Free Threads of Hope: Quilts of Love Series by Christa Allan Page A

as Nina attempted to sidestep him. But, too late. The bag hit her cup, and launched a spray of foam and coffee. Some of it splashed on Nina’s pumps, but Brady’s grey cable-knit sweater soaked up the rest.
    “Thanks. What a great way to start my day,” he said and glared at the half-dry napkin Nina offered him as if she just pulled it out of a baby’s diaper.
    She was just about to tell him that he should be glad the cup was half full, and he needed to be more careful swinging heavy camera bags in small spaces when the doors opened on their floor. Brady had a foot out the door before it had opened all the way. He pulled his cell phone out of his pants pocket and, as he left the elevator, turned to Nina and said, “Elise must be saving a bundle in dry-cleaning bills keeping you off the big stories.”
    Stunned into muteness, Nina rode the elevator right back down to the parking garage again. Fortunately, no one got on, so she had time to compose herself and think of places she could have finished off what was left of her coffee on Brady. And when did he become so snarky? And why?
    When she finally made it through the office doors, Nina knew the latte aroma did as well.
    Michelle raised her eyes over her reading glasses. “I’ve been wondering when you’d surface. Mr. Happy steamrolled in here complaining about your lack of gracefulness. He might have mentioned something about a dry cleaning bill . . .” She smiled at Nina. “Have a nice day, dearie. Ignore the malcontents.”
    Nina dropped her cup in the wastebasket by Michelle’s desk. “The thrill is gone . . .”
    “Speaking of thrills, I emailed you a few messages. Seems you’re stirring the nepotism pot in that county election.”
    Maybe Aretha was wrong about this one. How can a quilt auction compete with election fraud? Readers want corruption exposed, not benefit dollars
. Nina decided she’d postpone a discussion with Elise about her idea for an ongoing feature story about the We Care benefit and auction. If anyone understood the importance of news that mattered, it was Elise.

    Nina planned to meet Aretha after work so they could shop for something to wear to the benefit. After spending most of the day talking to county officials, the District Attorney’s office, more research into how contracts were awarded and to whom, Nina was ready for an afternoon that involved nothing more than, “love it/hate it.” She thought they were going to start at The Galleria, but Aretha’s text said to meet at a shop on Richmond.
    “Why are we here?” Nina whispered to Aretha as they walked over to a rack of cocktail dresses. “I thought we were going shopping for new dresses, not used ones.”
    Aretha laughed. “Look at this store. Does this look like a used clothing shop?”
    Nina swiveled her eyes from one end of the store to the other. Chandeliers, Oriental rugs, period furniture. “No, it doesn’t. But I still don’t understand what we’re going to find here.”
    “Look, we can’t compete on the same playing field as some of those divas who’ll be sashaying around at that benefit. We’re so not on the same playing field, we couldn’t even be the water girls.” Aretha scoped out the cocktail dress rack, flipping price tags as she talked. “So, we’re not even going to try to play their game. Vintage clothes are classics. Just because they’re old, doesn’t mean they’re outdated. We’ll make a statement, but in a way that’s unique and sophisticated. I promise.”
    Several racks and hours later, they each found the dress of their dreams. Aretha bought an off-shoulder, wine velvet dress with a scallop trim on the neckline, shoulders, and back. Nina’s dress from the 1950s seemed to have been designed to fit her. The black taffeta dress had a polka dot illusion net bodice, cropped sheer sleeves, and a tulle skirt lining.
    Nina had heard Brady might be there. She hoped so. Maybe seeing her in this dress would cause him to