Operation: Married by Christmas by Debra Clopton

career. Or to get taken seriously,” she added, deciding to be totally honest.
    Lacy chuckled, pointing the hot-pink comb she held. “The way I’ve always looked at it is if I couldn’t be myself, then I wasn’t being honest.”
    Sheri hooted from the corner. “She has to say that or she’d get herself in trouble. Lacy couldn’t be any different even if she tried.”
    â€œAnd we wouldn’t want her to be,” Adela said in her soft voice. Always the mediator, calm, cool and collected.
    â€œAnd I agree,” Sheri said, bending over Adela’s nails as she added a blush-pink to them. “I was just letting Haley in on what we all know, but she hasn’t had a chance to realize.”
    Haley managed a smile. “Well, I’ve been reading Molly’s newspaper column.”
    â€œOh,” Norma Sue said, meeting Haley’s gaze in the reflection of the mirror, since her back was to Haley. “So you’ve been reading all about us. Is that why you dropped that fella and came home? You realized since we have things going on around here that you might actually want to settle down here at last.”
    Haley had to give them credit for laying things out in the open. “I said I was reading the articles. But I didn’t marry Lincoln because it wasn’t right, and I realized it just in the nick of time. He knew it, too—”
    â€œSo, how are the set designs going?” Lacy asked, abruptly changing the subject.
    â€œUm, good. I’m actually on my way out to Will’s this morning to start. We had our first meeting yesterday.”
    â€œOh, really,” Esther Mae cooed, fanning herself with a magazine from the open doorway. “Did y’ all make any progress?”
    Haley got the feeling the question didn’t exactly pertain to the props. She ignored the insinuation. “A little. We’ll do better today.” She hoped.
    Esther Mae grinned at Norma Sue then at Haley. “That’s what we’re hoping for.”
    Haley bit her lip. If they wanted to have these unfortunate ideas, she couldn’t do anything to dissuade them, but she had no illusions. “Well, I need to go. I was just swinging by the diner to tell Applegate good morning. I swear that man rises before the chickens. Y’ all must, too, since you already set all those rods in Esther Mae’s hair.”
    â€œWell, you know what they say, the early bird gets the perm,” Esther Mae said, grinning. “And we’ve got a lot of costume sewing to do.”
    Haley made a face. “Glad that’s y’ all and not me.”
    Norma Sue chuckled. “We are, too. We remember how bad you were at that. Birdie tried, though.”
    Haley laughed. “Yes, she did. But it just didn’t take.”
    â€œIt sure was entertaining, though,” Esther Mae said.
    Haley paused at the door, said her goodbyes and left the salon. She realized as she walked down the sidewalk that she’d enjoyed the visit.
    She was enjoying the majority of her stay in Mule Hollow. For a place she’d been glad to leave behind, she was beginning to think the tiny community might have possibilities she’d missed. Yet there was all that small-town meddling…. Caring would be more a way the ladies would look at the hopes they seemed to harbor for her and Will.
    Though their caring was touching, it was also worrisome. Still, she couldn’t help thinking that Mule Hollow’s charm was beginning to draw her in like a magnet.
    Â 
    Down at the diner, Applegate, Stanley and Sam were deep in conversation as they peered through the front window watching Haley leave Heavenly Inspirations.
    â€œShe looks happy ta me, App,” Stanley said, popping a couple of sunflower seeds into his mouth.
    â€œYup,” Sam agreed. “Looky how content her face is right now. I think you might be right about this, Applegate. This ‘Operation: Married by