Here We Come (Aggie's Inheritance) (191 page)

“Let’s
go
buy
her
a
gift,
eh?”
Aggie
frowned.

“Let’s
go.”

They
started
at
the
mall,
but
little
interested
them.
As
they
passed
a
gourmet
cooking
store
on
their
way
out,
Luke
paused.
“You
know,
Mom’s
mixer
is
dying.
I’ve
jury
-
rigged
it
so
many
times
that
I
don’t
know
if
it’ll
come
back
from
the
dead
next
time
or
not.”

“Mixer?”

“Sure.
Let’s
try
Target.”

There
were
three
mixers
on
the
appliance
aisle
that
Luke
liked.
Luke
read
the
boxes
of
each
carefully.
Aggie
stared
in
sticker
shock
at
each
one,
uncertain
of
how
she’d
afford
to
spend
a
thousand
dollars
or
more
in
gifts.
The
wedding
alone
was
killing
the
budget.
She’d
tried
to
economize
in
a
hundred
ways
to
make
up
for
it,
but
guilt
still
plagued
her.
The
money
was
meant
for
the
children’s
upkeep,
not
for
elaborate
parties.

“I
think
we
want
this
one.”

She
sagged
in
slight
relief.
At
least
it
was
the
two-hundred
fifty
dollar
jobbie.
“If
you
think
she’ll
like
it.
It
comes
in
red
and
white.”

“I’d
better
stick
with
white,
although
if
I
was
buying
for
you,
I’d
definitely
want
red.
”

“I
want
to
say
something
like
‘is
that
because
I’m
a
hot
mama
,
’
but
that
just
sounds
all
wrong.”

“I’ll
answer
that
one
any
time
after
four
o’clock
next
Saturday.”

Desperate
to
change
the
subject,
Aggie
nudged
Luke
with
the
cart
and
said,
“Who’s
next?”

“Willow?
Tackle
the
hardest
one
now?”

Before
she
could
answer,
Luke’s
phone
rang.
He
listened
for
several
seconds,
a
grin
splitting
his
face
and
his
eyes
lighting
with
delight.
“That
is
great.
Thanks
for
calling.
I’m
so
excited!”

“What?”
Aggie
asked
as
he
slipped
his
phone
back
in
his
pocket.

“Guess
who
Corinne
saw
go
into
a
bridal
store
just
a
little
while
ago?”

“Who?”
Realization
dawned
before
he
could
answer.
“No,
Willow?”

“Yep.
Corinne
called
Mom
who
called
Aunt
Marianne
to
confirm.
They
were
keeping
it
quiet
until
after
the
wedding.
Chad
wanted
to
make
sure
we
had
‘our
day’
without
splitting
attention.”

“That
is
both exciting and really cool that they thought of you like that
!”

They
paid
for
the
mixer
and
stowed
it
behind
Luke’s
seat,
but
he
seemed
preoccupied
with
the
news.
After
a
full
minute
sitting
and
waiting
to
leave,
Aggie
nudged
him.
“I
know
you’re
excited,
but
can
we
get
this
shopping
done
before
Tina
sends
us
on
sixty
errands
herself?”

“Oh,
sorry.
I
was
just
thinking…
what
if
we
used
this
as
an
excuse
to
leave
the
reception
a
tad
early?
We
could
make
an
announcement
and
turn
it
over
to
them
as
their
engagement
party.
It’d
be
a
great
way
for
Willow
to
get
to
know
everyone.
People
who
don’t
know
Chad
could
leave,
of
course,
but
the
rest…”