She finished her breakfast, which was divine, drained the last of her coffee, and prepared to open. Surprised when she saw a few women gathered at the door, she quickly pasted on a smile. “Please come in, I hope you all haven’t been waiting long,” she said as she allowed them inside. She sneaked a glance at her watch. No, she was fifteen minutes early.

Three women, who appeared to be close to her mother’s age, smiled and entered the store. One, who was wearing a camel-colored jacket with an evergreen scarf, shivered as she entered the store. “Brrr, this North Carolina weather is absolutely treacherous.”

Lauren smiled. “We are having an early winter, but today isn’t too bad. Can I make you a cup of hot tea or cocoa to warm you up?”

“Oh, no, ma’am! I’m a Floridian, and cold weather just isn’t my cup of tea,” she replied. “No pun intended.”

The other two women laughed.

“We’re just here to do a bit of leaf peeping while our husbands play golf.”

Golfing in the winter was a bit odd, but she knew there were die-hard golfers who played in all kinds of weather.

“It’s beautiful this year,” Lauren said, as a way of promoting the state she loved so much.

One of the women, who was clad in purple leggings with a short black jacket, added, “You should see Florida in the winter. You have no clue what you’re missing.”

The third woman laughed in a smug way.

Three snobs, Lauren thought. Just what I need.

“I received my bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Florida. I’ve spent many winters in your state. I just prefer a change of seasons.” She paused, then just because she felt slightly miffed, she added, “We are offering a senior citizen’s discount this weekend. I’m sure we have a decoration that you won’t find in Florida.” There, she thought, and inwardly grinned.

“I’m not so sure,” said the woman in the purple leggings.

“Have a look around,” Lauren said. This was exactly the type of customer she didn’t need today. She was already frustrated, tired, and cranky. Not wanting to take it out on prospective customers, even if they were a bit snooty, she said, “If you see anything you’re interested in, I’ll be in the office.” She motioned to the back of the store, where a sign on a door clearly stated OFFICE.

Leaving the three women to browse the aisles, she sat down in her chair and sighed. If this is what she had to deal with today, she had little hope of making a sale. Bored women with nothing better to do. She’d encountered many in her lifetime and knew that it was best not to get upset. Not that she was upset, but she was miffed, definitely. She was very protective of North Carolina. There was so much the state had to offer, and occasionally, she would get a bit defensive if the situation called for her to, and it had just then. At least she felt that it had. She wasn’t going to sacrifice her pride just to make a sale to people who didn’t appreciate what they were buying. Well, yes, she would if she absolutely had to, but not to that group of women.