Peaches in Winter by Alice M. Roelke Page B

breathlessly.
    “Then call me ‘Jake.’ Okay?” He said it so simply and kindly; she could only nod.
    “Come on.” He slipped his arm through hers. “Let’s go find you a dress!”
     
     
     
    ~*~
     
     
     
     
    “How about this one?” Betty murmured to herself as she twirled in front of the mirror in the changing room and made a face at herself in the mirror. She couldn’t seem to stop smiling at her reflection in a silly grin. She wore a cute little black dress that made her look better than she’d have thought possible, accentuating her womanly curves without making her look as though she was trying to show them off.
    For the last five minutes, she had been trying to work up her nerve to leave the room and ask Jake his opinion. She thought he might like it but didn’t really know. Mostly, she felt self-conscious and a little shy for him to see her looking so—good.
    But if he’s paying for the dress, I ought to show it to him first! After all, she reasoned, he would know whether it was the right sort of dress for one of Mr. Armstrong’s parties or not.
    She loved it. It made her look so grown-up. She didn’t look like a kid playing dress up. And best of all, she didn’t look clumsy! Why, anyone wearing a dress like this would never bump into things! Although, that would make it all the more embarrassing if she did…
    She emerged from the dressing room slowly, slipping back into her black work shoes.
    “How do I look?” she murmured, feeling a bit warm in the face.
    Jake jumped up from the bench where he’d been seated. From the admiring look on his face, Betty knew she had made a good choice. Trying to control her blush, she twirled slowly around, so he could view the full effect.
    “Wow!” said Jake. He cleared his throat. “That looks…really nice. It makes you look older and more mature, and…well….” he cleared his throat, “very nice.”
    Betty grinned from ear to ear. She ducked her head a little. “It’s not cheap.”
    “That doesn’t matter. You’ll look great for Matt’s party…really respectable.”
    She ducked her head again. “Th-thanks,” she said and retreated quickly. She got into the privacy of the changing room and leaned with one hand against the mirror, one pressed against her mouth. She did look pretty in the dress. Jake said so.
    The only thing was, she didn’t care whether she looked nice for Matt or any other man in the world. She only wanted to look gorgeous for Jake.
    What am I feeling? It had been building for the last several weeks, and now it boiled over like a pan of caramel left on the heat too long. Betty could no longer deny that Jake had become the most handsome, the most beautiful man in the world to her. And she barely knew him!
    He was her employer. Or was it employee? She could never remember which was which. Betty blinked at herself in the mirror and then shook her head. It didn’t matter; he’d hired her.
    Well, technically, Mr. Armstrong had hired her, but she worked for Jake.
    And he was older. And dour of disposition. And he probably didn’t feel anything for her at all! Sometimes he seemed to think she was rather silly and juvenile. It made her look mature, this dress. He’d said so. Perhaps that meant she usually looked the opposite—immature. Childish.
    What was I thinking?
    As she changed slowly, Betty felt sad inside, sad and frightened by her strong feelings for Jake.
    Her Jake.
    No! He’s not mine!
    Had she escaped the country to recover from her broken heart over Jimmy only to fall into a worse heartbreak?
     
     
     
    ~*~
     
     
     
     
    Outside the dressing room, Jake paced.
    That. Gorgeous. Dress. Or rather, that gorgeous Betty-in-a-dress.
    It made him feel warm inside all over again when he thought of how good she’d looked in it.
    He felt jealous over her, too; he hadn’t wanted any other man in the whole world to see her looking that good. He’d wanted to hide her in her silly little girl dresses until she was his