Ever After (34 page)

“I like her very much,” Cale said to her husband over the phone. Hallie was in a dressing room trying on an outfit to wear to the wedding. “She talks about Jamie
all
the time.”

“That's understandable since they've been more or less living together for some time now,” Kane said.

“Jamie lived with Alicia for two
years
, but I never heard her say that Jamie liked anise seed cookies, or that he wanted a house with a porch. And the sight of a chicken that wasn't butchered and on a plate would have sent her running.”

Kane rolled his eyes. “Okay, I got it. Everyone in the family knows you hated Alicia. She's gone, so there's no more worry about her marrying Jamie. Cale, my dearest wife, can't we leave it up to our son to choose who he wants to live with?”

“Men are idiots about women. Remember how you—?”

“Not again!” Kane said. “That was nearly thirty years ago.”

Cale took a breath. “Yeah, I know and I've forgiven you, but I still worry. Todd's being even quieter than usual and that worries me too.”

“I think you should step back and let the kids figure out their own lives.”

“I guess you're right. Do me a favor, will you? Ask Kris if she brought that lace Dolce dress she wore last Christmas. If she doesn't have it with her, get someone to overnight it. I think it would look great on Hallie and she can wear it to Jilly's wedding.”

“You aren't buying Hallie a lot of things, are you?”

“No, I'm not. I didn't even pay for her lunch, but then I think if I'd offered to, Hallie would have refused. She has a very independent spirit.”

“Interesting,” Kane said. “She has an independent spirit and a lying, cheating, thieving sister. Sound like anybody else we know?”

Cale grimaced. “Be glad I'm already married to you because if the offer came up again, I'd probably say no.”

“That's not what you said last night.”

“Sex yes, conversation no.”

“Sounds good to me,” Kane said.

“Yeah, well—I have to go. Hallie's coming. And keep the yes to sex in your mind.”

“Always do,” Kane said as he hung up.

Hallie truly enjoyed shopping with Jamie's mother, and it was a brand-new experience for her. Before her grandparents left, Hallie had been too young to care a lot about clothes. Anything that was pink and sparkly suited her.

After they left, clothes shopping had been left up to Ruby. That had consisted of Ruby saying “Maybe we can find something in the husky department that will fit you.” Back then, Hallie had been normal-sized, but compared to the very thin Shelly, she was almost big.

Being with Cale and hearing her opinions about what looked good on Hallie and what didn't was wonderful. They were in their third shop when two beautiful young women walked past the store.

“It's Paige and Lainey,” Cale said. “Mind if we ask them to join us?”

“I, uh…” Hallie hesitated. The girls were tall and thin and almost as beautiful as Shelly. She didn't want to try on clothes around
them
!

Cale seemed to understand Hallie's hesitancy. “They're nice girls. Trust me,” she said over her shoulder as she went out the front door and returned with the two young women.

When they were inside and she got a closer look at them, Hallie couldn't help gaping at them. “You're Adam and Ian.”

The girls laughed. “Exactly right. Adam is my brother,” Lainey said, “and Ian is Paige's brother.”

Hallie was looking at them in curiosity. “If you two look so much like your brothers, does Raine have a sister who looks like him?”

The three women nearly exploded in laughter. “Raine has a younger brother and that's all. No sisters.”

“I think that may be good,” Hallie said, and there was more laughter.

She'd thought that shopping with Cale was fun, but it didn't compare to being with the young women. It was another new experience for Hallie. After Ruby and Shelly had arrived in her life, there had been little money. Her grandfather's income from the home bookkeeping service he ran was gone, and with the garden flattened, their food bills—mostly takeout—skyrocketed. Add that to Shelly's endless lessons and the clothes she needed for auditions, and there wasn't a lot left over.

Now, for the first time in her life, Hallie could afford new clothes. But what was most fun was the giddy laughter of the
women. Cale stepped back and watched as the girls moved through the stores, looking at everything.

“Hallie,” Lainey said, “this would look great on you. Try it on.” It was a pretty cotton dress with a tight, low-cut bodice.

“I've never worn anything like that. The top isn't exactly modest.”

“That's the point,” Lainey said.

Paige agreed. “If I had your rack, I'd wear sundresses in the snow. And I'd bend over a lot.”

Hallie still hesitated.

“Jamie would like it,” Cale said, then smiled when Hallie snatched the dress from Lainey's hand.

