None of it worked.
He opened her car door and helped her inside. But he seemed unsatisfied. “You should be lying down with your foot up. I’ll rearrange things.”
“No. I’m fine.”
“At least let me dig out one of the new pillows for your foot. Maybe two.”
Donovan leaned across her to start the engine to get the heater going. Which got her heater going, too. She was both saddened and relieved when he left her to go back into the store.
While he was gone, Hope gingerly pulled off her boot, exposing her fat ankle and fat foot. “How am I going to work now?” Who knew how long it would take for the swelling to go down? “My life is a hot mess,” she moaned. “One disaster after another.”
Before her pity party was completely over Donovan was back with two paper sacks and two coffees.
“Your ankle looks bad.” He reached for the door handle as if to leave again. “I’ll ask inside if there’s a doctor in town. I’d feel better if you got an X-ray.”
She laughed mirthlessly. “Look around . . . a town this size? I’ll be fine.” It’s my own dang fault. She should’ve been watching where she was stepping instead of dwelling on him. A life lesson she wouldn’t soon forget. As if her ankle would let her anyway.
“We’re not leaving until we get you squared away.” He held out one sack. “Your ice.”
She took out the ice pack and positioned it on her ankle while he dug around in the second sack. He pulled out a new bag of chips and a banana, holding them both out. “Here’s your chance to make good choices.”
She was way beyond making good choices. “It’s no contest.” She grabbed the chips and set them in her lap.
“You have to eat before taking an anti-inflammatory.”
“Yes, Mom,” she said.
Next he produced a humongous bottle of Advil.
“That’s enough to keep a grizzly pain-free for a month,” she grumbled.
He glanced at her ankle again, his brow furrowing even more. “Stop complaining and take your meds.”
“You’re as bossy as Piney.”
“Well, somebody has to push back against your stubbornness. I’m glad you’ve had her all these years,” he said.
He had no idea how much he’d hit it on the head. If not for Piney, Hope wouldn’t have had anyone.
He pulled out a bottle of water. “To stay hydrated. The coffee is just for fun.” He passed that over to her, too, and then put the car in gear.
Hope ate a few chips, took two Advil, and then leaned her head back, closing her eyes. The throbbing in her ankle matched her heartbeat, not letting her forget what a fool she’d been. It was also a great reminder to put Donovan and her attraction for him in a box and leave them there. She felt satisfied with her resolve and drifted off to sleep.
Hope woke up as Donovan pulled into the lodge’s driveway. She sat up and looked around, noticing that the driveway was empty. Surely the crew hadn’t finished for the day.
“Where is everyone?” she asked.
“Look behind you,” Donovan said. “Most of Sweet Home is parked out on the road. They must’ve thought we’d need the driveway to unload.” He smiled at her. “They were right.”
The lodge’s front door opened and Rick and Sparkle appeared, slipping on their coats.
“Sit tight,” Donovan ordered. “I’ll come around to get you. You can’t afford to slip and hurt your other foot.”
He has that right. The image of two casted feet had Hope staying where she was.
Sparkle was beaming at Hope. “Perfect timing. We just got here. I see the car is loaded down.” Her expression turned puzzled. “What’s wrong?”
“Twisted my ankle,” Hope said glumly.
“How?”
“Paying attention to things I shouldn’t,” Hope admitted cryptically.
Donovan got to her side of the car. “She fell walking down the steps at that funky grocery store a couple hours ago. Rick, can you get on the other side of Hope and we’ll get her inside?”
Rick seemed amused. “Nah. You carry her in and I’ll unload the car.”
Donovan didn’t even give Hope a chance to protest as he knelt down and scooped her out of the car, his arms under her legs, like a twenty-first-century Rhett Butler.
“No!” But it was too late. He had her halfway to the door.
That was when she noticed all the people around, some with tools in their hands, some with cleaning supplies.
“Stop thrashing about,” Donovan complained. “You’re making a spectacle of yourself.”
“Put me down. This is the last thing I need.” Hope hated being helpless, but what she hated even more was looking helpless. This was giving everyone the wrong idea.
