The girls were starting to snipe again, and it just made Marlene tired. She’d endured enough sniping for the day. She caught a glimpse of Sully through the pass-through. What would he do if she just up and joined him? She could lean against the counter and sip her tea.
She tore her eyes away. The last thing she needed was a fry cook for a love interest. Best to stick to her previous plan: pouring heart and soul into the historical society. Which meant planning the best festival the area had ever seen.
“Maybe we should advertise this year,” Marlene interjected. “What do you girls think?” She purposely included both Bailey sisters.
“I have all kinds of ideas about how we could handle it,” Laura said. “I’ll do a press release, of course. Maybe align ourselves with some celebrity figure. ”
The ladies cooed at that. Laura was a handful—not like Edith at all—and when she was in charge, she was something else again. She’d always been ambitious that way, must’ve gotten it from Bear. Even back in her high school days, Laura was the kid who’d sneak out after curfew and still make honor roll. It was clear why she was so successful as a career woman.
“How do you know all this?” Pearl asked, her voice awed.
Laura brightened. “I have tons of marketing experience. ”
“So we’ve heard,” Sorrow muttered. “Five thousand times. ”
“That’s wonderful,” said Ruby.
“Edith, you must be so proud,” Pearl added.
Edith smiled and reached across the table to pat her daughter’s hand.
The gesture gave Marlene the tiniest of pangs. She loved her boys, but had always wondered what it would’ve been like to have a daughter. Her sourpuss daughter-in-law definitely didn’t count.
“I’d be thrilled to take over publicity,” Laura said, positively beaming. “We could do some online promotions. ”
“That sounds fabulous,” Marlene told her.
“With what money?” Sorrow’s voice was flat, and it gave Marlene pause. The girl looked like steam was about to pour from her ears.
Laura waved off the question. “We won’t need much. We’ll use Twitter. Make a Facebook fan page. Guerilla marketing stuff. ”
“Gorillas?” Mama took that moment to tune in, sounding alarmed.
Pearl snuck a skeptical look at Ruby. “I don’t think we have a permit for those. ”
“I don’t think the fairgrounds will allow wild animals,” Ruby agreed.
Marlene choked back a laugh and almost spat out her tea. “She meant guerilla, like in warfare. ”
Pearl gave her head a prim shake. “I think Buck Larsen is enough of a theme. ”
“Yes, dear. ” Ruby gave Laura a soothing look. “We don’t need to include things about wars, too. ”
Marlene rolled her eyes. This wasn’t exactly going as planned.
Sorrow scooted her stool back with a loud scrape. “You know, you ladies have at it. My fearless sister seems to have this under control. ” She sidled up to the bar, calling into the kitchen, “Sully, I’d love you forever if you made me one of your cookie sundaes. ”
He peeked out from the pass-through, a smile warming his face. “You got it, kid. ”
Marlene thought back. The last time she had a sundae she’d been a kid herself. It made her think, Sully was so great with the Bailey kids, it was too bad he didn’t have children of his own.
Her heart stuttered. Maybe he did. The man might have two dozen kids out there somewhere—how was she to know?
She suddenly lost all interest in the conversation happening at the table and strained to catch every word of Sully and Sorrow’s exchange. She studied his profile as he scooped the ice cream—the man had a strong, clean-shaven jaw.
He peeked out again. “You still like whipped cream?”
Sorrow made a face. “Duh. It’s not really a sundae if there’s no whipped cream. And please, will you do that thing with the chocolate sauce?”