Free Foxfire Light by Janet Dailey Page B

“The man you are describing would be vacationing in the South of France, not the Ozark Mountains of Missouri.”
    Rachel Parmelee was plainly at a loss to arguethat point although her mouth opened on several attempts. “Perhaps,” she said finally and appeared discomfitted by the admission.
    Letting instinct guide her, Joanna asked a question that seemed to be off the subject, but the inner workings of her mind were already plotting a use for the answer. “You surely don’t work seven days a week at the store, do you? I should think it would be impossible to keep up a pace like that.”
    It took a second for the widow to adjust to the apparent change of subject. “No. Since the weekends are generally our busiest time, I take off on Friday to rest up for them.”
    â€œYou mentioned that you’d lost your taste for restaurant food. Why don’t you have dinner with us Friday night and enjoy a home-cooked meal for a change?” The invitation bordered on a challenge. Rachel’s initial reaction was what Joanna had expected—refusal.
    â€œNo.” She seemed to struggle to find an acceptable excuse. “I’ll be too busy. It’s the only time I have to wash clothes and clean. I—”
    â€œThis way you won’t have to worry about fixing a meal,” Joanna reasoned.
    Rachel abandoned her pretence. “I know what you’re trying to do and it just won’t work,” she insisted. “After five minutes with your uncle, I run out of things to say.”
    The remark confirmed Joanna’s suspicions that the widow’s coolness was an attempt to conceal she felt awkward and self-conscious with Reece. “So?” She made light of it. “If thathappens, you can talk to me instead. Will you come?” She watched the hesitation and indecision in the woman’s face. “You have nothing to lose—and, maybe, everything to gain,” she prodded softly.
    A very human expression took over Rachel’s features as she yielded to the temptation. “All right, I’ll come,” she agreed and smiled a little foolishly. “I’m probably making a big mistake.”
    Satisfaction swelled inside Joanna until she thought she would burst, but she managed to contain most of it. “Look on the bright side,” she reasoned. “You can always blame me and say I told you so.”
    The waitress came to the table with Joanna’s order. She glanced at the widow. “Was there anything else you wanted, Rachel?”
    The query seemed to prompt Rachel Parmelee to glance at her watch. “No.” She was surprised at the time that had passed. “I have to get back to the store. It’s much later than I realized.”
    â€œDo you know where we’re staying?” Joanna asked as the woman gathered up her purse and her luncheon check.
    â€œYes, I do.” She still didn’t look positive that she had been right in accepting the invitation.
    â€œDinner will be ready at seven on Friday. You can come at six or six-thirty—any time you like,” Joanna said. “We’ll be expecting you.”
    â€œFriday at seven.” There was a responding nod.
    As Rachel walked to the cashier, Joanna couldn’t help feeling very pleased with herself.The sheer fact that Rachel had accepted the invitation indicated that she was attracted to Reece. Joanna really hadn’t needed to twist her arm that much. She could hardly wait to see Reece’s face when she told him Rachel was coming to dinner.

Chapter Seven
    I t was late afternoon by the time Joanna had finished her shopping and returned to the cabin by the lake. Her uncle wasn’t on hand to greet her. A note on the table reminded her that he had gone fishing. In her excitement to relay the day’s momentous events to him, it had slipped her mind that he’d mentioned his fishing plans when she’d left in the morning.
    It was a letdown