“Don’t know why you’d do that.” The old lady eyed them over her spectacles. “If it’s served you well all these years then there’s no reason to go changing it.”
“You’re quite right.” Jess gave Ally a pointed look before she lifted the salad bowl and headed for the dining table. Moments later, Brian walked in with a platter of sizzling sausages and chops, followed closely by the twins, and they all settled around the dining table. Everyone piled their plates with meat and salad while Jess saw to the twins at their kid-sized table with her usual efficiency before joining the adults.
“Did you really change the mayonnaise?” Nana tasted a forkful of potato salad. “Tastes exactly the same to me.”
“There you go, then,” Ally said with an encouraging grin. “Sometimes change isn’t as bad as you think.” Nana still didn’t look convinced, so Ally turned to Brian. “How’s business?”
“It’s been good.” A smile spread across his face as he reached for the ketchup. “Really good. We just got a big order in the other day. Real big—”
“Sweetie,” Jess interrupted. “Pass the mustard, will you?”
“But that sounds fantastic.” Ally leaned forward, genuinely interested in what Brian had to say. Despite their hard work, Jess and Brian’s floral business was just scraping by, so she was happy to learn they’d landed a big order. “Who’s it for?”
“It’s…” Brian glanced at his wife over the mustard bottle, and hesitation stole across his features. “It’s…um…well,” he plunged on, “as a matter of fact it’s for Seth and Paige’s wedding.”
“Seth and Paige’s wedding?”
Brian drew in a breath. “Uh-huh.”
“Oh.” Ally swallowed and set down her fork. Everyone at the table was staring at her, she realized.
“I’m sorry, lovey. We’re all sorry,” Nana said.
Jess reached out and squeezed her hand. “You aren’t upset, are you?”
“Of course not. Why would I be upset?”
No one answered. Ally glanced from her sister to her brother-in-law to her grandmother, noticing their identical expressions: sympathy, guilt, nervousness.
“Good grief! Don’t tell me you all feel sorry for me!” Her hands started to shake from the emotion tumbling out of her. “I am a grown woman of twenty-five. I do not need to be shielded and mollycoddled. All of you”—she aimed a glare around the table—“need to start showing me a bit more respect.”
Jess’s mouth dropped. “But Ally, we’re only trying to—”
“Protect me from bad news. Yes, I know. You’ve been doing that ever since the day Mum and Dad died, and I really appreciate that, Jess, but I’m all grown up now. I’m not your frightened little sister too scared to sleep on her own anymore. Do you hear what I’m saying?”
The bewildered look on Jess’s face brought her up short. Jess had always taken her big sister responsibilities seriously, maybe too seriously, and she probably didn’t know what had come over her normally even-tempered kid sister. But what Ally had just blurted out had been long overdue, she realized. She needed to convince her family that she could stand on her own two feet, that she could make her own decisions, and that even if she got knocked down once in a while, she’d still survive.
She exhaled deeply, forcing her hands to relax, and tempered her voice as she continued. “Look, I’m glad you got the flower job. Really. I want to hear all the details.”
“Well…” Jess began uncertainly. “We’re just a small part of the whole extravaganza. We’re providing the centerpieces for the tables at the wedding reception and a few other arrangements to decorate the marquee.”
“That sounds like a big order!” She drew in a deep breath. “I’m so happy for you guys. You two deserve a break like this.”
Brian nodded at her, approval and relief spread across his face. “Couldn’t have come at a better time.” He squirted ketchup over his meat and dug into his food. “Peonies are coming into season. Jess is gonna make those centerpieces look fantastic. And we might get a mention in the magazine coverage. Wouldn’t that be great, getting free publicity? Jess has already had a meeting with the bride and her mother.”
“Oh.” Ally raised her eyebrows at her sister. “So you’ve met Paige Kerrigan?”
“Just briefly.” She hesitated before continuing. “Crystal Kerrigan did most of the talking, but Paige was very definite about what she wanted. She strikes me as a very single-minded person.”
