Her Best Match: A Romantic Comedy (The Best Girls Book 1) (23 page)

Gherring asked, “Ready to try a harder climb?”

Anne swallowed. “Sure.”

Gherring set up Anne’s belay on a medium level climb, while Spencer set up to try the overhang climb Gherring had completed.

“Race you up,” called Spencer.

“You’re on,” Anne replied.

She started her climb, adrenaline flowing. The holds were farther apart, and the wall was vertical. She struggled to pull her weight up.

“Use your legs, Mom,” called Emily.

Anne shifted her weight and concentrated on utilizing her leg strength. Soon she was climbing steadily. She spied Spencer above and to the right. Determined to at least put up a good fight, Anne started climbing faster. Spencer had reached the ledge and was struggling on the overhang. Then Anne’s foot slipped on one of the holds, and she almost fell.

Charlie was yelling directions from below. “Put your left foot on that red crimp! You’ve got it! Just a little further. Keep going.”

“I made it! Woo hoo!” yelled Anne as she touched the top. “Do you have me?”

“You can let go. I’ve got you,” said Gherring.

Anne started a quick decent.

“Did I win?”

“You won, Mom. But it wasn’t quite fair. Spencer’s climb is almost impossible.” Emily looked up where Spencer was making a third attempt on the overhang.

“But Steven did that climb twice,” whispered Anne.

“Yes, Mom. We already know Mr. Gherring is Superman in disguise.” Emily waggled her eyebrows and started laughing.

Charlie giggled, having overheard the exchange. “Yeah Mom. Have you found his kryptonite yet?”

Emily whispered something in Charlie’s ear, and she snorted with glee.

“What?” demanded Anne.

Charlie whispered to her mom. “Em says it’s you.”

A few more climbs, and the group was ready to go. Spencer asked, “Are you guys doing lunch at Papa’s today?”

“We’re stopping by the bookstore first, but then we’re going to lunch. Y’all wanna come?” Anne gave a sweeping glance, casually including Gherring in her invitation.

Spencer and Mark agreed to meet them for lunch.

“Mr. Gherring, are you coming with us to lunch?” Emily asked.

“I’ve got to go to the office today.” Anne remembered he would have to work alone all weekend because of her altercation with Jeff.

She jumped when he put a hand on her arm. “It’s not the presentation. I’ve got other things to attend to that I’ve been neglecting all week.”

“I thought Papa’s place was right next door to Gherring Inc. Couldn’t you just take a lunch break?” asked Charlie.

“I was actually planning to skip lunch—”

“Mom says you should never skip a meal.”

Gherring’s dimples deepened. “So I’ve been told. Sure, I’ll come over for a quick lunch. I just can’t play around
all
day.”

Gherring dropped the girls off at Binding Books. As they walked into the quaint store, Charlie protested. “Mom, we’re never going to get Emily out of here!” She pointed to Emily who was already totally absorbed in the book collections. She gravitated quickly to the antique books.

“Come meet Ellen,” said Anne, dragging Charlie to the checkout counter. Ellen’s straight glossy brown hair was pulled back in a ponytail. Her razor cut bangs emphasized the almond shape of her brown eyes.

“Ellen, you got your hair cut. I like the bangs,” said Anne.

“Thanks. Just got it done. It’s for my character in the play. This must be your daughter. She looks just like you.”

“Hi, I’m Charlie.”

“Ellen. Nice to meet you. I met your mom on the subway.”

“Yeah, I couldn’t get anyone else to talk to me. I kept trying to start conversations, and people just looked at me like I had antlers or something.”

“I don’t usually talk to people on the subway either. No one does, except for your mom. She’s just so friendly.”

“Charlie’s just like me. When she was a little girl, she would meet people in a store and invite them to our home.”

“I bet you had some interesting house guests,” said Ellen.

“So, Mom says you’re an actress.”

“Well, I’m trying to be. I have my first lead role in a small production. We may only be open for a week, but it’s a start.”

“She’s very talented,” declared Anne. “She sings and dances, too.”

“Your mom’s never actually seen me do anything.”

“I can tell. I have a sense about these things.”

“That’s my sister, Emily, over there sitting on the floor.”

Ellen looked over to where Emily had plopped down on the floor, surrounded by a pile of old books. “You can tell her there’s a seating area in the back.”

“She’s happy. No use bothering her,” said Anne.

“So Emily’s your big reader in the family?”

“We all read a lot, but Emily is excessive,” laughed Anne.

“Do you have a sci-fi/fantasy section?” Charlie ambled toward the inviting books.

“On the aisle opposite your sister.”

“So, how’s the play coming along?”

“It’s so much fun. We rehearse again this afternoon. But they’re having money troubles—one of the big underwriters dropped out. Hopefully the money will last until we open. Nothing’s for sure with these small groups. That’s why I can’t quit this job at the bookstore.”

“I hope it all works out.”

“Me, too! Especially because of this other actor. She’s got a kid who’s sick, and she doesn’t have insurance. She needs this to turn into a steady gig. I’ve been trying to get donations to help her with hospital bills. And we’ve been taking turns at the hospital to give her a break.”

“Oh, that’s so sweet. You know, maybe Mr. Gherring could help.”

“Your boss? Is he that kind of guy? I’ve just seen the stuff in the news about him being such a big playboy.”

“I don’t know what his donation policy is, but he’s a kind and generous man. Or he might even be willing to sponsor the play. In fact, this might be a good way to get the two of you together.”

“What do you mean by
together
?”

“You know. Together as a couple. Didn’t you volunteer to date him when we talked about him before?”

She started laughing. “I was only kidding. There’s no way Steven Gherring would date me. I’m nobody.”

