Protector - Laurel Dewey [137]
“Is that a big deal?”
“A big deal?” Heather said with a dramatic gesture. “Oh my god! Where are you from? Yes, it’s a big hairy deal!”
“Is there a contest?” Emily asked.
“What do you think, Einstein?” Heather repeated in a mocking tone, taking her place at the head of the line. “Come on,” she said to the other girls, “let’s do it again.”
“Can I practice with you?” Emily blurted out.
Heather took a step toward Emily. “Do you know how to line dance?”
“No. But I’m a real fast learner.”
Heather spun around and stood back at the head of the line. “Sorry! Only advanced girls are allowed in my group. Besides, you don’t have any cowboy boots. Everybody knows you have to have cowboy boots to be a good line dancer!”
“Oh . . .” Emily said, dejected.
The girls continued to practice their steps. Emily turned and walked toward the house, peering through the panes of glass in search of Jane. A hand draped across Emily’s shoulder, causing her to jump slightly.
“I didn’t mean to startle you!” Kathy said. “You meet Heather’s little friends?”
“Yes,” Emily replied. “They’re practicing for the dance contest.”
“Well, that’s what it takes to win! Go join them!”
“That’s okay. I’ve never line danced before and I don’t have cowboy boots.”
Kathy turned her lips into an exaggerated frown. “Oh, you poor little thing!” Kathy quickly perked up. “Hey! I could sure use your help bringing in some canning jars! What do ya say?”
“Sure!”
Emily trailed Kathy around the corner of the house, away from the gathering women, and followed her into an airy, windowed greenhouse that had been masterfully refurbished into a weatherproof workshop.
“Okay, now,” Kathy said, plucking her front teeth with her first finger, “where did I put those jars?”
Emily looked over at a small wooden table. A detailed, three dimensional landscape model filled the table, complete with miniature trees, shrubs, cars and houses. Amazed by the detail, Emily leaned closer to the landscape to get a better look. “Did you make this?”
Kathy let out a soft chuckle. “Oh, heavens no! That’s one of Kent’s little projects.” Kathy crossed to the table and knelt down so she was on eye level with Emily. “They don’t call him the real estate wizard of Peachville for nothing. He says it’s important for clients to see things visually. This is a model for a luxury home site just over the ridge. He made all those little trees, cars and houses by hand. And he says I’m the crafty one!”
Emily was totally enthralled. “The trees look real. Like they have leaves and everything—” With that, Emily brushed her finger ever so gently over one of the trees and it toppled over. “I’m sorry!” Emily expressed, genuinely upset.
“We can fix that!” Kathy said, trying to prop up the tree.
“Here, let me do it.” Emily did her best to fix the blunder as she poured a drop of glue from a nearby bottle and affixed the tree back onto the board. “I’m real sorry. You can tell your husband I messed it up.”
Kathy closely watched Emily’s reaction. “I won’t tell him a thing,” she said, her voice suddenly void of all perkiness and the smile gone. “You can trust me, Patty. It’ll be our little secret.”
Emily looked at Kathy. “Thanks. That’s nice of you.” Emily softly tapped her finger on the tree. “There! Good as new!”
Kathy smiled at Emily, her blue eyes twinkling. “He’ll never know.”
Emily glanced over to Kathy and returned the smile. “You’ve got the prettiest blue eyes I’ve ever seen.”
“Well, my goodness!” Kathy said, taken aback, “Aren’t you sweet!”
“I mean it. I’ve never seen anybody with eyes that blue except in Disney movies.”
“Well, you have made my day!” Kathy said sincerely. Emily pulled her hair behind her ear. Kathy was silent for a few seconds before carefully changing the subject. “How does your head feel?”
“Fine. Mom says it’s healing really good.”
“Did it hurt when Dr. Armstrong took out those stitches?”
“Oh, ah,” Emily hesitated, caught off guard. “I didn’t need to go to see him.”
“What do you mean? You had to have your stitches out—”
“Yeah, well, we couldn’t go.