“It’s Joelle Stockton,” Glory Rose said.
“Oh, the Stocktons,” Ruby said with fondness in her voice. “I love that boutique on Main Street.”
“No, they don’t own the boutique,” Elaine said. “Taryn is the one who wrote for the paper for so long and transitioned it to the online e-zine, and now writes the articles for Two Cents.”
Ruby snapped her fingers. “Yes, that’s right. I always get them mixed up.”
“But Kenny and Lawrence both work at Three Rivers, right?” Camila asked.
Elaine nodded. “They’re Three Rivers Ranch cowboys, but Andy owns the clothing boutique, and Taryn works in that little office right next to it.”
“Well, I still love that clothing boutique,” Ruby said.
“Joelle is Kenny and Taryn’s daughter,” Glory Rose said. “And she’s really cute, though she is a few years older than Austin, and he seems to think that’s a problem.”
Elaine frowned, as she hadn’t realized Austin was as picky as her about who she dated. “She can’t be that much older. What? Five years?”
Glory Rose nodded. “Yeah, I think four or five.”
“And we don’tallwant someone who’s a decade older than us,” Clara Jean teased.
Elaine blinked at her. “I didn’t say a decade was the minimum.”
“No, but you want someone older.”
“Yes,” Elaine said. “I do. I can’t stand the thought of being with someone I went to high school with.” She cleared her throat and balled up the wrapper her sandwich had come in. “So let’s talk about that. I think I might be ready to start dating again.”
“All right,” Glory Rose said with far too much enthusiasm at the same time Camila said, “It’s about time,” and Ruby said, “I havethe perfectperson for you.”
They’d all spoken over each other, and Elaine looked to each of the wonderful women at the table with her, her heart growing to ten times its normal size with love for them. “Yes, I like someone older, but there’s no minimum. Even three or four years would be great.”
“Have you told Conrad?” Glory Rose asked.
Elaine shook her head. “No. In fact, just telling you guys is maybe a little more than I can handle.” She grinned at them and then ducked her chin. “But if you’ve got any suggestions, I’ll take them and then see if I can figure out how to meet them.”
“You don’t have to figure out how to meet them,” Ruby said. “We’ll set up a blind date.” She leaned forward, grinning at Elaine. “I think you should go out with Brandt Lyman. He isso cute, Elaine, and just your type.”
“Cute?” Elaine frowned down the table toward Ruby. “No one in their thirties should be calledcute. And if he’s not in his thirties, then he’s not old enough.”
“I know Brandt,” Clara Jean said. “Heiscute, Elaine, and he’s older.”
“I definitely think you can be in your thirties and be cute,” Camila said.
“No,” Elaine said. “He has to behotorhandsome.”
“Or rugged,” Glory Rose said from down the table, her smile absolutely huge.
“Or rugged.” Elaine gestured to her with her plastic fork, because yes, she’d talked more with Glory Rose and Conrad about her love life than anyone else. “Cute? No, I’m not acute-cowboygirl.”
“Okay, fine,” Ruby said, swiping on her phone in front of her. Chance hit his tray with both hands, and Glory Rose pinched off a corner of her bread and put it in front of him.
“So demanding,” she said to the little boy, grinning at him with all the love a mother could have for her son.
“But look at him.” Ruby slid her phone closer to Elaine, and Camila passed it the rest of the way.
“Why do you have a picture of him?” Elaine asked. “This looks like a professional photo.” She looked at the brown-haired man with the perfectly symmetrical features and the lovely hazel eyes. “Fine,” she said. “He’s cute.”
“He’stotallycute,” Ruby said. “And I have a picture of him, because he’s a client. He owns that well-drilling company, and he needed us to renovate their home office.”
