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“I wasn’t thinking about Jessy,” Chase replied, a touch of grimness about his mouth. “It’s Cat I’m worried about. She’s always looked up to Tara. This will be a blow to her. Why ruin her shopping trip if it can be avoided.”
“You don’t know Jessy.” A dry smile tugged at one corner of Ty’s mouth. “She isn’t going to buy the idea that I didn’t learn anything.”
“Admit that you did, but explain that it looks like you won’t be able to tell her the new owner’s name until they get home tomorrow. Which will be the truth, as far as it goes. You can explain later about Cat. She’ll understand.”
Knowing his wife, Ty couldn’t argue with that logic.
Late on Sunday afternoon the twin-engine Beechcraft taxied toward the hangar apron where the welcoming committee of Ty, Logan, and Quint waited for it. Upon reaching its tie-down area, the pilot slew the craft around and cut its engines.
Frank came out of the hangar shed at a waddling trot, toting the wheel chocks. Grunting with the effort, he jammed a set around each wheel, then scrambled around to slap a hand on the cabin door. As soon as it swung open, he latched it back and pulled the steps down.
When Cat came into view, Quint broke from his father’s side and ran to meet her. “I’m glad you’re home, Mom. We missed you a lot.”
“I missed you, too.” She crouched down to wrap him in a hug and smack a kiss on his cheek then straightened, tipping her head up in anticipation of Logan’s welcoming kiss.
He didn’t disappoint her as Jessy emerged from the plane. Her glance ran straight to Ty in an unspoken question. Ty didn’t need to hear the words to know what she was asking—whether he had learned the identity of the new owner. He responded with a barely perceptible nod then moved forward to greet her.
“Welcome home.” He dropped a light kiss on her lips.
“You have no idea how glad I am to be back,” Jessy murmured.
“An ordeal, was it?” Ty smiled at this rare woman who was his wife.
“And then some,” Jessy answered with a mock roll of her eyes.
“Did you two succeed in buying out the stores before you left?” Logan teased.
“We made a gallant effort at it,” Cat responded in kind.
“Did you find a new jacket for me, Mom?” Quint asked, his gray eyes alight with hope.
“I certainly did.”
“Where is it?” Quint wanted to know.
“Yes.” Logan picked up the question. “Where is this haul you made? I expected you two to be loaded down with packages.”
“They’re in the baggage compartment. Get your arms ready,” Cat warned. “You have some heavy-duty carrying to do.”
Frank opened the hatch to the luggage compartment, paused, and shot a wide-eyed look at Cat. “Good Lord, Miss Cat, you did buy out the stores there.”
He hauled box after box out of the rear compartment—long boxes, tall boxes, fat boxes, shoeboxes, and hatboxes. Cat sorted through them as they came out, identifying what belonged to whom. When she had finished, all but two were in her own stack.
Ty stared from the two lonely boxes to Jessy in disbelief. “Is that all you bought?”
“Don’t you wish.” Cat laughed. “That is merely what your wife brought home with her. Jessy has the most incredible eye for what looks great on her.”
The compliment was so unexpected that Ty couldn’t keep from sliding a skeptical glance at his wife. Jessy had a kind of natural beauty that was simple and strong, but she had never been one to spend much time worrying about what to wear. He had counted on Cat’s fashion sense to guide Jessy in purchasing the appropriate clothes for the auction.
“I’m serious.” Cat caught the doubt that had flickered in his eyes. “On Saturday, I must have had her try on twenty different outfits that looked sensational on the hanger but didn’t suit her at all. Finally, we were in this one shop and I had already selected two or three things for Jessy to try on when she walked over to a rack, pulled out a short jacket in a brick-red wool, and grabbed a pair of black jeans off the shelf and a high-crowned black hat with a concho band. Then she said to me, ‘I’ll try this on first.’ When she walked out of the changing room, my chin hit the floor. Except for the blond hair, she looked exactly like one of those cowgirls in a Doreman Burns painting. It’s a perfect outfit for the open house.”
“What did you buy for the auction?” Ty asked, his curiosity aroused, taking more interest in the subject than he might have before this weekend’s turn of events.
“A pair of suede jeans and a matching shirt.” Even now, Jessy had lost interest in the subject.
“Sounds plain, doesn’t it?” Cat said. “But Jessy is striking in it. I guarantee heads will turn. She found the set in the men’s side of the store, tried it on, and the search was over. Of course it didn’t fit properly. But fortunately it was the work of a local designer. Rather than do a lot of major alterations to the outfit, a new one is being made just for her. It should be here in a couple of months, complete with matching boots and hat. Believe me, she will be sensational in it.”
“I believe you.” There was satisfaction in the thought that Jessy would be the one making the fashion statement, something that had always been Tara’s province.
