The Bridesmaid Wore Sneakers. Cynthia Thomason

years ago. You don’t remember a young blonde with her hair in pigtails?”

      Liam could almost picture a rangy preadolescent in braids, but he wasn’t sure.

      “She doesn’t look much different today,” Martin said. “Still has the pigtails. She’s the sister in the middle up on the dais. The one who looks as though she’d like nothing better than to get that dress off and get into a pair of jeans.”

      “I’ll be sure to notice her when we go back inside. Does this meeting have something to do with Jude, then?”

      “It does, and I should warn you. Jude can be headstrong, stubborn. I can count the times she’s taken my advice on the fingers of one hand.”

      “I don’t follow, sir. I don’t know about children, since I don’t have any.”

      Martin gave a wise nod. “Count your blessings for now, son. Here’s the thing. I want you to take her in hand, Liam. She’s the CEO of a private charitable foundation, and every year the foundation’s bottom line gets worse. Jude is penny-wise and pound-foolish if you get my drift. If I let things go on as they have been for the last few years, working to keep her afloat, I might be facing bankruptcy.”

      “Bankruptcy?”

      “Well, maybe that’s an exaggeration.”

      Liam knew Dr. Foster’s reputation. He was the best cardiologist in the Cleveland district, and patients came from the tristate area to seek his advice. Bankruptcy? Liam didn’t think so. “Foundations are supposed to exist on donations and grants. Are you telling me your personal finances are mixed up in this particular charity?”

      “I funded it when Jude set it up. I gave her a considerable amount and a credit line to use while she was getting started.”

      Naturally any creditors would be happy to accept Martin Foster’s IOU. “And you’re still backing Jude up when she needs it,” Liam said.

      “Nothing I can’t handle yet, but you know how it is, Liam. This wedding cost a pretty penny. I have expenses because of my wife’s illness. I was hoping to retire soon, but until Jude’s project is under control, I can’t.”

      “What do you think I can do, Dr. Foster?”

      “Teach her how to manage money.”

      He said it like he was asking Liam to teach her the multiplication tables.

      “It’s not like she spends it on shoes or purses or any of the fineries other women get so excited about,” Martin said. “She barely spends a dime on herself. But she’s quick enough to spend hundreds, even thousands on other things, all the dang projects and causes she’s supporting.”

      “What kind of causes?”

      “It’s hard to keep up. There’s stray animals, wounded vets, physically challenged children. She’s even supporting a local radio station that she claims is vital to the rural farming community around Fox Creek. And the bills that keep all these charities running end up in Jude’s mailbox, or mine, and often require large chunks of money from my personal account to pay them. The worst is the animal upkeep. I’ve paid for more hay, animal feed and vet services than I care to think about.”

      Liam knew the answer to his next question before he even asked it. “Why doesn’t she pay the bills out of the foundation’s funds? Doesn’t she get donations?”

      “Oh, she does. Some. But that’s where you come in, Liam. I don’t know the true answer except to say when bills come due, there is often no money.” Martin shook his head. “She’s a wonderful girl, don’t get me wrong, but she doesn’t have a head for numbers and accounting.”

      And Liam had no desire to get himself in the middle of what was obviously a Foster problem. “Excuse me for saying so, Dr. Foster, but this seems like a family matter to me. Have you tried talking to your daughter?”

      Martin sighed. “You don’t know how difficult that is for me. You see, Jude lost her husband over five years ago. He was killed in the Middle East fighting for his country. Since then, she’s been kind of like a lost soul, always running from one needy cause to another. Besides her son—and she’s a good mother—all those good works have become her life. It’s not easy for me to get in the middle of all that suffering and try to change things.”

      “That’s tough, I’ll agree,” Liam said. “But I still don’t see what I can do. What makes you think she’ll listen to my financial advice if she doesn’t listen to yours?”

      “I’m trying to tell you...I haven’t given her any!”

      “Maybe if you sat her down...”

      “I don’t have the heart, Liam. She’s my baby. I love her. Oh, I’ve made a few suggestions, tried to guide her, but things don’t seem to improve, and I don’t want to drive a wedge between Jude and me. That wouldn’t help either one of us. I believe there’s a lot of hurt inside her, and I’m her father, the one who’s supposed to help her, encourage her.”

      “With due respect, sir, I’m not sure I can help her. I don’t even know your daughter.”

      “That’s true right now, but I’m hoping you’ll introduce yourself into her life and you, as an outside party, can show her how to manage her money better, or at least cut back on the spending. After all, son, you’re the expert, and even Jude can’t argue with an expert.”

      “Well...”

      Not letting Liam finish, Martin said, “Your father can’t brag enough about you. You can be a voice of reason for Jude. You don’t have the problem of emotion to deal with. Once you’ve gained Jude’s trust, I believe she’d listen to you.”

      “I don’t know how true that is, Dr. Foster. My clients come to me willingly. I don’t seek them out to try and get them to listen to reason as you’re suggesting. And anyway, I have a full-time job with a financial planning firm in Cleveland. I can’t take time away from my regular clients to counsel your daughter, especially when you’ve hinted that she’s not the type to be counseled.”

      “You don’t have to give up your clients, Liam. Just come out here on weekends and maybe once or twice during the week. Show an interest in what she’s doing, get her to trust you and—”

      “While I secretly examine her books?” Liam said. “That’s dishonest, Dr. Foster. If not downright impossible.”

      “Not if you show interest in what she’s doing. Don’t you first try to gain the trust of anyone you educate about money? Isn’t that the first step?”

      “Well, yes...”

      “Then this is no different. Besides, once you two meet, once the groundwork is set, I intend to tell her why I’ve brought you in. But it wouldn’t do for me to divulge that until she trusts you. Jude is a trusting girl. She just doesn’t like to be pushed around. I think she’ll like you right off.”

      Liam didn’t have any reason to believe that.

      “Think of me as another client, Liam,” Martin said. “I’ll pay you whatever your hourly rate is.” Dr. Foster held up his index finger. “Just don’t bully her, son. She may be trusting, but once her mind is stuck on something, she won’t let anyone tell her what to do.”

      Slightly offended, Liam said, “I don’t think I bully anyone.”

      “No, I’m sure you don’t. You seem like a nice young fellow. Now, just go on out there and have your dinner and then ask Jude to dance. She’s a pretty girl, and aside from scoot-booting around a Western bar once in a while, I don’t think she’s danced with anyone since Paul left for the service.” Dr Foster chuckled. “You may decide this is the most pleasant job you’ve ever had.”

      Even though Liam believed Dr. Foster truly loved his daughter but just felt inadequate to help her, he doubted that this assignment would be easy. During this conversation Liam