The Last Bachelor by Judy Christenberry Page A

grinning. “I want to be proud of my wife! You’re beautiful, Ginger. I want everyone to know it.”
    â€œIs this part of being your wife so people will believe us?”
    â€œExactly.” Joe knew that tactic would work. He changed the subject. “How was work today? Were you crowded?”
    â€œNo, not at all. Uh, do you know who Johnny Mercado is?”
    He frowned. “Yeah, why?”
    â€œI just wondered. The other waitresses say he’s like my stepfather, but he seems very nice.”
    â€œI’m not sure what the truth is, honey, but let’s not hang around him. We’ve got enough to deal with.”
    â€œOkay,” she said agreeably.
    When they got to his mother’s house, Amy was already there. She’d 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. “Amy, I’ve already told Mom, but I want Ginger dressed from the skin out.She’ll protest buying anything. Try to hide the price tags and tell her it’s expected for my wife to dress nicely. People will think I’m a failure if she isn’t dressed well.”
    â€œJoe, surely I won’t have to go that far,” Amy said with a laugh.
    â€œYeah, you will. Especially for the underwear, because she’ll point out it can’t be seen. She’s had a rough life. I want to make her happy. But we’ll have to force her.”
    Several hours later, Amy understood what Joe had meant. Only following Joe’s 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.
    â€œBut, dear, you want to please your husband when—I mean, every bride wants to tempt her husband.”
    Ginger’s cheeks flamed and she hurriedly agreed, not protesting again until she caught sight of the price tag for one lacy bra in sky blue. “That’s too expensive!” she exclaimed.
    â€œOh, no, dear, it’s well worth it,” Vivian said. “That’s the exact color of your eyes.”
    â€œIt’s not her eyes he’ll be looking at,” 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 o’clock 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 she’d come out of the dressing room to seek his approval, she’d taken his breath away.
    Remembering the way she looked wasn’t 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 he’d go in and find her. That would be better than just sitting here. The air was warming up and he didn’t 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 o’clock rolled around, she set a plate of nachos in front of him.
    â€œWhat’s this? Aren’t we ready to leave?”
    â€œMr. Small needs me to stay another half hour and he said maybe you wouldn’t mind if you had something to munch on.”
    He glared at her. “You’re supposed to get off at two. You have a class tonight.”
    â€œPlease, Joe? It’s just half an hour. Or as soon as my tables clear. It won’t be that long.”
    â€œI suppose so, but I don’t like