“As a matter of fact, we did. Lottie decided it would be cheaper and easier to get a motel room in town instead of driving back and forth each day. So that meant bringing everything. I just hope we sell enough that we don’t end up having to make two trips to get it all back home Sunday evening.”
“We will,” Carri said, feeling confident. “You might also talk to Rooker and some of the other brick-and-mortar store owners about carrying your clothes.”
“Rooker? That man from yesterday?”
“Um, yes. He owns a boutique store that specializes in items for Littles,” Carri said, not looking at her sister. “Some of the other vendors might be interested in carrying Tilly’s tutus, too.”
Carri could not help but giggle, and felt a spike of happiness when Tilly joined in. At least one sister was in a good mood this morning. No doubt Lottie was tired from brooding about their future and packing the SUV. She really needed a man to take over the worrying for her.
Once they finished piling everything onto the cart, Carri waited while Tilly moved her SUV to the back row of the parking lot. Then the sisters worked together to roll the cart inside. They had less than an hour until the doors opened to the convention-goers.
Since she had already set up her display, Carri helped Tilly load her racks with hanging clothes after Lottie said she did not need any help. Once Tilly was ready, Carri consolidated the boxes of her stuffies before adding a few more to her table. Then she collected the empty boxes from all three booths and carried them to the dumpster just outside the back door of the building. She returned to her table just as the doors opened to the day’s convention-goers.
The morning zipped past with her selling even more of her crocheted critters than she had the day before. Before she realized it, Rooker was standing beside her booth lookinghungry. Her stomach growled, reminding her that she had not had a chance to eat the apple he had put in her bag for a midmorning snack.
Customers had been crowding around her table all morning and she was having a tough time keeping up with selling items, recording the sales, and restocking the table. She did not think she would be able to take a break for lunch.
Checking on her sisters proved they were just as busy as she was.
“I’m sorry, Rooker, but I can’t have lunch with you,” she said as two Little boys began to argue over who was going to buy a shark, drawing her attention from the handsome doctor before he could respond. “Hang on, guys, I’m sure I have another one.”
She was shocked when the man who wanted to be her Daddy moved behind the table. He never said a word as he sorted through a box and found a second shark.
After bagging both sharks, taking the money their Bigs handed her, and adding the sales to her sheet, Carri found Rooker restocking her table. He then began opening bags and lining them up on the floor so she would not have to fight with them every time she made a sale.
A few minutes later, the luncheon and presentation were announced and the crowd cleared out of the room.
“Thank you.”
“What kind of sandwich and chips would you like?”
“You don’t have to buy me food. In fact, why don’t you join us for lunch? I’m sure my sisters made more than enough,” Carri said, afraid he would think she always needed him to feed her.
“Yes, please join us, Mr. …?” Lottie said from her booth as she pulled drinks out of the cooler under her table.
Carri dug into another cooler, this one full of food, from where it sat on the cart. Tilly rearranged the chairs, and found a fourth one somewhere.
“It’s Doctor, actually,” Rooker replied with a steady smile. “Doctor Rooker St. James. I own the Little Boutique.”
“Oh, I love that place,” Tilly said. “I visit every time I come to town for fabric.”
“You do?” Carri stared at her sister like she had never seen her before. “Why didn’t you ever tell me about it?”
“Maybe because you would never have gone there with us,” Lottie said before turning her attention back to Rooker. “So, Dr. St. James, what are your intentions toward our Carrigan?”
Carri covered her face with both hands as it began to burn with embarrassment. “I cannot believe you just asked him that.”
“Why not? After that last asswipe broke your heart, I told you we would be vetting any man you wanted to go out with next.” Lottie looked annoyed that Carri was interfering with her interrogation.
“Meet and talk to, not interrogate like you’re her eighty-seven-year-old granny,” Tilly said with a chuckle as she handed out sandwiches. “I hope you like ham and Swiss, Rooker.”
Rooker had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing as Carri’s sisters squabbled. Carri kept her head down to hide her face, obviously mortified by their actions.
He was tempted to move her onto his lap so he could cuddle her, but had a feeling that would only lead to more questions from her sisters. Questions he and Carri needed to discuss between themselves before sharing their relationship with her family.
“Ham and Swiss will be just fine, thank you.”
He accepted the sandwich and a bottle of apple juice from Carri’s sisters. As he opened his lunch, he watched Carri pull out her own sandwich.