“Well, he goes out all the time with up-and-coming actresses.”

“I’m not up-and-coming, I’m more like ‘trying to pull myself up and hope to come someday in the future!’”

“You never know until you try.”

“Why don’t
you
date him?”

“He always dates younger women.”

“But you’re younger than he is, aren’t you?”

“I’m not sophisticated enough for Mr. Gherring.”

“Well, I’m not sophisticated either. And if he’s that snobby, I wouldn’t want to date him anyway.”

“But he’s not snobby at all. He’s really nice, and he doesn’t talk down to me or treat me like a secretary. He even bought tickets for us to go see
Beauty
and
the
Beast
last night.”

“I just don’t believe he’d want to go out with me, anyway. But I think you have a better shot at it.”

“Well, I’ll introduce you sometime after he comes back from Switzerland. Maybe Gherring Inc. would sponsor your play.”

“I’m willing to meet him if you think that could convince him to help us out.”

“Just wait. I have a feeling I’m right about y’all. I’m a really good matchmaker.”

“Yep, she’s got quite a reputation back in Weatherford.” Charlie arrived at the checkout counter with Emily in tow.

“Is she trying to set you up with someone?” asked Emily.

“Yes. With Steven Gherring, if you can believe that. Isn’t it ridiculous?”

“She’s responsible for quite a few marriages, so you never know. By the way, I’m Emily, and I love your store. Mom, aren’t you going to buy me something?”

“Put it on your Christmas list. It’s time for lunch.”

“I’m Ellen, nice to meet you.”

“Come on, we’ll be late.” Charlie hooked arms with her mom and sister, pulling them outside.

Spencer and Mark were waiting when they arrived at Papa’s Place.

“Aunt May put us in the back room since Mr. Gherring is coming.” Spencer led them to their table, already set up with water and menus. Anne and the girls sat down on one side of the table, and the boys sat down opposite the girls. The aroma of home cooking wafted through the room.

“Wow, that smell is making my stomach growl,” said Emily.

Charlie grabbed a hot yeast roll from a basket on the table, slathering it with butter. “I can see already why this is your favorite place to eat, Mom. I’m surprised you haven’t gained weight.”

“I probably would’ve if I didn’t have to walk so much everywhere I go.”

Gherring appeared in the doorway. “I’m afraid I’ll have to eat quickly and get back to work.” He took the empty chair opposite Anne.

Charlie spoke between bites of roll. “So let me ask you a question, Mr. Gherring. Do you love what you do? Do you find fulfillment in your work?”

“Charlie, don’t start this with Mr. Gherring.” Anne groaned, recognizing a familiar argument.

Gherring raised his eyebrows. “Why do you ask?”

“We have this ongoing debate about whether you should work at a job you hate just because it makes money, or whether you should work at a job that pays less doing what you love to do,” explained Charlie.

“For instance, Charlie thinks I sold out by getting an accounting degree. I’ve already passed my CPA exam, and I’ll be certified in another four months,” said Emily.

“But she hates it,” said Charlie. “Admit it, Em. You dread going to work.”

“But the truth is there’s not a job where you get paid to read really fun books of your choosing all day,” said Emily.

Charlie laughed. “That’s why I said your ideal job was to be a princess, like Belle in
Beauty and the Beast
with that huge library.”

“And your ideal job?” Gherring asked Charlie.

“I’m doing it. I ski all winter and get paid to teach kids to ski, and in the summer I get paid to take people rafting and rock climbing. What could be better?”

“Maybe a job where you made enough money you didn’t spend every cent on food and rent and then live in a crowded apartment all winter and sleep on friends’ couches all summer,” said Anne.

Gherring laughed. “I’m not getting in the middle of this one.”

“But you didn’t answer my question,” said Charlie.

Gherring thought for a moment. “There’s a lot of things I could say to that. But if I’m honest, I’d have to say I’ve never thought about it. Gherring Inc. was my destiny before I was born. I never had much choice.”

“Maybe you should take a year off. Come to Colorado and be a ski bum. Take some time to enjoy life.”

He laughed, but his expression was almost wistful. “I’ll keep that idea in mind.”

The young people started a debate on whether technology had caused a decrease or increase in communication. Anne and Gherring were quietly listening to their banter, when he said, “I can see why you miss them.”

“They’re really fun, aren’t they? Although I wish they were a little more careful of what they say. Things just pop out of their mouths before their brains have engaged.”

“It’s possible they inherited that trait.”

Anne felt a spark of instant anger, quickly abating when she realized he was teasing. Besides, he was probably right.

“There… You did it again,” he said.

“Did what?”

“About twenty different emotions just zoomed across your face. It must be your eyes. They’re so expressive—I just try to guess what you could possibly be thinking.”

“Well, I hope you can’t ever figure it out. You know, read my mind. That would be really uncomfortable.” She lowered her chin to hide her face.

“Why? What are you thinking that I shouldn’t know? Are you saying secret curse words under your breath?”

Anne reddened, unable to think of a decent comeback. It would be terrible if he knew what she thought about him. What if he knew how his touch affected her? What if he knew her heart beat harder when he came close? What if he knew the real reason she wanted him to have a wife was to help her stop thinking about him all the time? No, that wasn’t the reason. She wanted someone to take care of him. She didn’t want him to be alone. He deserved to have someone to love him, and the worst thing was he didn’t even know what he was missing.

He was still studying her face when the plates arrived. They devoured the food and stayed at the table chatting for almost thirty minutes. To Anne’s surprise, Gherring no longer seemed to be in a hurry to get back to work.

“I’m not trying to get rid of you or anything, but did you say you had to work some more?”