late fifties with stylishly cut short salt-and-pepper hair. Her makeup, Ashley noted, was flawless and natural- looking, her jewelry good. Suzette was just what Ashley was looking for. Nina was going to get a bonus for it.
'It would be a help if you did,' Ashley replied.
'How many girls do you want?'
'Start with two. If you need more let me know. You might have to hire someone to temp for the holiday rush. I'm putting you in charge of the employees to start. Once you've learned the stock and what sells on the Upper East Side, then I'll probably ask you to do some ordering.'
Suzette nodded. 'I come from dresses and suits, but I learn fast,' she said.
'Would you mind coming out to Egret Pointe soon? I'd like you to work with Nina and get an idea of the merchandise,' Ashley said. 'We're opening the first week in November. Hire your girls to begin the last week in October for paid training.'
'No problem,' Nina said.
Ashley spent the following day visiting the showrooms of some of her largest suppliers. She also found a new small showroom with some rather interesting and one-of-a-kind garments. She placed an order. On Thursday she and Ryan headed up to the suburban mall to meet the contractor and inspect the mall store. It was identical to the shop in town and in Egret Pointe. There were two women from a local employment agency waiting for her when they arrived. She interviewed them before the contractor got there, and hired one, a Mrs. Babcock, who had solid retail experience. She explained, as she had to Suzette, what her duties would be, and that she would be responsible for the hiring.
'You will have to come up to Egret Pointe shortly, along with the manager of the city store. I'll see you're both put up, and pay your expenses, of course.'
'Certainly,' said Mrs. Babcock, a slightly younger version of Suzette. 'My husband is home every night, and the kids are in high school and presumably civilized. They can all manage without me for a few days.'
Ashley was feeling very good as they returned home. Everything seemed to be going along perfectly. She was in love, and loved in return. Now all she had to do was face down her horrific in-laws. But with Ryan by her side she decided she could triumph over just about anything. And one day very soon her birth control pills were going to be dumped down the commode. Now that she had birthed three shops, she was ready to have that baby. And they were going to make such beautiful babies too.
Chapter 8
The leaves had begun to turn, and Main Street in Egret Pointe was decorated once more to fit the season. The trees lining the street were surrounded with tall dried and colored cornstalks tied with wide bright-orange ribbons. Large, fat pumpkins in every possible shade a pumpkin could be grown, along with piles of green, yellow, white, and orange gourds, encircled the trees amid baskets of red and yellow apples. A large banner advertising the local Harvest Festival was slung across Main Street.
'We get to go on Sunday,' Ashley told her husband. 'We've got the harpies on Saturday. I'm going to ask your mom and Frankie to stay over.'
'I thought we were going to have the rest of the weekend to ourselves,' he complained. 'Besides, Frankie won't be coming. It's parents' weekend up at St. Peter's, and she never misses one. And this is her last, as my nephew graduates in June.'
'Can't I ask your mom?' Ashley said. 'I like her, Ryan. I have only the barest memory of my own mother, because she died when I was fourteen. Oh, I've got a picture of her, but very few memories. And I missed having a mother. Your mother is cool. Look how she went to Ray to find a wife for you. And look how nice she's been to me, even if I wasn't quite the daughter-in-law she was expecting. Besides, do you want her having to ride home with the harpies and their husbands?'
'You're too softhearted, woman,' he said, pulling her into his arms and giving her a kiss. 'All right. Ask Ma if she'd like to stay. And call Frankie. She's been worried you'd be upset she couldn't come, but she didn't want to disappoint her kid.'
The next day Ashley called her sister-in-law Frankie. 'It's okay,' she said to her. 'I'll just deal with the harpies myself. I was going to ask you and your mom to stay over just to piss them off.'
Frankie laughed. 'Ma told me you called her this morning. She thinks you're sweet asking her to stay, and of course she's going to do it, because she had such a good time last time. I'm sorry to leave you with the harpies- well, not really, if you get my meaning-but my kid comes first, Ash. You'll understand when you have your own.'
'So you'll come for Christmas with him and your mother, okay?' Ashley asked.
'Yes, we'll come,' Frankie replied. She paused, then finally said, 'You sound different. Really happy. I guess everything's all right with you and my brother.'
'If that's your clever way of asking what's going on, I don't mind telling you. It seems that against all odds we have fallen in love,' Ashley told her sister-in-law. 'We're even talking babies, although I'm not quite ready to give up my birth control pills. I need to get these two new shops open and running smoothly.'
'Oh, my God!' Frankie gasped. 'I am so glad, Ash! For you and for my brother. He really is a good guy, and I want him to be happy. Does Ma know?'
'We're going to let her figure it out for herself.' Ashley chuckled.
'Ashley, don't stop loving Ryan after you've met the harpies.
'I have to admit that I'll be glad to get it over and done with,' Ashley admitted.
'I've got to go,' Frankie said. 'I've got a client coming in any minute. Good luck on Saturday, sweetie.'
On Saturday morning they arose, ate a leisurely breakfast together, and then dressed to receive their guests. Ashley was wearing light wool slacks in a red-yellow-and-black Royal Stewart plaid, along with an off-white cotton cable-knit sweater with a round neckline. She had comfortable black leather boots on her feet. Ryan was wearing pale gray slacks and a taupe-colored Italian knit sweater in silk and cotton. He had expensive leather loafers on his feet. They were the picture of wealthy country casual.
At a little after eleven Ashley's cell rang. 'This is Ashley,' she said, picking up.
'It's Bill, Mrs. Mulcahy. We're five minutes out,' a voice said.
'Thank you, Bill. After you drop my guests off, Byrnes will show you around to the kitchens, where you can get lunch and later dinner before you return to town.'
'Thanks, ma'am.' The phone clicked off.
'Who was that?' Ryan asked.
'The driver,' Ashley told him. 'We are now about four minutes from touchdown, darling. Gird your loins.'
'I'd rather still be up in bed grinding them against yours,' he said. 'You are too delicious today, baby. And I'm going to be thinking all day about tonight after we wave them off. And don't look at me that way, Ash, all soft and melty-eyed. You want to really start a brouhaha, you'll let me greet the five harpies with a hard-on for my beautiful wife.' He sighed dramatically, making a shaking motion with his hand.
Ashley laughed. 'You can't be that horny after last night,' she said.
'I can't get enough of you,' he replied.
'Stifle, big man!' she warned him. 'Uh-oh. I hear the limo coming up the drive. Let's head to the door, and
