Two of a Kind (Fool's Gold #11)

“I, ah...”


Denise smiled. “I thought I’d decorate the booth simply. Maybe with an eye-catching sign. ‘Do you want to marry this man?’ or something like that. I’ll have baby pictures of my two boys to show the women. That way they’d have an idea of what their children will look like.” She leaned forward and lowered her voice conspiratorially. “It’s all about the grandchildren. Kent has Reese and Ethan has Tyler and Melissa and Abby. My girls are all married with children. Ford owes me. I want him married, and if he won’t take care of that on his own, I’ll do it for him.”

She reached down and pulled a folder from her purse. “I have a list of traits I’m looking for. I was thinking I’d have the young women fill out an application and then I’d sort through them myself.” She handed over a piece of paper.

Felicia glanced at it. Sure enough, it was an application for a wife. The three-page document was surprisingly thorough. There was a medical history, a place to explain about previous relationships, along with a few lines about future goals.

“Intelligence passes through the mother,” Felicia murmured. “You might want to confirm their educational history.”

“Thanks. I will.” Denise looked at her. “So, can I have a booth?”

“Sure.”

Felicia stood and collected the papers necessary for the permit. “There’s still time for you to have space in the Fourth of July festival,” she said.

“Good. I want to be in a heavy traffic area. I know the right girl is out there for each of my boys, and I’m going to find her.”

Felicia couldn’t decide if she wanted to be around when Ford found out what his mother was doing, or somewhere far away. She knew Consuelo would laugh herself sick when she learned what was happening.

Denise took the sheets of paper. “Thank you for all your help.”

“You’re welcome.”

The other woman left.

Felicia turned back to her computer only to realize that Denise had never once considered her for either of her “boys.” She was single, intelligent and reasonably attractive. Yet Denise hadn’t said a word or even hinted she would be welcome into the Hendrix family.

Why was that? Could the other woman tell by looking at Felicia that she didn’t fit in? Was it a Mom thing? It wasn’t that she wanted to date Ford and she’d never met Kent, but still. Shouldn’t she be able to make the short list?

Apparently not, she thought sadly. Which meant if she wanted to fall in love and have a family, she was going to have to figure out how to be more normal. She was going to have to fit in better. And she only knew one way to make that happen.

* * *

“BE FAITHFUL, GENTLEMEN,” Gideon said into the microphone. “Or you know what will happen.” He pushed a button and Elvis’s “Suspicious Minds” began to play. He chuckled to himself as he stretched in his chair.

The world righted itself when he was here. It was just him and the night and the music. He’d been around people too much lately, and that always wore him down. He needed his solitude, his routine.

When he’d first found his way to Fool’s Gold, he hadn’t known what to expect beyond what Ford had told him. That the town was small but lively and that he might be able to settle here. Gideon had wanted to disappear and had assumed a big city was the best place to do that. Still, he’d visited and had been unexpectedly taken in by the pretty streets and friendly locals.

The first person he’d met had been Mayor Marsha. She’d stopped him outside the Fox and Hound, stared at him for several seconds and asked, “Gideon or Gabriel?” He’d been so rattled that she’d not only known his name but the name of his twin, that he’d taken off without saying a word.

He’d gotten in his car and driven mindlessly, wondering who she was and how she’d guessed his identity. Twenty minutes later he’d found himself outside the radio station. The big For Sale sign had made him laugh. It was a radio station, for God’s sake. Not a garage sale. But he’d walked inside and asked for a tour.

Less than a month later, he owned both the AM and FM stations.

The purchase had about cleaned out his savings. He’d had enough left to finish the house he’d bought and little else, but he was fine with that. The stations did well, and he was able to put most of his salary away. He didn’t need a whole lot. While he would never be anyone’s idea of a business mogul, he was unexpectedly successful, and when the nights got bad, he remembered that.