Page 41 of Better Together

The paramedics arrived and placed a bandage on Eddie’s arm where he’d scraped it driving into the squad car.

Nick raised a brow and managed to say with a straight face, “Lily, it worked, but it probably wasn’t a good idea to put a sign like that on a busy thoroughfare.”

Lily turned three shades of red. “I’ll erase it.”

“I’ll pay for the damage to your car,” Paige said to Nick.

“Don’t worry, Del will buff it out for me.”

Alexis brought her vehicle to Del for servicing too—heck, everyone did, since Del was the only mechanic in town.

Satisfied that the Sampson brothers weren’t badly hurt, Alexis joined Paige and Lily. Paige bumped Lily’s shoulder and whispered, “Really clever, Lily. Too bad more people didn’t see it.”

Lily erased Hookers Wanted and replaced it with Crochet group, use back entrance.

“Ladies, have fun. Text us when you wrap up for the night,” Zeke said and took off toward the lodge.

Nick escorted the brothers into the squad car, promising them he’d arrange to have the golf cart inspected for safety. The front axle would need some work.

Alexis waved to the brothers.

She and Lily followed Paige into Turner Books, and Paige locked the door behind them.

“Something smells good,” Alexis said, and Lily agreed.

The back room had small cushioned chairs and end tables scattered around the generous space, and a larger meeting table, used for everything from art classes to community meetings, had been pushed to the side and now held a crock pot of soup and a selection of desserts. Alexis’s stomach grumbled.

A steady stream of women of all ages, carrying food and tote bags full of yarn, entered the room. Alexis greeted Zeke’s family with hugs. Maggie, Elsie, Emma, and Linnie talked a mile a minute as they plated cookies and bars and ladled Linnie’s white chicken chili into bowls.

A knock on the doorframe had them all turning to look at the newcomer.

“Hi. Um, is this where the crochet club is meeting?”

Maggie set her plate down and walked toward the timid teenager. “Yes. Hi, Sloane. Welcome! Please, come in. I’m so glad you’re joining us.” She wrapped her in a hug.

Alexis joined them. “Hi, Sloane. It’s nice to see you.”

Sloane smiled. “You too.” She looked around at the group of ladies. “I brought a snack. I wasn’t sure if I should, but my dad encouraged me to. I think he wanted me to make my Cashew Crunch so he could have some.”

Maggie took the container, sneaked a small handful of the cashew-and-Fritos mixture, and placed it on the table next to a small fridge and a tray of cookies. “Snacks are not required but are definitely appreciated, even though your dad benefited. The fridge is full of water, both plain and flavored, or if you prefer coffee, I can make a pot. Help yourself and sit anywhere.”

Sloane chose the chair next to Alexis and Maggie. Which made sense since their frequent visits to her father’s hardware store probably made them the most familiar faces in the room.

Alexis asked Sloane, “Do you know how to crochet? So far, I think I’m the only one here who doesn’t.”

“I do. My dad taught me when I was little.”

Lily, pulling a bright turquoise yarn from her bag, said, “Really? Nate knows how to crochet?”

Alexis watched in amazement as Lily addressed Sloane without looking at the project she worked on.

“He still remembers from taking a class in high school.” Sloane pulled a few stuffed orange and brown pieces from her bag.

“Good for him,” Emma said.

Maggie nodded. “We all learned in our Home Economics class.” Maggie hitched a thumb at Paige. “Paige wasn’t very good; her nose was always in books.”

“Hey!” Paige pretended to be offended. “She’s right. I have no idea what I’m doing.” She held up what looked like a scarf, or maybe the start of a sweater, to prove her point.