“I think Meghan told me that.”
Josiah is Wanda and Tom’s oldest son.
“He wanted us to keep it to ourselves for a while until he was certain, but I think he’s getting more comfortable talking about it now that it looks like it’s going to happen.”
“I’ll have to tell him his Aunt Ellyn is good for some investment money,” I say.
“He’s too damn proud to ask.” She rolls her eyes. “Just like his daddy.”
“Which is why I want to support him even more.” Times like this is why I’m grateful to have my own career and a paid off home. I can give my nephew a check to help support this dream without having to consult a spouse or anyone else.
“Oh, I wanted to ask,” Wanda begins, “are you still thinking about Pilates instruction?”
I nod. “I was looking up training programs just yesterday. Since my fall, I’ve become even more grateful to Pilates, and you of course. The doctors say my injuries could’ve been a lot worse if I hadn't been in as good of shape as I am.”
“I know a few programs I can tell you about for training. Once I get fully certified, I’ll be able to train myself.”
“Are you planning to offer instructor training at the studio?” I ask as we stand to head to the register to pay for our lunch.
“At some point.” She bumps my hip as I hand the clerk cash for our meal. Wanda and I alternate who pays when we go out to eat together. “Maybe once someone gets her qualification, I’ll finally have an instructor who can help me with that.”
“Possibly.”
We exit the restaurant, and Wanda points in the direction of a department store that she’d like to go in and check out.
“I’d like to take a look at the new Christmas items they might have,” I say without thinking.
Wanda stops and looks at me.
“What?”
“What happened to ‘Ms. I’m done decorating for the holidays’?”
I clear my throat and lift my chin, looking away. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
She wraps her arm around mine, giggling. “It couldn’t possibly have anything to do with a certain silver-haired rancher who’s won Harlington’s Christmas decorating competition three years running, could it?”
“Who?”
She pokes me in the side. “Yeah, right.”
We both crack up laughing.
CHAPTER 15
Ellyn
“Okay,” I breathe out as I twist and turn while looking at myself in my full-length mirror.
The dress is perfect on me and swishes and moves just the way I like.
I spritz a few sprays of my favorite perfume into the air and then walk into it, allowing the floral-scented droplets to land on my skin.
Just as I spray a second application of the perfume my doorbell rings. The butterflies in my stomach start fluttering in anticipation.
Giddy doesn’t even begin to describe how I’m feeling. Odd, because this isn’t the first time I’m seeing Joel since we kissed that night on my porch.
He’s come over almost every day this week, sometimes for only a few minutes to check on me … even when I reassure him that my hip and wrist are pretty much healed, since it’s been over two weeks since my fall.
