“I’d like to see that.” Rooker took a box from Laura and began at one of the booth while the two clerks started at the other end. It did not take long before they everything was boxed up and covered with the bright red tablecloths they’d brought.
After Rooker and Sam carried the boxes out to Laura’s car, he headed back to where he’d left his Little girl.
Carri had a lap full of critters that she was comparing to a list on her clipboard before setting them in a box. Her sisters were efficiently breaking down their displays and stacking boxes and bags on their cart.
“What can I do to help, ladies?” he asked.
“I’m not sure we need any help,” Lottie said, her tone cool as she folded the tablecloth that had been on the table under her plexiglass display cases.
Her tone and words earned her a sharp look from both Carri and Tilly.
“Nonsense, Lottie. I’d never turn down a gentleman’s help. I’ll go get the car if you’d be willing to push the cart outside.” Tilly finished breaking down the hanging rack and slid the pieces into a bag which she laid on top of the cart’s pile. All that was left was the box Carri was still filling.
“No problem. Will those be going on the cart, Carri?”
Carri finished adding the last critter to the box before closing the top. Then she looked at him with an expression he could not read.
“No. This will be going home with you. That is, if you still want to buy my critters for your store.”
“I absolutely want to buy them. I take it Lottie approved of the new arrangement?”
“I did,” Lottie answered. “What I did not approve was this idea of Carri moving in with you after knowing you only a few days. I don’t care that you’re an upstanding citizen and business owner and doctor and whatever else you are. My sister is not some toy you can play with when you’re interested and then toss aside when you’re finished.”
Chapter Sixteen
Carri could not believe her sister had the gall to talk about her like she was an incompetent child and not sitting right there.
“Lottie, that’s enough,” she said sharply. “Rooker’s not like that. He’s a gentleman and he would never hurt me like you’re implying.”
Lottie opened her mouth to argue, but Carrie refused to let her speak. While she did think things might be moving too fast between them, she also agreed with Rooker that sometimes things worked at lightning speed.
“He loves me. And I love him, Lottie. He’s just the kind of man I’ve been hoping and praying for. Heismy Daddy.”
Lottie looked stunned. Had she not expected her to stand up for herself and Rooker? Of course not, mainly because she rarely had before. She usually just folded and did whatever her sisters decided.
Lottie opened her mouth once, and then a second time, looking like a fish trying to breathe out of water. Then she pulled in a deep breath and got her stubborn look on.
“If there really is such an attraction between you, if he really is your Daddy, then prove it. Come home with us now and don’tsee him for one week. Prove to yourself, and us, that he really is the man of your dreams.”
Before Carri could argue, Rooker stepped between them facing Lottie. “Done. I’ll let her go with you today and will stay away until next Sunday.”
“But …” Carri started, stopping when Rooker looked over his shoulder at her and winked.
“No calls, no visits, no drive-bys. And you’ll stay away for one week.” Lottie further defined her terms.
“Agreed. But when I show up, I expect you to let your sister make up her own mind about what happens between us after that.”
Before Lottie could speak again, Tilly stepped up beside Roker. “Does this mean you also will be staying away from your man for the next week, Lottie?”
Lottie blinked and her cheeks began to turn a deeper shade of pink. “What man?”
“That one.” Tilly pointed to the man who was approaching from across the aisle. The one Carri had seen her go off with a time or two during the convention. When he saw all of them looking in his direction, he spun around and returned to his table. “You and he have been getting quite cozy over the past few days, going off in the evenings and not coming back to the hotel room for hours.”
Carri straightened and watched as Lottie grew increasingly embarrassed. “It’s not the same. We’re in …”
“It’s exactly the same. Just like you’ve fallen for this man who neither Carri nor I have been introduced to, Carri and Rooker have fallen in love. At least Rooker was gentleman enough to introduce himself, and he put up with our questioning without a complaint.”
“Yeah,” Carri said, realizing it was time to grow up, and stand up for what she wanted. “If I can’t see Rooker for a week, you can’t see him, whatever his name is.”
