grinning. âI want to be proud of my wife! Youâre beautiful, Ginger. I want everyone to know it.â
âIs this part of being your wife so people will believe us?â
âExactly.â Joe knew that tactic would work. He changed the subject. âHow was work today? Were you crowded?â
âNo, not at all. Uh, do you know who Johnny Mercado is?â
He frowned. âYeah, why?â
âI just wondered. The other waitresses say heâs like my stepfather, but he seems very nice.â
âIâm not sure what the truth is, honey, but letâs not hang around him. Weâve got enough to deal with.â
âOkay,â she said agreeably.
When they got to his motherâs house, Amy was already there. Sheâd made her husband take half a day off and come baby-sit the kids, which she thought was a good idea.
Joe pulled her aside. âAmy, Iâve already told Mom, but I want Ginger dressed from the skin out.Sheâll protest buying anything. Try to hide the price tags and tell her itâs expected for my wife to dress nicely. People will think Iâm a failure if she isnât dressed well.â
âJoe, surely I wonât have to go that far,â Amy said with a laugh.
âYeah, you will. Especially for the underwear, because sheâll point out it canât be seen. Sheâs had a rough life. I want to make her happy. But weâll have to force her.â
Several hours later, Amy understood what Joe had meant. Only following Joeâs advice enabled her to convince Ginger to buy the outfits. As Joe had predicted, the underwear was especially difficult to get her to buy. Mrs. Turner helped there.
âBut, dear, you want to please your husband whenâI mean, every bride wants to tempt her husband.â
Gingerâs cheeks flamed and she hurriedly agreed, not protesting again until she caught sight of the price tag for one lacy bra in sky blue. âThatâs too expensive!â she exclaimed.
âOh, no, dear, itâs well worth it,â Vivian said. âThatâs the exact color of your eyes.â
âItâs not her eyes heâll be looking at,â Amy whispered, chuckling.
Â
Thursday was another long day for Ginger. Joe thought about trying to convince her to skip school, but he decided that would be wrong of him. Aftertwo oâclock Friday, she would have the rest of the day and the entire weekend free.
Except for Saturday evening when she would appear at the opening as his wife and make every man there jealous. Amy and his mother had helped her select a blue watered-taffeta sheath the exact color of her eyes. When sheâd come out of the dressing room to seek his approval, sheâd taken his breath away.
Remembering the way she looked wasnât good for his blood pressure. Or his self-control. And he had to stay in control because he needed to stay close to her to make sure she was safe.
So here he was sitting in his car at the club, fifteen minutes early, to pick her up. Maybe heâd go in and find her. That would be better than just sitting here. The air was warming up and he didnât like getting hot.
Inside, he found a lot of people still dining in the café. He grabbed a small table and asked Ginger for a soda when she had a minute. At least here he could watch her work. Her graceful movements and friendly smile told him why she was so popular.
When two oâclock rolled around, she set a plate of nachos in front of him.
âWhatâs this? Arenât we ready to leave?â
âMr. Small needs me to stay another half hour and he said maybe you wouldnât mind if you had something to munch on.â
He glared at her. âYouâre supposed to get off at two. You have a class tonight.â
âPlease, Joe? Itâs just half an hour. Or as soon as my tables clear. It wonât be that long.â
âI suppose so, but I donât like
Karen Kelley
Lindsay Hatton
Lisa Tuttle
Dahlia Lu
Debra Holland
Marie Sexton
Janet Fitch
Donna Morrissey
Heather Blake
Frank Herbert