Donovan easily carried Hope over the threshold while she cringed at the image they’d produced for onlookers. Just what the wagging tongues of Sweet Home needed.
“What time is it?” she asked.
“Five o’clock,” Piney said, coming out of the kitchen. She looked as amused as Rick had. “Is there something you need to share with me?” She had a did-you-elope-in-Anchorage twinkle in her eyes.
Hope glared at her. “Stop smiling. I sprained my ankle. And it hurts.” Then she turned to Donovan. “Okay. We’re inside now. So put me down!”
“Take her to Elsie’s studio,” Piney said. “We have a surprise for her.”
“What surprise?” But Donovan was on the move again, hauling her away, and Hope couldn’t keep Piney in her line of sight.
He used his foot to push open the studio door and Hope saw it. Saw them. All of them. It was as if she’d been transported back in time. A familiar gaggle of women were setting up their sewing machines, chatting away . . . until they saw Donovan holding her like a bride. The Sisterhood of the Quilt had somehow been revived and—even more surprising—they were speechless.
“How? Why?” Hope sputtered.
But they were all gawking at her.
She glared at her transport, then spoke to the room. “Donovan was just helping me into the house. I sprained my ankle.” Then to Donovan she whispered, “Put me down!” and pinched him to let him know she meant business.
“Ouch,” he said, but he didn’t budge.
Miss Lisa moved a sewing bag off the couch and onto the floor. “Donovan, be a dear and set Hope here on the sofa.”
Aberdeen grabbed a pillow for Hope’s foot as Donovan gently eased her to the cushion.
Paige Holiday picked up Boomer and set him in Hope’s lap. “Some extra love to help heal your foot.”
“Do you need anything else?” he asked Hope.
Yeah. Erase everyone’s memory of the last minute.
But she only mustered up, “I’m fine.” She’d been saying that a lot lately, although it wasn’t remotely true.
“I’m going to help unload the SUV,” he said. Several women followed him out, apparently to help, too.
“What is everyone doing here?” Hope asked Aberdeen, who was still fussing with her pillow.
“We’re here to sew quilts for the lodge.” Aberdeen was beaming as if Christmas had come early. “I took off work so I wouldn’t miss anything. I loved coming here with my mom when I was a girl.”
“Yeah, me, too,” Hope said. Everyone seemed to be feeling the same . . . nostalgic.
Donovan walked back in with an ice pack in one hand and the bag of Barbara Lavallee fabric in the other. He laid the ice pack over her elevated ankle and said, “I made sure your new pattern is in the bag with your fabric.”
The Sisterhood gave a collective sigh. Hope was mortified at all his attention. “Thanks,” she finally mustered.
“Donovan,” Piney said, “tell Hope how it was your idea to bring us all together.”
His gaze traveled to the Sisterhood of the Quilt wall hanging. “I
thought it would be a nice way to honor Nan, having you all here again.” He paused as if he’d run out of things to say. “I’ll get the rest of the bags.”
Hope couldn’t stop herself from being affected by Donovan’s act of kindness. To bring the Sisterhood together was beyond thoughtful. How was Hope supposed to keep her emotional distance if he kept doing nice things?
Well, she just had to. She didn’t have willpower when she was a teenager, but she was a grown woman now. A woman who had learned how to survive. She didn’t need a man, which meant she didn’t need him.
As soon as Donovan left the room, Miss Lisa struck. “Does this mean that you two are back together?”
“Heavens, no!” Hope exclaimed, then tried to change the subject. “I can’t wait to show you the Barbara Lavallee fabric we got in Anchorage.”
“He’s being awfully sweet, though,” Aberdeen chimed in, as if ringing the gossip bell for all of Sweet Home.
“Not sweet,” Hope argued. “He needs the lodge’s housekeeper to be in tiptop shape, is all.” What if Donovan had to give her job away to someone with two functional legs? What would she and Ella do then?
