True Love at Silver Creek Ranch(29)

“Your grandmother and I have a disagreement.”

Adam’s glance took in the other two women. “And you all came to discuss it together?”

“Oh, no, Cathy and Gloria are here to have their cards read. I told you about my little once-a-week business.” She grinned at the two women. “Adam, Cathy Fletcher is the church secretary at St. John’s and she used to be best friends with Emily’s late mom. Gloria Valik is Monica’s aunt and Nate’s secretary. Have you two met yet?”

Adam nodded politely at the women, who looked him over without bothering to hide their interest.

“No, we haven’t met,” Gloria said. She had a darker complexion than her niece and the same wide, cheerful smile. “I work about nine to three, and this hardworking cowboy is there before me and long after. Guess I’ll have to skip bringing my own lunch and eat with you, Adam, so we can get to know each other.”

He nodded again, but his focus was still on Sylvester, who must have checked his watch twice while Gloria was speaking.

“Mr. Galimi, what’s your disagreement with my grandmother?” Adam asked. “Did the cards say something you didn’t want to hear?”

Smiling, both Cathy and Gloria turned to Sylvester with interest.

The man cleared his throat. “I did not come for this mystical nonsense.”

Gloria gave him a sniff of disdain.

“Now, Sylvester,” Grandma Palmer said, “there’s no call to go offendin’ me or my friends. Adam, Sylvester here is upset that the preservation-fund committee is supportin’ a new, woman-owned business that’s thinkin’ of openin’ a store in town. We’ve offered them a grant if they renovate a buildin’ that’s seen some hard times.”

Adam narrowed his eyes. “And why would this upset you, Mr. Galimi, enough that you’d raise your voice to my grandmother?”

Grandma Palmer waved both hands in front of her, then caught her cane before it could fall. “That’s just his way. You pay him no mind, Adam.”

“There’s just no call for that . . . sort of business,” Sylvester blustered. “I wanted her to know that I’m not the only businessman who will stand against the committee at the next town-council meeting.”

Though he didn’t want to get involved, Adam couldn’t help asking, “What sort of business?”

“Smut!” Sylvester erupted with indignation. “That’s the sort of business your grandma is condoning!”

Grandma Palmer’s once-booming laugh was now a weak chuckle. “Oh, Sylvester, have you even bothered to look at Leather and Lace’s website? They sell pretty lingerie, and a town called Valentine Valley surely needs honeymoon clothes.”

Leather and Lace? Adam thought, suddenly finding himself wanting to grin. But those muscles were still stiff with disuse. “That’s an interesting name for a store.”

“Interesting?” Sylvester barked. “Guess you haven’t looked at the website either.”

“My daughter has visited their store in San Francisco,” Cathy Fletcher chimed in. “She brought me a lovely nightgown.”

“There’s more than nightgowns,” Sylvester insisted, fists on his hips. “There are things our children shouldn’t see when they walk past a storefront. You do realize what ‘leather’ means in the title!”

“I’m sure they won’t put anythin’ objectionable in the window, Sylvester,” Grandma Palmer said patiently.

“You bet they won’t because I’m going to make sure the town council knows that citizens object to this sort of business. They won’t get a permit, I can guarantee you that.”

He reached for his hat on the coffee table and put it on with emphasis. Adam thought the old-fashioned brimmed hat would go sailing away the moment the man stepped out the door. Sylvester closed it hard behind him, and when he was gone, the three women chuckled.

“That Sylvester,” Gloria said, shaking her head. “I think it all goes back to Walmart. He’s worried what they’ll think of a ‘smut’ store in Valentine. He’s always writing the company, trying to lure them to open a store here. He thinks it’ll bring more customers to his diner, but he doesn’t seem to care that it’ll take customers away from places like Hal’s Hardware or the Back in Time Portrait Studio. When I need something at Walmart, I have no problem driving to Glenwood Springs.”

Cathy nodded.

Grandma Palmer’s smile faded a bit. “But he does have a voice, and the mayor listens to him.”

“That’s because she’s his sister.” Cathy turned to Adam and spoke in a confidential tone. “But the mayor is more reasonable than her brother.”