“It’s the fall festival,” he said. “The weather’s gorgeous. Not a cloud in the sky. We’re surrounded by folks we know. Annie’s getting back to her old self. So, no serious conversations allowed today.” He gestured toward the watercolors on display. “What do you think?”
“I think you’re impossible,” she muttered, but she turned her attention to the art. “Pretty, but bland.”
“My thought, too. Do you suppose Maddie’s mom has a booth this year? I think a couple of Paula Vreeland botanical prints would be lovely in the foyer at Sullivan’s.”
Dana Sue regarded him with a startled look. “You know, you’re absolutely right. I can’t imagine why I never thought of that. When we opened, I decorated on a shoestring, but I can afford more now, and they’d be perfect against the dark-green wall just inside the door.”
Ronnie winked at her. “See, contrary to popular opinion, I do have a tasteful bone in my body.”
As they strolled among the vendors in search of Maddie’s mom, who’d built a national reputation for her art and a local reputation for her eccentricities, Ronnie kept Dana Sue’s hand tucked in his. For once, she didn’t try to pull away.
The instant Paula Vreeland spotted them, she cut off a conversation she was having with the artist at the next booth and came out to greet them. “Ronnie, it’s good to see you back in town,” she said. “And to see you with Dana Sue.”
“Thanks, Mrs. Vreeland. You’re even more beautiful than you were when I left,” he said. “And just in case you’re not aware of it, your art is all over the place in Beaufort. I can’t tell you how many homes I visited that had one of your paintings on the wall.”
“And Ronnie thinks I’ve shown an amazing lack of good sense by not having a few prints hanging in the foyer at Sullivan’s,” Dana Sue stated. “For once I actually agree with something he has to say.”
“Take a look around,” Paula Vreeland said. “And if you don’t find what you want here, come by my studio next week. I have more there. I usually don’t bring the originals here, because the cost is prohibitive for this crowd, but with the discount I’ll give you, you could afford to buy them for Sullivan’s.”
Dana Sue regarded her with dismay. “I couldn’t ask you for a price break,” she protested.
“You didn’t ask,” Mrs. Vreeland corrected. “I offered, and not just because you’ve been such a wonderful friend to my daughter, either. Having my paintings in your restaurant will bring me tons of new sales. You’ve drawn a very classy clientele, Dana Sue. I’m as proud of you as if you were my own.”
Ronnie noticed Dana Sue blinking back tears, so he drew her toward a delicate painting of a magnolia blossom. He could almost feel the velvet texture of the creamy petals. “I think this would be perfect for a business owned by one of the Sweet Magnolias,” he said. “What do you think?”
Dana Sue studied it, then nodded. “It is perfect,” she said, a catch in her voice.
“Then consider this one my gift to you. I wasn’t here for the grand opening, so I owe you one.”
“Ronnie, please, you don’t have to do that, especially not with all the expenses you’re going to have when you open your new business,” she said.
“Maybe I’m hoping you’ll give me a break on catering the opening party,” he teased. “Don’t argue with me, sugar. I want to do this. Now see if there are any others you want.”
While she looked at the other paintings, Ronnie chatted with Maddie’s mother, then paid for the one he’d chosen as his gift for Dana Sue. She wrote a check for two others she liked.
“Can we pick them up later?” Ronnie asked. “When it’s time to go home?”
“Absolutely,” Mrs. Vreeland told him. “I’ll put Sold stickers on them right now. You two run along and enjoy yourselves.”
From then on their progress was slow going because the crowd had grown and it seemed everyone in town had heard about Ronnie’s plans for the hardware store and wanted to congratulate him and to thank him for doing his part to make downtown the hub of the community again. Even the mayor put in his two cents, telling Ronnie to let him know if there was anything the town could do to support the business.
“Just shop there,” Ronnie told Howard Lewis. “And tell your friends about it.”
“When do you anticipate opening?” the mayor asked.
“If we can get all the details ironed out, I’d like to open before Christmas,” Ronnie answered, drawing yet another startled look from Dana Sue.
After Howard had moved on, she eyed Ronnie warily. “You can do it that fast?”
“If I throw myself into it nonstop for the next six weeks or so,” he said.
“I guess that means you won’t have much time for Annie.”
Ronnie frowned at her. “I will always make time for Annie, and for you. You know yourself that getting a business off the ground is hard work, but I intend to balance that with the other important things in my life.”
“Sure,” she said, radiating skepticism. “You say that now, but when time starts running short, I’m sure spending time with Annie will be the first thing you sacrifice.”
Ronnie stopped in his tracks and gave her a penetrating look. “Are you trying to pick a fight with me?”
She blinked at the hard edge in his voice, then sighed. “Probably,” she admitted.
“Care to explain why?” he asked.
“I need you to go back to being the villain,” she said. “It would make my life so much easier.”
Ronnie relaxed. “Not going to happen, darlin’. Now, let’s go pick out a couple of pumpkins. I’ll carve the one with the happy face and you can do the one with the scary frown.”
She gave him a sour look. “Is that supposed to be funny?”
Ronnie shrugged. “I thought it had the potential to coax a smile out of you. Guess I’ll just have to
