and together, she and Matt went into the building where the festival was being held. As expected, Charley got his share of affectionate greetings. Sara was mobbed with people wanting to pet Champ, too.
What Sara didn’t expect was to run into Matt’s sister, Lulu. The dark-haired honeybee rancher was older than Matt by two years, and to twenty-eight-year old Matt’s continued aggravation, had been known to be both bossy and protective of all five of her brothers. As well as stubbornly resistant to their advice.
“Hey!” Lulu grinned as she came forward to give them all a hug. Hands on her hips, she stood back to look at Matt. “I knew you were donating funds to recruit new volunteers.”
Sara had told Lulu and his mom as much, in order to ease the pressure on Matt.
Lulu’s McCabe’s blue eyes sparkled. “But I didn’t know that she’d talked you into helping out with the puppy raising, too!”
Matt’s expression became impatient.
“He’s just helping me out with Charley while I socialize Champ,” Sara explained.
She realized, too late, she should have added that little tidbit to her email to both women. She hadn’t because she had figured it would mean more if they’d heard about that part of the bargain from Matt.
“Even more interesting,” Lulu murmured, waggling her brows.
Matt gave his sister a quelling look. “I don’t see how,” he retorted.
“Well, for months now you’ve refused to go out with anyone I’ve tried to fix you up with!”
Lulu had been trying to fix Matt up?
If so, then why didn’t she ask me? Sara wondered, a little jealously, given the fact they were both single, the same age and had known each other before. Then she immediately pushed the ridiculous notion away. She was a widow with a new baby who had also made it clear to everyone around her that she didn’t want a love life...
Exuding sisterly exasperation, Lulu continued, “Nor would you deign to ask anyone out on your own! And yet here you are...with Sara and her crew...on what certainly looks like a social outing...”
Once again, Sara lifted a staying palm and stepped in to clarify. “Only in the sense that the festival is a community event. And we are all members of the Laramie family.”
Lulu looked at Matt, wordlessly beseeching him to verify that was indeed the case.
Instead, to Sara’s consternation, the big jerk merely shrugged and kept a poker face. Mulishly refusing to comment either way.
Determined to set the record straight, Sara continued firmly, “If we want Champ to get used to all sorts of crowds and venues, we have to bring him to all sorts of gatherings. Some big, like this. Some medium-sized. Some small and intimate.”
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