Page 60 of Seeing Harper

“Oooo, I love this one!” Summer said, holding up the leg of a white pair of slacks with tiny blue pinstripes running vertically up and down each leg.

Harper wrinkled up her nose. “I don’t know. I’m not feeling it.”

“What do you mean? Why not? Think navy blue sweater, maybe with three quarter length sleeves. A pair of navy kitten heels. You’ll look sharp! Business smart and stylish at the same time.”

“Meh,” Harper said, turning away to thumb through a different rack of ladies’ clothing indifferently.

“Alright. What is your problem?”

“He’s being too nice.”

“Who’s being too nice?”

“My dad. He’s up to something.”

“Oh, I thought you meant someone else. He’s just making sure that taking this trip for him is as easy on you as possible.”

Harper pinned her with a doubtful look. “I thought you could read people better than that. And who else did you think I meant?”

Summer stopped with her attempt to be positive and uplifting. “I can. I know he’s got ulterior motives. But I’m just thinking as long as you’ve agreed to go, why not get the best out of it, you know?”

“While I wait for the serial killer salesman to jump out of the shadows at me?”

“Okay, I know your father may be up to something, but I’m pretty sure it’s not a serial killer popping out at you.”

“Maybe he’s going to buy the Bigsby place and make them promise to keep me off of it.”

“Maybe. But unlikely.”

“How’s it unlikely?”

“Didn’t you say they want to move to Florida and retire?”

“Yes,” she admitted reluctantly.

“If he buys it, they’re not going to stay here to run it, so he’ll have to run it because it will be his and he’ll lose money if he buys it and doesn’t make it profitable, and then he’ll have no choice but to let you do it, because he doesn’t know the first thing about horses. And we all know he’s dead set against you working there, instead of at your place. So, not a problem because it’s not happening — let’s buy some clothes.”

“Not that I believe you, but why would he be pushing me to take a more prevalent role in the trade show. He’s making me be the face of our farm.”

“Maybe he’s just really having trouble getting around. He is missing a lower limb, you know.”

“That male gets around better than he ever has thanks to my mother and her homeopathic therapies and insistence that he keeps up with his physical therapy, too. He just wants me out there. I haven’t figured out why.”

“Everybody gets tired, Harper. Maybe he just wants a break.”

“Maybe.”

“Come on, either way you’re going to need some clothes. You can’t show up to this trade show or convention or whatever it is without looking the part. Your stained jeans and leather gloves aren’t going to do it.”

“You sure?” Harper teased.

“I’m sure.”

“And by the way, who else did you think could have been behaving too nicely?”

“I don’t know,” Summer said evasively.

“You thought I meant Clay, didn’t you?”