Gilt by Association by Karen Rose Smith Read Free Book Online

to cancel it. If I’m not feeling well, I don’t have to be there for it. I can visit with a friend for the afternoon. I’m not going to let a little stomach episode throw off our schedule or Caprice’s.”
    Often, when someone thought they had the stomach flu or a virus, it was really food poisoning. Maybe Louise had eaten some bad fish or something. The cause really didn’t matter as long as Louise was okay.
    Jamie motioned to Chet’s flowers. “The bouquet you gave Louise is beautiful, even if it did come from Posies rather than Garden Glory.”
    Posies and Garden Glory weren’t exactly rival businesses. Posies’ main product was a bouquet like Chet had bought. They were known for their unique flower arrangements and their gift baskets. Garden Glory, on the other hand, was a nursery that specialized in landscaping plants, yet they also arranged planters for gifts and decorated them with flowers.
    â€œWhen Jamie called the house this morning to arrange the delivery of the plants for the open house,” Chet explained, “I told her Louise was in the hospital and that I’d already put my order in to Posies.”
    â€œI’m just teasing,” Jamie said amiably. She picked up her tote bag purse. “I’d better be going now. I don’t want to be late for my shift.”
    After there were good-byes all around and Jamie left, Caprice sat by Louise’s bed and patted her hand. “My mom’s worried about you.”
    â€œSo you came to check up on me by proxy?” Louise asked.
    Caprice chuckled. “Something like that. I’m supposed to text her or call and give her a full report. She’ll be here as soon as she can get away from school.”
    â€œYour mother has been a good friend. Even with her life as busy as it always has been, she’s made time for me.”
    â€œYou make time for her, too.”
    â€œOh, my dear, it’s not the same. I’ve never had children and a job to juggle. Yes, I have commitments, charity work, the Garden Club, friends I play bridge with. But that’s not at all the same as teaching teenagers English like your mom does, and taking care of all of you at the same time.”
    Caprice thought about Bella, how tired she looked, how sleep-deprived she was. She considered her own mother being a young mom, a wife, and a teacher, and handling all of it. Maybe kids never gave their parents enough credit. Maybe she could find a present down in the gift shop for her mom for Valentine’s Day, just to show her appreciation. Sometimes a card just wasn’t quite enough. She was sure her dad would send her mom flowers. Nikki might cook her something special.
    Bella? Well, her mom would understand if Bella kind of skipped over Valentine’s Day this year. And then there was Vince. Maybe Caprice should give him a call anyway to find out what was going on with him and Roz. Maybe she should call Roz. She’d probably get a lot more information that way. Of course, then she couldn’t nudge her brother to do something nice for their mom.
    Louise studied Caprice. “Is something wrong, dear? We are ready for Saturday, aren’t we?”
    â€œI’ll certainly be ready if you want to go through with the open house.”
    â€œChet’s already looking at other properties. He was showing me pictures this morning. There’s a house out on Lake Road that looks especially nice. The only problem is there are no housekeeper quarters, and we’d have to decide what to do about Rachel. I’m not sure she wants to move back home with her parents.”
    Chet approached Louise on the other side of the bed and patted her arm. “Maybe we shouldn’t take Rachel with us. But I’ll keep looking. Now that the housing market’s picking up, more homes are for sale. Actually, we might even be able to find a bargain or a place that’s gone into foreclosure. It could take a