Talk of the Town by Suzanne Macpherson Read Free Book Online Page B

worked here she’d learned enough about the Palmers to fill a spiral notebook. Paradise was alive with the sound of gossip.
    Kelly walked past rows of children’s fall jumpers and rompers. Palmer’s was a family business. Will Palmer, the youngest son, ran the advertising and promotion for the store. His holiday displays were a big attraction. Even people from nearby towns would take a special trip by to see the windows.
    He was about thirty-one, and his wife Ginny worked in the store. She was the same age as Kelly, fun, even though they were as different as dog breeds. Ginny had two kids and wore calico skirts.
    The oldest Palmer son, Robert, acted as assistant manager. He had an obvious, but gentlemanly, interest in Kelly.
    Kelly stashed her handbag and jacket in the back room and checked her reflection in the mirror. She got out her red lipstick to do a little repair, setting the scones on the shelf.
    She, on the other hand, had no interest in Robert, who was a total dork and around forty, and…bird-watched.
    She had no interest in any man, for that matter. She wanted to spend some time getting to know herself, getting her life in order, and starting over.
    Myrtle kept hinting about Sam and her fate and all that. She just didn’t feel it. Dottie Williamson and Myrtle had been spending much of their spare time plotting, which seemed contrary to the cosmic design Myrtle claimed it was all supposed to fall under.
    At the same time, the store had seen an amazing increase in bachelor business in the last three days, according to Ginny, with several grease monkey types coming in wearing their best Western snap shirts, accidentally finding themselves in women’s lingerie and practically running out of the store.
    Kelly was suspicious that someone was sending a stream of men her way. Probably Mrs. Palmer. Or Myrtle, or even Dottie. Everyone in town had a hand firmly on the rudder of the good ship Destiny , didn’t they?
    Myrtle had been right about one thing, though. Sam Grayson was a notch above the crowd, for sure. There was something about a man so good-looking he left you completely speechless.
    She puckered up her lips in the mirror to even out the lipstick. A few calm nights and clean airhad done a great deal for her complexion…and her disposition. Normally she might actually be pissed about all this meddling in her life. Somehow now it felt wonderful. Seriously wonderful.
    She popped a piece of Chiclets gum in her mouth for her chew-with-the-rhythm-of-the-mark-downs ritual. Wow, could you even buy this gum in the real world anymore?
    Once again she decided Paradise was a time-warp town—stuck in 1955. She took one extra piece on that thought and headed out. Seven rounder racks waited for her 20% off stickers. Preholiday sale.
    Kelly settled into the routine of straightening stock, folding T-shirts, and re-sorting the round racks for mark down. It was a quiet morning.
    Then he walked in. Kelly stopped dead in her tracks. Was he here to follow up on her incredibly stupid hello? My, he was actually tall, dark, and handsome…how cliché—she smiled to herself—but true. Yes, that slate gray suit was filled out with a very amazing body, too. She could see muscles outlined under the fine wool jacket.
    Kelly knew her suits, too, and his wasn’t from Palmer’s men’s department. Armani, most likely.
    Well, to hell with that, she thought, and stuck a sizer on the rack. Size twelve.
    Money ain’t everything; it buys lots of trouble if you let it. Take rich Raymond, for instance. Take that pesky bag-o’-money under her bed.
    But that suit sure did hang well off of Mr. T. D. & H. She started up her sorting again, ignoring him. Maybe he was shopping.
    He smiled directly at her. She smiled back. He continued walking closer to her. His eyes were like a dark blue night sky. Her breath caught, and the gum went with it. She swallowed her gum. Badly. It stuck somewhere in her throat.
    Through tears of distress she saw Sam’s