pointed “ahem” caught her attention. Florence had just been crossing to the foyer when she turned to look through the archway to the parlor on her left and froze seeing her mother sitting beside the fireplace in one of the three ever-present hearthside rocking chairs. Her mother’s dark head was bent over a book, reading glasses perched on her nose as she “read,” though Florence noticed that her mother did not turn the page.
“Mama, I didn’t know you were home.” Florence went to the door.
“I’ve been home for some time,” Julie said, her brown eyes fixed on her in reproach. Ah, so her mother had heard her argument with her sister. Drat it all. She’d never be able to enjoy tonight’s dance after this conversation.
“That’s...good,” Florence ventured, and her mother hummed, closing the book in her lap and taking her reading glasses off with a sigh.
“She only loves you--wants the best for you,” Julie said.
“She doesn’t understand, Mama.”
“Might not, but do you, Flo?”
Florence’s eyebrows knit together in confusion. “What do you mean?” She walked into the room, unsure of what her mother was getting at, but she was sure it would take longer than a quick chat. She sat in her father’s rocking chair and leaned toward her mother. “I don’t understand the question,” she ventured when they had both been silent for a moment.
“I mean, do you know what it is that you wish for in a marriage?”
“I want what you have,” Florence blurt out, the thought escaping her lips faster than she could follow it, and she blinked in surprise. “I mean.. I want the love and happiness you and Daddy and Papa have, but it’s…”
“It’s what?” Her mother put a gentle hand on her shoulder, and Florence gave her a weak smile.
“It’s difficult to find a match, or in this case, matches.”
“Suitors are hard to come by,” Julie conceded and patted her shoulder gently. “But there is no use rushing it. You do look lovely, though. The finest dress this town has ever seen by far.”
Florence smiled, this time it was genuine and warm. She caught her mother’s hand and kissed the knuckles. “Except for you on your wedding day.”
Julie waved her other hand. “Oh, I don’t know about that, sweetheart.”
‘That’s not what Papa says.”
“Your papa’s soft-hearted, Flo. We all know it.”
Florence giggled and leaned back in the rocking chair. It was Forrest’s and suited the big man just fine,one who still needed plenty of room even in his advancing years. She ran a finger along the worn wood and smiled. It was familiar and comforting, the place of so many happy memories. The hearthside with all three of her parents had always been the center of joy for their family and oh, what she wouldn’t give for such a place in her own home.
“It’s true, but he loves you and Daddy. Loves us, too, and I just,” Florence swallowed hard and looked up from the chair to her mother. “That’s what I aim to have for myself. I know Delilah doesn’t understand it, but I hope that you can, Mama.”
“I do understand, sweet girl, but it is a difficult thing to find. The men you match yourself to must, first and foremost, love one another. It cannot be lopsided,” Julie motioned with her hands in the way of a scale tipping. “For a marriage such as ours, you cannot be what binds them together. They must choose and love each other as well. That’s where you’ve been erring, Flo.”
Florence tipped her head to the side and froze. How could she have not seen that one crucial step? “Oh heavens no, what have I been doing?”
“You’ve been finding two men that you think are compatible and attempting to push them together. Do not think I haven’t noticed your matchmaking tendencies as of late.”
Florence frowned. She had taken an interest in the male friendships of Gold Sky,but with far less pure intentions than the men involved realized. They thought she meant to increase the amount of fraternal companionship and camaraderie of the community, or so she had proclaimed. Florence’s intentions were nothing of the kind and were, at their heart ,purely romantic, even if she had failed miserably.
In the weeks she had been seeking a suitable pair of men, she had only managed to create four lasting friendships and what she thought was the start of a new business venture amongst them. The business would be a success, whereas her love life was quite the opposite.
“At least the