Free Dress Me in Wildflowers by Trish Milburn Page B

tasted like the bottom of a boot.”
    Farrin snorted. “That’s odd if she works at Gourmet .”
    “Not if she’s the administrative assistant. Loni didn’t bank on us old ladies finding that out. I love the Internet!”
    Farrin laughed, a real laugh that had her covering her mouth and nose to keep from waking Tammie and Kurt. Whatever memories still lurked out there in Oak Valley, it was good to be back here in Faye’s kitchen soaking up her kindness and sense of humor. Maybe if she absorbed enough of it, she could be a better person when she returned to New York.
    An ache stabbed Farrin in the heart. She would have bet her entire net worth that she would have never yearned to stay another day in Oak Valley. But she would have lost that bet.
    ****
    When Farrin walked out of the guest bedroom three hours later dressed in her “gonna do some business” black pantsuit, she nearly ran into Tammie, who was just stumbling from her bedroom. Farrin stifled a laugh.
    “What are you smiling at?” Tammie asked, her eyes only half open.
    “The most amazing case of bedhead I’ve seen in years.”
    Tammie stuck out her tongue, and just like that the tenseness of the night before evaporated. Was Faye’s house working it’s magic again? Tammie stumbled on down the hall. “Coffee, I need coffee.”
    When she reached the coffeemaker, Tammie lifted the coffeepot to the light and looked at the liquid. “Uh, it’s the weak stuff. My kingdom for a Starbucks.”
    “I’m pretty sure if Oak Valley gets a Starbucks, Hell will have frozen over.”
    Tammie poured herself a cup. “I never understood how Mom could get up before the crack of dawn without stronger coffee.”
    “It was the only time there was any peace and quiet,” Faye said as she entered the room dressed in a pleated navy skirt and tan twinset.
    Tammie wadded up a dishtowel and pitched it at her mother.
    Farrin smiled and felt sixteen years old again — the good parts of sixteen.
    “We better get going,” Faye said. She grabbed her purse and headed for the front door.
    Farrin stared at Tammie. She’d apologized to Faye. Now she needed to mend some fences with Tammie. “You want to meet at the drugstore for lunch?”
    “Sure. Kurt’s headed back home this morning, and I should be awake by lunchtime.”
    “Great. I’ll see you at noon.”
    While Faye drove the mile to the UT Agricultural Extension office where the homemakers met, Farrin took the opportunity to check in with Justine and look at the homes in the historic district as they drove by. They’d been like mansions to her when she was a kid. Some of them had been considered mansions when they’d been built in the mid-1800s. How time and affluence had changed the country’s perceptions of what constituted a mansion. The entire historic district of Oak Valley could fit in some of the California homes she’d been to for weddings.
    “Good gravy, look at the cars.”
    Farrin looked out the windshield at the Extension parking lot. Had the entire town showed up for her speech? “I take it this is more than your normal attendance.”
    “I’ll say. Guess we have a lot of guests today.”
    In another town, Farrin would be flattered. But she had the sinking suspicion that the building was filled with those curious to see what kind of person poor little Farrin Taylor grew up to be. She took a deep breath. She’d gotten through the reunion speech unscathed. What could a bunch of little old ladies do to her?
    Farrin followed Faye inside and instantly was swallowed by a sea of grandmas greeting her like a long-lost friend.
    “Oh my, you’ve grown up to be a pretty girl.”
    “It’s so good to have you back in Oak Valley.”
    “Thanks so much for coming to speak to us this morning.”
    “Can you autograph this magazine for my daughter?” The woman holding out the Modern Bride magazine looked familiar.
    “Mrs. Franklin?”
    “Yes, dear.”
    It was odd to see her former geography teacher look so shy. And