love you very much, Carson.â
âYeah, and everyone says Dad loved her. But I donât think thatâs the reason he doesnât want to get married again. He told me once that if you lose someone, it doesnât mean you wonât fall in love with someone else someday.â
This was dangerous territory, she thought. Time to change the subject.
âCarson, maybe it would be better if we talked about something else.â
He ignored that, intent on making his point. âI think Dad just hasnât found a lady he really, really likes, you know?â
âQuite possible.â She went behind the counter and pulled out a sheet of paper. âNow, then, Iâm trying to decide how to hang the childrenâs pictures. Iâve made a little map of the gallery. Want to help me choose a good spot for Winston?â
âOkay.â He scrambled up onto the stool. âWhat about you, Miss Brightwell?â
That gave her pause. âMe?â
âHave you ever found a man you really, really like and want to marry?â
âNot yet.â She picked up a pencil.
âThink you will someday?â
âMaybe. I hope so. Iâd love to have a son like you someday.â
âYeah?â Carson looked pleased. âYou could have a kid of your own if you get married.â
âYes.â Way past time to change the subject. She pulled the gallery floor plan closer so that they could both view it. âNow, then, the first thing we have to keep in mind is that the pictures all have to be hung at the right height so that people your age can see them properly.â
He studied the floor plan. âNot too high.â
âRight.â She sketched some pictures on a display panel. âI was thinking of grouping them according to the age of the artists, but Iâm wondering if it might be better to arrange them by subject, instead.â
âYou mean like put all the animal pictures together?â
âExactly.â She made some more notations on the piece of paper. âIn addition to your picture of Winston, I received a lot of pictures of horses and one or two cow portraits.â
âYou didnât get any other dogs besides Winston, did you?â he asked quickly.
âNot yet.â
âGood. That means mine will be the best.â
âI sense a certain streak of competitiveness here.â
âHuh?â
âEveryone knows that Hartes are very goal-oriented. They like to win.â
âGreat-Granddad says winning is a lot better than losing.â
âIâm not surprised to hear that. I suspect itâs a family motto. And thereâs certainly some truth to it. But that viewpoint overlooks the fact that not all situations have to be viewed in terms of win-lose.â
âHuh?â
She smiled. âNever mind. I was just thinking out loud. The point is, the Childrenâs Art Show is not a competition. There wonât be any prize for the best picture.â
âOh.â He shrugged and let it go. âMind if I ask you a question?â
âWhat is it?â
Carson looked up from the floor plan. âDo you like my dad, Miss Brightwell?â
She was amazed when she did not miss a beat in her response. âYes, I do.â
âA lot?â
âI like him enough to go out with him,â she said cautiously.
âHe likes you, too. A lot. Thatâs why he called you so many times. He didnât mean to make you mad or anything.â
âCarson, I really donât thinkââ
âHe never, ever asked a lady to go out so many times after she turned him down once or twice.â
She wrinkled her nose, amused in spite of herself. âI suspect that I may have unwittingly aroused those Harte competitive instincts we were just talking about.â Aroused might not have been quite the right word under the circumstances, she thought. âMake that triggered.
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