“But not half as beautiful as you, dear,” Nana added, patting Ally’s hand.
Ally chewed her lip. It seemed she’d successfully impressed Jess and Brian with her desire to be treated like an adult, but Nana was still determined to coddle her. She knew Nana was only trying to make her feel better, but it was time to show her independence.
Taking a deep breath, she turned to her grandmother. “Nana, there’s something I have to tell you.”
“What is it, dear?” Nana smiled encouragingly.
Ally cleared her throat. “It’s about the gift shop. I’m afraid it hasn’t been doing well lately. Visitors have dropped, and sales are down. So I’ve decided to give the store a major overhaul.”
“Really?” A worried look swallowed up her grandmother’s smile. “What kind of overhaul? You’re not going to rearrange the stock, are you, because I don’t—”
“I’m not just rearranging the stock; I’m getting a whole lot of fresh new things.”
“But where will you put it all, lovey? The shop isn’t that big.”
“I’m culling most of the existing stock. I—”
“Culling?” Nana’s tone sharpened. “What do you mean, culling?”
“It means I won’t be selling it anymore.”
“But—but I don’t understand.” Nana gripped the table edge. “Which things won’t you be selling anymore?”
“Well, there are the leaded glass lamps…”
Nana groaned. “George’s lampshades. Oh, he’ll be so disappointed.”
“The crocheted baby booties…”
Nana clutched at her bosom. “No, not the booties!”
“And the Angora sweaters.”
Nana gasped. “Oh my lord! Carol is a dear, dear friend of mine. I’ve been selling her beautiful sweaters for years, long before you ever came to the shop. How can you just dump her like that?”
“Please don’t be so upset. It was purely a business decision. Her sweaters aren’t very popular these days.”
“They’re wonderful, every one of them uniquely designed and hand knitted. You won’t find her level of craftsmanship anywhere else.”
And for good reason, Ally silently retorted. She stretched her hand across the table toward her grandmother. “I’m really sorry, Nana, but I don’t have much choice.”
Nana pulled away from Ally’s reach. “I’m shocked you’re doing this to my store.”
In the past Ally would have tried to placate her grandmother, but not this time. She kept her voice low but firm. “It’s not your shop anymore—you passed the responsibility on to me. I make the decisions now, and I’ve decided this is best. You need to let go and allow me to succeed or fail on my own.”
Her grandmother jerked her head away, her profile set and angry. Ally’s heart sank, but she swallowed the words of contrition that instantly came to her lips. This time she couldn’t afford to back down.
After a few moments, Nana swiveled round, her expression still stiff. “I suppose you’re right. It’s not my shop anymore. I should just butt out.”
“Oh, Nana. I don’t want you to butt out; I still value your input. I just want you to respect my decisions.”
Her grandmother pinched her lips together. “Okay, if that’s what you want, but if you value my input then I think you’re making a huge mistake dropping Carol’s sweaters.”
Not exactly wholehearted support, but it was enough. Ally breathed a sigh. “Advice noted.”
They all resumed their meals, a little subdued, but Ally was too wound up to eat. She’d spoken up for herself, and it felt good. She looked at her grandmother, an unfamiliar boldness firing through her veins. “Hey, Nana, I’ve been thinking about that guy you want to fix me up with, and—and you know what? I think I might give it a go. What do you say?”
Jess choked. Brian stopped chewing. Slowly Nana lifted her head. “Are you just trying to humor me?”
Ally gave her a bright smile. “I’m serious. Jess here’s been telling me I should go out and have some fun, so why not? Do you think your friend’s grandson is a fun guy?”
Jess gave her an I-can’t-believe-you-just-said-that stare. Ally knew what her sister was thinking. A blind date set up by Nana? She must be out of her mind.
“Paul is a very nice boy,” Nana declared. “Always comes to visit his grandma with a box of chocolates or a book. Nice looking, too. None of those tattoos and earrings and messy hair some men have these days.”