Piney appeared, followed by Bill, who was carrying both his and Piney’s sewing machines. Piney pointed to her old spot by the window. “Set them over there. And, Lisa, everyone, back up and give Hope some room to breathe.”
Miss Lisa smiled at Hope as if she couldn’t wait to get on the phone to share the big news.
Piney held up a sheaf of papers. “Bill’s spent all day figuring out how we’re going to get all the quilts done by the Christmas Festival. He’s broken it down into steps and we’ve decided who’s going to do what.” She glanced around the room. “Get those worried looks off your faces. Aberdeen, you won’t get stuck pressing all the fabric, just some of it. Lolly, you’ll only have to cut some fabric. I’ve also taken your work schedules into account so there are no worries there.” Piney started passing the papers around the room. But she didn’t hand one to Hope.
“Where’s my assignment?”
“You’ll be busy with decorating the lodge.”
What Piney didn’t know was that Hope was going to make the Barbara Lavallee quilt and the new Sisterhood of the Quilt wall hanging.
Donovan returned with bags loading down his arms.
“Just set them on the cutting table,” Piney said. “We’ll get them sorted.”
Donovan nodded and did as he was told. He turned to Hope. “Need anything?”
Not to fuss over me so much would be nice! But instead she said, “No. I’m good.”
He left without saying more.
Hope turned to Piney. “Where’s Ella?”
Aberdeen answered. “Lacy and Ella had to run out to Tyler’s house. He’s throwing the Halloween party tomorrow night.”
“A school night? I thought the party was on Friday,” Hope said.
“Something came up and it was moved.” Aberdeen didn’t seem shaken up about the switch.
“Who’s chaperoning?” Hope asked.
“I assume Tyler’s parents.”
Darn Aberdeen for being so nonchalant! Hope would have to get to the bottom of this. But first, she pulled out her phone and texted Ella: I’m back at the lodge. When are you going to be here? For dinner? Hope hit send.
Ella wrote back. Late. Don’t wait up.
But that was exactly what she was going to do. Hope texted a reminder. Be home by 10:00. You have school tomorrow.
The women got busy divvying up the fabric and refining the schedule as delicious smells from the kitchen floated into the room.
Donovan stuck his head back in. “Rick and I have started dinner—spaghetti. Just wondering if that’s okay with everyone?”
“Yes” went up around the room.
“What about you and Ella?” he asked pointedly. “Are you both fans of spaghetti?”
Once again Hope blushed. Why did he keep singling her out?
“Ella won’t be here. She’s at Tyler’s getting ready for the party tomorrow night,” Hope said.
“On a school night?” he asked incredulously.
At least she and Donovan were on the same page . . . on this one topic. “Don’t worry about dinner for her. She’ll be late.”
Donovan did a quick head count. “I’ll let you know when it’s ready.”
“I’m going to go help,” Miss Lisa said, and she left with Donovan.
Hope called Piney over and spoke quietly so the others couldn’t hear. “Can we send Sparkle to get Ella? I just have a bad feeling.”
Piney nodded. “Sure thing, buttercup. Do you want Bill to go along as reinforcement?”
“I think Sparkle can handle it.”
“Where do you think Ella is?” Piney asked.
“Try Tyler’s house first. If not, then she’ll probably be at Lacy’s,” Hope said.
Piney squeezed her hand, then went to Sparkle and whispered in her ear. A moment later, Piney gave Hope an it’s-all-handled nod. Sparkle brushed a hand across Hope’s shoulder as she made her way to the door.
But as Sparkle walked out, Courtney Wolf strutted in, immediately coming to a full stop. Her long-lashed eyes flitted from Hope’s face to her propped foot to the dog in her lap, then back to her face. She plastered on a cheery smile. “Hey, Hope,” she said lightly, “what’s going on?”
Hope wanted to ask if she was here to win Donovan’s heart and his bank account. But people might think Hope wanted Donovan for herself. Besides, nobody in a two-hundred-mile radius could measure up to Courtney, Miss Alaska second runner-up. And if Hope was being fair, Courtney wasn’t really all bad.
Hope finally answered, “You know me, Courtney, just lazing around.”
