Sam lifted his hand and then paused. She closed her eyes as he continued, stroking her cheek softly. “Yes, it is. And it’s only been a couple of days. I had no idea what I was asking you to do.”
He lifted his hand quickly as Mrs. Allen said, “Now, now, you two lovebirds. You’ll be alone soon enough.”
Sam squeezed Meg’s hand and bowed his head slightly as he headed back to the cash register. As he stood behind it, he winked at Meg and she headed over to help Mrs. Allen.
It didn’t take long before there was a pile of goods on the counter, waiting for Sam to finish with a customer. He looked through the pile, lifting up a juice squeezer. “You don’t need this. We have one.”
Mrs. Allen took it from his hand and placed it back on the pile. “Well, I don’t have one, and I’ve found it’s something I can actually make. I want it.”
“And what is this for?” He lifted up a biscuit cutter, turning it over in his hand.
“Obviously, it’s for cutting biscuits,” Mrs. Allen said, her chin jutting out.
“I know, but why do you need one?”
His mother laughed, taking the appliance and placing it back on the big pile on the counter. “Never you mind. I want these things, so please add up the cost, if you don’t mind.”
“Mother, I—”
“Must I explain to you again that it is a great pleasure to be supportive of your venture while at the same time purchasing things I sorely need?”
Sam reached for the bill of sale pad. “I am willing to admit when defeated. Thank you, Mother.”
“There. He knows when to quit,” she said as she took one last trip around the store while Sam added up the total.
“This really is nice of her to do.” Meg laughed behind her hand. “Suzanne and James will be delighted.”
Sam smiled, looked down and said, “It’s the least we can do for taking over their store. But what I don’t understand is why she’s buying all these things she doesn’t actually need.”
“What do you mean? She explained the juicer and the biscuit cutter.”
“Sort of, but all this fabric? And ribbons and needles and thread?”
“She said she wanted to make a dress. It’s beautiful fabric, isn’t it? It will look very elegant on her.”
Sam laughed loudly, and waved at his mother as she turned around and smiled. He leaned in to Meg and whispered in her ear, “My mother couldn’t sew a dress to save her life. She doesn’t know how to sew.”
Chapter 24
Sam had walked his mother home with the goods she’d purchased—well, some of them. They’d had to bring the rest home later, when Suzanne and James had returned. James had slapped his forehead and Suzanne shook with laughter as they relayed the events of the morning.
“I can’t even imagine what this must be like for you two,” Suzanne had said before they’d left, and James’s eyes had grown wide as he looked at the bill of sale from Mrs. Allen.
“Goodness, that’s quite a lot. Thank you,” he’d said just before they’d left.
“Don’t thank me. My mother is nothing if not generous, and we are happy that today, it was your windfall.”
Sam had tipped his hat in thanks to both Suzanne and James as they left, heading home after what had been at least a very interesting day.
Sam held out his arm for Meg, and they walked home slowly, quiet after their experience.
“How do you think it’s going, Sam?” Meg said as they approached the house.
He pushed his hat back on his head and looked up at his mother’s window. “I honestly can’t say. I have high hopes, but I’m not so dim as to think that my mother’s easily fooled. She hasn’t said anything, so I’m hoping that I’m right.”
“We’ve had a few missteps, but I think overall it’s gone very well.”
“I think so, too, and like I said in the store, I am very grateful. I don’t think I’ve ever met such a compassionate, kind person as you, Meg.”
“Oh, I’m sure you have.” She felt her ears heat at the compliment, and squeezed his arm. They’d been so busy at the mercantile that she’d barely had a chance to talk with him alone since his mother arrived, and warmth spread through her heart as her hopes rose, once again, that he might see her for who she was—the perfect wife for him.
“I…I wanted to apologize for last night. For putting you in a compromising situation. I hadn’t anticipated that would be a problem.”
“Sam Allen, I am a big girl. I didn’t feel compromised at all. It was for the cause, after all.”