“That's right,” Paige said. “Alicia used to wear—” She stopped at the looks Lainey and Cale gave her. “Jamie will love it.”

Hallie was behind the curtained dressing room. “Who's Alicia?”

“Old girlfriend,” Lainey said. “Long, long time ago. So what do you think of my brother Adam?”

“Intense,” Hallie said as she stepped out in the peach-colored sundress with the little knit jacket. It was indeed quite low cut, but it looked very good.

“Isn't he?” Lainey said. “I'm always telling him to lighten up. You
must
buy that. It was created for you.”

“Cory said Adam was dancing around your house,” Paige said. “That doesn't sound like him.”

“Everybody was celebrating the royal wedding,” Hallie said.

Paige paused while holding up a very cute leather jacket. “Even Jamie?”

“No dancing for him,” Hallie said, “but I think after I left he stayed to watch the reception on TV.” She was going through the racks and looked up to see the two young women staring at her.

“With all those people around?” Lainey asked. “I know they're family but still…”

“Tell them what you did,” Cale urged. “Cory called it the Pan Parade.”

“I didn't hear about that!” Lainey said, sounding shocked.

“I was scared to death,” Hallie said, then told the story from the beginning.

“What did you do when you realized it was the sight of Jamie that had made everyone stop?”

They kept shopping as Hallie talked. She didn't leave out how frightened she'd been or how it all could have backfired. And she told them what Raine said afterward.

When they were on the street, Lainey and Paige walked in front, with Cale and Hallie behind. “You seem to like Raine a lot,” Cale said.

“I do. He's been kind to me and he's a very perceptive man.” Hallie saw that Cale was frowning. “But he's not Jamie,” she added.

Immediately, Cale's frown disappeared and she slipped her arm through Hallie's. “Want to come to Kingsley House tonight for dinner?”

“Thank you for the invitation, but I need to work on Jamie's leg.” She wasn't sure if she should say that she was looking forward to a quiet evening at home. While the day had been exciting, now she wanted to tell Jamie about everything that had happened and…well, to just be alone with him.

“I understand,” Cale said. “I have just one more errand. I have to buy my eldest sons some clothes. They both packed too little. Too bad you don't have time to help me choose some things. I could buy for Todd and maybe you could pick out some clothes for Jamie.”

“Oh!” Hallie said, her eyes wide. “I think I could manage that. Jamie has practically nothing here, mostly just workout clothes. He needs some nice, casual shirts and a few buttoned
cottons. Blue is his color. Not navy but a brighter blue. And he could stand a couple of cardigans to wear in the evenings. I saw some heavy white cotton ones he might like. Plain but good quality, that's what he'd like. And he needs socks. Maybe we could get—”

Cale turned away to hide her grin. Oh, yes, mothers loved people who loved their children.

Jamie was stretched out on the couch in the tea room, his arm across his face, his head on the pillow that had been made from the bird embroidery. It had taken a while, but he'd finally rid the house of relatives and he was enjoying the quiet. Now if Hallie would just return from wherever she was, everything would be perfect. Raine said he'd sent her off to do some shopping and give her some time away from taking care of all of them.

At that thought, Jamie smiled. Hallie
did
take care of people. Whether it was working on a Montgomery's tennis elbow or digging into Raine's lats, Hallie was always helping someone.

This morning had been horrible for him. After Todd left Plymouth's house, Jamie had been torn between wanting to put himself between Hallie and his male cousins, and staying where he was. Hallie had won out.

When Jamie got to her house, things were worse than he'd expected. All of them were dancing. His slick Montgomery cousins were waltzing Hallie around like they were at some formal ball.

If that weren't bad enough, the noise nearly killed him. They'd installed the kind of speakers used in rock concerts, so bells were ringing, people shouting, music blaring. Jamie's mind began to go round and round. Todd saw him from across the room and was about to run to his brother's aid.

But then Ian saw Jamie in the doorway and instantly muted the TV. Everyone knew what that meant: Fun-killer Jamie had arrived.

He pivoted on his crutches to get the hell out of there, but first he wanted a look at Hallie. He wanted to tell her that he was there and if she needed him…But who was he kidding? She was dancing and having a great time. She didn't need to be reminded of her burdensome wounded soldier.

He was turning to leave when she told him he couldn't go. But a glance at his cousins and he knew he
had
to leave. How could they have a good time if Jamie was there?