Courtney’s perfect lipsticked mouth transformed into a pout. “Are you all right?”
Piney stepped in front of Courtney. “Hope’s fine. Are you here to help? If I remember right, you were quite good with a sewing machine. The outfits you made in high school were good enough for the runway.”
Courtney didn’t look pleased to be reminded of her poor beginnings and being forced to make her own clothes. Now, she was haute couture, especially for the wilds of Alaska.
Piney’s expression turned soft as if she regretted what she’d said. “We could really use your craftmanship. Have you ever made a quilt?”
“No.” Courtney looked uncomfortable, as if she knew she didn’t quite belong here.
“Then stay. I’ll show you,” Piney said.
Courtney sneezed. “I can’t.” She glared at Boomer. “I’m allergic.”
“Can you take the pup out to Donovan?” Piney asked Aberdeen.
“Sure.” Aberdeen scooped the little dog from Hope’s lap and she instantly felt cold. She pulled the quilt off the back of the couch to wrap around her.
Big mistake. The quilt sparked a memory Hope thought she’d snuffed out.
This was the quilt she and Donovan had cuddled under on the back porch and sometimes in his car. The first time they held hands had been under this quilt. Their first kiss, too.
Hope pushed the quilt away. She couldn’t afford these memories. Not anymore.
Thank goodness Paige diverted Hope’s attention. “Piney, are we to take the fabric home and work on it there?”
“Heavens, no. We’ll piece the quilts here.” Piney glanced up at the wall hanging of the Sisterhood of the Quilt, as if she were getting marching orders from it. “To honor Elsie.” She paused for a long moment. “It’s been a long time since we came together here and we may never get this chance again.”
But Piney’s demeanor was in opposition to her words. Her cheerful expression said this wasn’t an ending at all, but a beginning, that the Sisterhood would be together for years to come. Hope knew that look—Piney’s I-have-a-plan look—and worried they might be in for a wild ride.
* * *
• • •
“WHO WAS THAT?” Lacy asked.
Ella rolled her eyes and put her phone away. “Mom. She wants me to come home. If you can call it that.” The lodge isn’t home. Why couldn’t they just move back into their house and make everything go back to the way it was before . . . before Donovan came to town?
“I bet it’s weird,” Lacy said.
“What?”
“You know, your dad.” Lacy had a dreamy look on her face. Gross. She needed to quit acting like Ella’s biological father was hot.
“He’s not my dad,” Ella insisted. “He’s just someone my mom slept with.” Yuck! “Do you have anything to drink?”
“Soda or something stronger?”
“Stronger.” Ella put her hands to her head and squeezed. She just wanted it to stop. But how could it? Life was so messed up.
Lacy went to the kitchen, where Aberdeen kept the alcohol. “Mom told me to stay out of it, you know.”
“I know.” But Ella needed something to take the edge off. Something to give her clarity. She did know one thing: she didn’t like Donovan. If Grandpa were around, Ella could talk to him about Donovan, how he’d shown up out of nowhere, how he was screwing up her life. But Grandpa was gone. And Lacy was being no help.
There was a knock at the door. “Do you want me to get it?” Ella hollered.
“Yeah,” Lacy said.
Ella rolled off the couch and went to answer it. When she pulled it open, she couldn’t believe her eyes. Standing there were Sparkle and Rick—with Donovan right behind them!
“Um, what’s going on?” Fear gripped Ella. “Is Mom okay? Did something happen to her?”
Sparkle took Ella’s hand. “Your mom’s fine.”
“Then, why?”
“Time to come home for dinner,” Rick said cheerily.
“I told her I’d be home later.” Ella hated that her mom would pull this crap, sending someone else to do her dirty work. And to send Donovan? Unforgivable!
“I could use some help with Boomer,” Donovan said, holding up the dog for her to see. Until that moment, Ella hadn’t realized that the puppy was in his arms. “With so many people at the lodge, I’m afraid he’s going to get trampled. Seriously, we need you to come home because Boomer likes you best.”
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