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“Well Luke and I competed in this silly chicken race last night to win her the hundred-dollar gift certificate to the store, and she said that got her pretty close to having enough to actually buy it. So, I had this idea that if we knew just how much she was short, I could secretly make up the difference so that she’d be able to ride her new bike in the parade this morning.”
Pearl lifted an eyebrow. “Well aren’t you the sweetest?”
Kaylee’s cheeks flushed as she shook her head. “No, Emma’s the sweetest. She’s nice to everyone she meets. So I’d really like to do something nice for her.”
The older woman tapped her chin then reached for the phone. “I’ve got an idea.” She dialed a few numbers then held the phone to her ear. “Hello, Dean? Hey, it’s Pearl down at the Mercantile. Is Emma around?” She paused to listen to his response. “Yeah, he’s doing fine. He’s still planning to flip pancakes this morning down at the Elks Lodge. Thanks for asking.”
She paused again then winked at Kaylee before turning her attention back to the phone as the young girl must have come on. “Hi, Emma. Listen honey, I wanted to call and tell you we decided to run a summer celebration sale on a few items for outdoor fun, and I’m including that bike of yours. Do you happen to know how short you are from the regular price?” She waited then a grin spread across her face. “Only fifty dollars, huh? Well for heaven’s sake. That is a coincidence. Wouldn’t you know that’s the exact amount that silly bike has been marked down.”
She held the phone away from her ear, and Kaylee could hear the squeals of excitement coming through the receiver. “Yes, I’ll hold it for you. No, I double promise pinky swear I won’t sell it to anyone else. In fact, we’ll get it cleaned up and ready for you if you want to come down and get it this morning so you can ride it in the parade.” She chuckled. “Yes, I am super-duper excited too.”
She hung up the phone and grinned conspiratorially at Kaylee. “That was easier than I thought.”
Kaylee passed Pearl her debit card. “I’d like to cover the remaining fifty dollars and add another fifty dollars so that she can buy a new helmet.”
Pearl took the card. “You sure about that?”
“Oh yes. Just tell her it’s part of the sale.” She took a few steps away and grabbed a box she’d noticed on her way in. “And I’ll take this too.”
The phone rang as Pearl was adding up her purchases. “Go ahead and take it,” Kaylee told her. “I can wait.”
“Milligan’s Mercantile. How can I help you?” Pearl barked into the phone. Her expression softened. “Oh, hey Luke. How are you, honey?” Pause. “Oh, he’s doing fine.” As Luke spoke, she looked over at Kaylee who waved her hands back-and-forth to indicate she wasn’t there.
Pearl’s eyes widened at whatever Luke had just said. “Oh really? That’s real sweet of you, honey, to want to pay for the remainder of that bicycle for Emma. But I’m afraid somebody else had the same idea and already beat you to the punch.” She paused again. “Was it Kaylee?”
She shook her head again as Pearl softly chuckled. The woman was having way too much fun with this conversation.
“I can neither confirm nor deny that accusation,” Pearl told him. “But I can tell you Emma and her dad are on their way down here now, and I’m pretty dang sure she’ll be riding that new bike in the parade this morning.”
“Thanks for not giving me away,” Kaylee said as Pearl hung up the phone.
“I’m not sure I fooled him.”
Luke was working on his laptop at the kitchen counter when Kaylee’s car pulled into the driveway not ten minutes after he’d hung up the phone with Pearl.
“I’ll be ready in five,” she said as she rushed into the house and set her bags on the counter before bending down to cuddle the two dogs begging for her attention.
He eyed the yellow bag. “Looks like you’ve already made a trip into Milligan’s this morning. Buy anything good?” He crossed his arms over his chest. “Like a new pink and purple bicycle?”
A grin tugged at the corner of Kaylee’s lips, and her cheeks flushed that adorable rosy pink color as she lifted her chin. “I can neither confirm nor deny that accusation.”
He laughed. “Sounds like great minds think alike.”
Ignoring his comment, she pushed the yellow bag toward him. “I bought you a present.”
“Me? Why? It’s not my birthday.”
“It doesn’t have to be your birthday. I just wanted to get you something. Like as a thank you for all your hospitality this week. I’ve had such a fun time.”
He frowned then smiled as he pulled the box from the bag. “A new toaster.”
“I couldn’t stand the thought of you eating burnt toast.”
He whistled as he read the description on the side. “This is about the fanciest toaster I’ve ever seen. But you didn’t have to do this.” He set the box back on the counter. “I’m sure I can get the other one to work.”
Her shoulders slumped. “Oh come on. Please accept it.” She pointed to the description on the side of the box. “It has a timer and different settings for how light or well-toasted you want your bread. It even has a bagel setting.”
“A timeranda bagel setting? I didn’t even know you were supposed to cook a bagel at a different setting. The last toaster I had, you just pushed the lever down and waited.”
