Smoothing her crazy stress-hair, Pippa wasstarting to visibly relax. “I’m glad. He needs friends. I don’tthink he’s socialized at all since he got back.”
As much as she hated the line of conversationfor fear of revealing something, she was glad Pippa was no longerquite so frantic. “Have you told him you’re worried he’s notgetting out much?” Good thing Sophie could multitask with the bestof them.
Pippa scowled and pulled her hair into amessy ponytail. “He wouldn’t want to hear that from me. MaybeLincoln or Grady. Or you.”
“Why not his own sister? It’s clear he valuesyour opinion.” She glanced over at Pippa’s surprised reaction, thenreturned her eyes to the screen. Pippa really had no idea how muchher brother desired her good opinion.
“He’s always done his own thing. I’m actuallyshocked he is considering working at Sutherland’s.” Rolling thestress out of her shoulders, Pippa sipped her wine.
“Why don’t you have a talk with him? Tell himyou worry about him. He may seem tough, but everyone wants to knowsomeone cares about them.” Sophie had always longed for a sibling.Thus, she didn’t understand why they couldn’t just talk it out; whythey didn’t realize how lucky they were to have each other.
Downing the last of her wine in a hasty gulp,Pippa stood and restlessly started to tidy the kitchen that hadalready been cleaned after dinner. “I should. We’ll see. It’scomplicated; he’s never exactly sought my advice, or heeded it whenit was given.”
Creating a few summary tables, totals, Sophiehad a completed budget analysis, ready for review. It had onlytaken two hours of distracting her friend to power through. If onlyshe’d offered sooner. If she’d realized it was such an issue, shecould have saved Pippa a lot of worry. “Okay, I found some of yourissues.”
“Already? I’ve been at it all week.” Pippaset down the pan she had found to dry and dove next to Sophie atthe table. She studied the spreadsheet blankly.
Poor thing was too overwhelmed to even makesense of it. She pointed out where costs were possibly higher thannecessary. “I’m not any expert in what things should cost for awedding, but I see room for improvement. I agree, daisies would bemuch more practical, and just as pretty. The forecast calls fornice weather, so we shouldn’t need the propane heaters. And thecovered space at the venue is big enough for most everyone, so youwon’t need this big of a tent, if at all.”
Pippa responded really well. A littleorganization went a long way. Reviewing the numbers line by line,she could see some of the unnecessary expenses and how everythingadded up so quickly. “I really would rather carry daisies. And wedon’t need anything special in the aisles. Heck, Christmas lightswould be cheaper than the paper lanterns I was looking at.”
“To be sure. Of course, let’s not lose moneyon anything you have already purchased or cannot return. Oranything that you’ve paid a substantial down payment for.” Sophieturned to Pippa to gauge her reaction. She was taking it reallywell.
Sighing a deep, relieving breath, Pippanodded. “We should be good on that. I can call the caterer too andask her where we can cut last minute corners without losingquality.”
“See? You’re good at this.” Sophie nudged herfriend playfully.
“Thanks. I owe you bigtime.”
Sophie knew exactly when she was going tocall in this favor but feared the price for what she had in mindwas much, much steeper.
6
T-Minus 11 Days
Rising from the table she’d commandeered as hertemporary desk, Sophie stretched her aching neck and shoulders aswide as her limbs would extend. Although it had been concise yetinformative to begin with, Sophie wanted her resumé perfect beforeshe met with Jane. Jane was a bundle of pure sweetness in a tinypackage topped with a gray mop of hair. Energetic, brainy,downright likeable.
Still, Sophie didn’t want to be a pity hire.Not that Jane would hire her out of pity. She was generous, but shewasn’t the type to hire her just to be nice. Foothills Accountingwas a successful local business, which wasn’t by coincidence. Janewas as shrewd as she was kind.
Argh. Nails getting increasinglyshort, Sophie tore her fingers from her mouth and paced the diningroom. She was going to drive herself nuts. This was the perfect jobin the cutest little town where she already had friends.
Family, really. At least the closest thingshe’d known to family in fifteen years. Blowing this would meanshe’d have to start over.
Stop fretting.Her resumé lookedawesome. That internship with Meckel and Jones had been a greatlearning experience. With the knowledge she had gained, she couldcomfortably manage the typical tax prep, as well as personal andsmall business accounting at Foothills Accounting and offer moreextensive budget financing for local businesses as a new service,if Jane was agreeable.
Pink Floyd’sMoneyblasted from herphone. Dammit, not now. Not ever, really.
“Hello, Yvette.” Even the name grated on hernerves. She was not allowed to call her Aunt. Nor was she to evereven hint to anyone that Yvette was a totally made-up name. BornBernadette, she’d found Yvette suited her better as a stagename.
“Sophie, dear. How have you been? You must bedone with school by now.” Voice dripping with honey, she was allpoliteness.
Cringing, Sophie made a concerted effort tonot bite her nails through the call. Yvette had hated the littlehabit, so of course Sophie had done it as often as possible infront of her in her own silent protest. Until, of course, Yvettestarted taking them out for manicures together, talking nonstopwhile draining their rationed funds. “Yes. Did that graduation giftyou promised finally get returned undeliverable?” Blank pause.“Because you forgot to put postage on it? Remember? That’s what youtold me two weeks ago.”
She hadn’t believed the story then, andcertainly didn’t believe now that Yvette had even consideredsending her a graduation gift. However, she did enjoy calling heron her fibs and embellishments wherever possible. In the nicestpossible way.
“Of course. It must be lost in the mailsystem. Anyway,” she giggled in a lilting falsetto she’d rehearsedfor hours on end when Sophie was fourteen and had discovered havingfriends over was never going to work. “Your twenty-seventh birthdayis what, next week?” Greed oozed like slimy green ectoplasm,clogging the airwaves between them.
“Gosh, is that coming up so soon? I’dforgotten.” The trust fund from her mother and grandparents wouldbe fully in her control on her twenty-seventh birthday.
