Yukon Cowboy. Debra Clopton

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СКАЧАТЬ and ready for her when they left, and all she needed to worry about were her jeans and tops. Boots, jackets, food and sleeping bags would all be ready. She smiled at that. After packing to come home to Treasure Creek, the last thing she wanted to do was pack some more. It was an easy plan, and she was really glad she’d agreed to go.

      Yes, opening the shop was a priority, but there was just something about being back in Alaska that called her to the wilds of the breathtaking frontier.

      She folded the paper with appointments on it, and was about to stick it in her purse when the door opened.

      “Knock, knock. Anybody in here?” a sweet Southern voice with a raspy edge to it called.

      Bethany turned to find a blonde of about forty peek her head through the cracked door.

      “Well, hi-dee! There you are, standing in the dark!”

      “Hi,” Bethany said, moving forward. The woman was smiling wide and warm and was as pretty as Dolly Parton. She even reminded Bethany of the country singer, with the cute way she’d greeted her and the smile that took over her heart-shaped face. And her big, blond hair was poofed and sprayed as heavy as any of Dolly’s styles. Bethany had worked with many, many wealthy mothers of the bride who’d looked just as overly coifed. Usually, she had the insane urge to sink her fingers into the stiff dos and shake hair loose from the lacquer holding it in place. Like all those other times though, she curbed the insane thought and held out her hand. “I’m Bethany. Can I help you?”

      “Oh, honey, I hope so. Are you the new wedding planner?” she drawled, flushing slightly, as if embarrassed about something.

      “That’s me,” Bethany said brightly.

      “That’s just wonderful. I’m Joleen Jones,” she gushed. Extending a perfectly manicured hand, she shook Bethany’s hand gently. “I can’t tell you how excited I was to find that you were coming to town. I’m here to talk about my wedding plans.”

      Bethany couldn’t help smiling at the cute lilt to her voice. “That’s great. I’m not officially opened and I have to be at the tour company in a few moments—”

      “I understand. This won’t take a minute. I was hoping to get an appointment on the books.”

      Bethany couldn’t say no, so she set her purse down and opened the paper where she’d been writing the brides’ and grooms’ names down. It was exciting to see business going great guns, even before there was a stick of furniture in the place. “I’ll set you up with an appointment for when I get back in town. I’m actually leaving on Wednesday to help out with a tour—I used to work for Amy James in high school, and I’m going to help out for a few days while I wait for my things to arrive.” She wasn’t sure why she was explaining so much, but the look in the woman’s eyes had her wanting to put her at ease about as much as she could. “You said your name was Joleen Jones. And the groom?” She wrote her name on the page. When Joleen didn’t say anything Bethany looked up and asked again, thinking she hadn’t spoken loudly enough, “And the groom is…?”

      Joleen looked sheepishly at her, with big, long-lashed, amber eyes. “Harry Peters.”

      The name was almost a whisper, but it had Bethany’s ears perked up. Harry Peters! “From The General Store?” she clarified, thinking, surely Joleen had said something similar to Harry’s name and she’d misunderstood. This woman and Harry were as far from what she would have ever matched up as any two people she’d ever worked with.

      Joleen nodded. “Isn’t he the cutest thing you ever saw?”

      Well, there you go—love was the weirdest thing sometimes. Bethany grinned, feeling Joleen’s delight roll over to her. “Congratulations. I think that is wonderful,” she said, sincerely.

      “I just came to town a few weeks ago and he has just been so helpful. He is really a dear. Don’t you think so?”

      “Always. When is the wedding date?” Pen poised to write she waited for the answer.

      Joleen placed a long, red fingernail on her bottom lip and hesitated. “Um, there isn’t a date set. Yet. He hasn’t asked me out yet, you see. But I’m sure that he will.” Her words had started out hesitantly, but she ended in a rush, as if she were trying to convince herself of the fact. This was odd…two-in-a-row odd. There had been a lady in earlier, asking about planning a wedding for Christmas. That fancily dressed lady, Delilah Carrington, also hadn’t had a groom. But she was different than Joleen, she hadn’t set her sights on anyone in particular yet. Oh no, Delilah was shopping the field and ready to pounce on whomever proposed first. She’d set a deadline for herself to be married by Christmas, and she’d come to Treasure Creek to fulfill that deadline. She struck Bethany as the type who would get what she wanted. It was crazy, but it might be fun watching her in action.

      Bethany certainly wasn’t here to judge anyone, her job was just to plan beautiful weddings and carry them off with grace and expertise.

      “He hasn’t asked you out?” she asked, because she couldn’t come up with anything better to ask. And she was curious and hoping Joleen would explain.

      Joleen bit her upper lip and blushed. “No. But it’s because he’s shy that way. I guess I’m jumping the gun here, trying to get an appointment. This probably sounds a little crazy, doesn’t it? No, wait, don’t answer that. I know it sounds crazy.”

      “No,” Bethany began, then got honest, “actually it does…a little, but I’ve seen stranger things.”

      Joleen smiled in relief and relaxed. “I guess I am ahead of myself. I…I do want you to know I will be using you sometime in the near future, though. Harry is sure to come around.”

      Bethany’s heart tugged at the angst she could hear in Joleen’s voice. She knew all too well how it felt to love a man and not be able to have the happy ending she want—stop! She snatched her purse and forced her smile wide. “Joleen, I’m here when you need me. And as soon as I get up and running, you come by anytime you want and we’ll get details perfected, so when your special man does pop the question you’ll be all set. It takes time to get all the details right, so nothing says you can’t already be working on your special day.”

      Her positive words must have seemed like music as they hit Joleen’s ears. She straightened, and a warm smile that was free of any hesitation blossomed across her pretty face. “You really wouldn’t think me too crazy to do that? I mean Harry, the sweet man, is just a bit slow on the uptake—if you know what I mean. He does care for me. I’ve seen the way he looks at me when he thinks I’m not looking. He’s the strong, silent type.”

      Bethany almost choked. “I don’t think you’re crazy at all. Hey, I’m a romantic through and through, and this is very romantic, if you ask me. Harry Peters is a lucky man to have you, and he’d be smart to open his eyes and ask you out.” It was the truth. That dry piece of toast needed a gal like Joleen to top off his life like sweet jam.

      Joleen startled her by embracing her in a big hug. “Thank you. You have absolutely made my day.”

      “You’ve made mine. It was really nice meeting you,” she said, and meant it. As they parted and headed in opposite directions, Bethany hoped Joleen got her happy ending. Glancing over her shoulder, she watched Joleen round the corner and walk daintily toward The General Store. Bethany suddenly wished she were a fly on the wall so she could see the grumpy Harry Peters’s face when Joleen was around.

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