Looking For You All My Life Part 3

she asked Buckie with a friendly smile.

He frowned. "Actually, it's pretty slow this week."

But this is a great time to do some long-term planning,"

piped in the ever-optimistic Kate. "I've been encouraging

Buckie to have some of his better prints reproduced into note

cards and postcards and such, plus I've been checking into

some mail-order outfits that I think he could get into, not to

mention setting up a Blue Moose web site. You know North-

west art is pretty popular these days."

Buckie reached over and patted Kate's arm with open

admiration. "Kate's such a whiz when it comes to ideas and

marketing and all that stuf I don't know what I'd do

without her."

With mixed feelings Maggie remembered how invaluable

Kate had been to Jed's business with that same sort of per-

spective-and then how suddenly that had all changed,

mostly due to her. She smiled at Kate. "Well, if you ever get

bored just working for Buckie, you might consider starting

up your own marketing consultation service. I'm sure a lot

of businesses in town would find your ideas very helpful."

"Hey, watch it, Maggiel" warned Buckie. "Don't you go

luring my right-hand girl away from me."

Kate laughed. "Don't worry, Buckie, I'm not that easy to

get rid 0 But Maggie does have a good point. A consulting

business might be something I could do on the side-and

drawing in more customers at other places wouldn't hurt

your business a single bit."

12Melody Carison

"You know, Kate," said Maggie, "I've had some thoughts

of my own about how the newspaper could help promote

businesses. And you're always so full of great ideas-maybe

we should get together and discuss them sometime.

"I'd love to," said Kate with a smile that could've been

used for a toothpaste ad.

For the first time since their original conflict over Jed,

Maggie wondered if she and Kate might actually become

friends one day. "Great," she said. "I'll give you a call soon.

With business so slow right now, it might be the perfect time

to start making some plans for the tourist traffic that will

come with the upcoming ski season."

"You mean, if we ever get any snow," said Buckie sul-

lenly.

"It'll come," Kate rea.s.sured him. "It always does sooner

or later."

1.

Maggie hadn't planned to stop by Jed's shop today as she

knew that Leah had invited him for dinner at the house

tonight. But seeing Kate and hearing how Buckie was

reaping the benefits of that new relations.h.i.+p made Maggie