False Impressions Read Online Free Page A

being scolded by her teacher for not turning in her homework. Homework she hadn’t known was due.
    She said, “What do you mean?”
    “How about a winter wonderland line? I’ve decided to sell the Stamping Sisters at the Ice Festival.”
    The Ice Festival hadn’t been such a big deal when she was growing up. From what Mitch had told her, twelve years ago, after a few extra cold winters, the borough council had created a January event to break up the doldrums caused by too much snow, not enough sun, and way too much time indoors with family members. It had grown to a special all-day event. The money raised went to fund recreation programs.
    “I thought they told you no selling allowed.”
    “That’s why you and I are going to the council meeting. Tonight.”
    April’s shoulders started to creep up. Her neck tensed. She sighed, flexing her fingers. It was easy to get tied up in knots around Rocky and her healthy disrespect for authority.
    “Okaaay,” April began.
    Rocky looked out the window as a Turkey Hill truck drove by, on its way to fill up the gas tanks at the nearby convenience store. The air brakes squealed as it slowed on the hill. The sound hurt April’s ears, and she worried that the driver wouldn’t be able to stop. Where the sun hadn’t reached it, the road was still icy in spots. The truck shuddered to a stop.
    “So I want you to develop a new line of stamps for the event,” Rocky said. “We’ll roll out the line there.”
    “That’s next weekend,” April said. “I need more time than that.”
    “I’d love to give you more, but there’s a captive audience at these things. Just develop the line. You know the drill. Ice crystals, snowflakes, snowmen.”
    April’s mind did begin working on ideas, despite the fact that she felt the deadline was too close. Welcome to the new Stamping Sisters. Rocky wanted to catapult the Stamping Sisters brand into the national eye. For that, April would have to step up her game.
    In the past, she’d developed one or two large stamps for a customer’s needs. Before October, she’d never designed a whole line before. Designing the California Dreamin’ line she’d made for Trish had been easy. The stamps came to her in a flood of nostalgia for the life she’d left behind. She’d sold the line to Stamping Sisters after it was complete.
    Now Rocky was asking for a new line in a week. She didn’t know if she could do it. She couldn’t plead that she had no time. Rocky knew she wasn’t working right now.
    “I’ve got no place to work,” April said. She was perilously close to whining. “You know the Campbells are at my place.”
    Rocky pointed to the empty corner. “Bring your drafting table over and set up in here. I’d love the company.”
    April hid a grimace. Working in such close proximity to Rocky would not be fun. She needed quiet and solitude. Things that were in short supply at the barn, too. She’d tried working at Mitch’s, but he was so distracting she never got anything done.
    “What are you smiling about?” Rocky snarled.
    April composed herself. Mitch’s distractions were always a lot of fun.
    “I’ll think about it.” There was no way she would be able to share a studio with Rocky. This was just another reason to find a place of her own. If she had her own house, she could designate a room as a studio.
    “Just to be clear, I can’t work your booth at the Ice Festival. I’m going to help Mitch with his ice sculpture.”
    Rocky let out a short bark of a laugh. “Really?”
    “He’s coming over tonight. Something about a chain saw,” April said, nodding.
    Rocky looked at her sharply, smiling. “I swear that boy gets a new chain saw every other year.”
    “He said something about new controls and a lighter weight.”
    “Blah, blah, blabbity, blah. It’s all just rationalization for a new toy. He’ll try anything to do better than he did last year. He came in second. As good as last to him.”
    Rocky put her hand under