependable. But for the most part, the business was her baby, and she loved every minute of nurturing it.
Thinking of it as “her baby” changed Ellen’s expression from a smile to a forlorn one, her mind suddenly switching to the love she’d seen mirrored in Porter’s eyes when he’d taken his son from her arms.
More than likely she would never experience that kind of love. Still, she told herself, that was out of choice, not necessity.
“So stop the pity party,” she muttered aloud. Besides, pity parties weren’t much fun alone.
Deciding she needed a cup of iced coffee to buck up her spirits and combat the climbing June heat, Ellen made an iced cappuccino in a paper cup so she could take it home with her.
Thirty minutes later, she was in her rented patio home, out of the shower and still sipping the iced coffee. While her mind remained a bit unsettled, at least she no longer smelled.
The memory of the incident in the nursery suddenly brought on a smile, a smile that soon faded into sadness as a bout of intense loneliness struck her.
Before
