The Lonesome Rancher / Finding Happily-Ever-After: The Lonesome Rancher. Marie Ferrarella

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СКАЧАТЬ thirty-something hairdresser and owner, Sissy Henderson added, “I’ve been trying to talk Miss Louisa into this cut forever. Doesn’t she look years younger?”

      Louisa made a groaning sound. “The cane kind of gives away my age.”

      “That’ll be gone soon,” Jade told her.

      She’d talked Louisa into leaving the walker at home and using the cane today. She’d handled it right off. “With the way you’re attacking your exercises, I’ll give it a few weeks.”

      That brought a smile. “I’m going to hold you to that.”

      They started for the door. “I bet the senator is going to flip over your new look. If so, you owe me a big tip.” Sissy winked and gave a wave as they walked out.

      Sadness showed on Louisa’s face as they headed for the sidewalk. “It would be a first in a long time,” she murmured.

      Jade caught the words and didn’t react to them. “Where to next? The Blind Stitch.”

      Louisa hesitated. “Maybe that isn’t a good idea today.”

      Jade was concerned about her change of heart. “Are you feeling okay?”

      “A little tired.”

      “They’re your friends, Louisa. They love you and miss you. And I think you miss them, too.”

      “I do.” They made their way down the street and ended up at the quilt shop’s storefront. “It’s just that things have changed. I’ve changed.”

      “Not inside. You’re still the same in your heart. That’s what they love about you.”

      Suddenly the shop door opened and Jenny appeared. “Louisa Merrick, don’t you dare walk by without stopping in.”

      Louisa’s face lit up. “Well, Jenny Rafferty, I guess you weren’t going to let me even if I tried.”

      “You got that right.” The young woman hugged Louisa. “You look wonderful. Oh, my, I love the new do.” She nodded toward her hair. “So youthful.”

      Louisa laughed. “I must have looked like an old hag.”

      “Oh, you couldn’t if you tried.” She turned to Jade. “Hi, Jade. Thank you for bringing her by.”

      “You’re welcome.”

      Louisa waved a hand. “Wait a minute. Have I been set up?”

      Jenny opened the door wider. “As if we could get anything past you. Come on in, the girls are anxious to see you.”

      Louisa relented and made her way inside. Jenny led them through the store and into the connecting room where at a round table in the corner there were four women. “Ladies, look who’s here.”

      With a squeal, the group of women got out of their chairs and hurried toward them. After several hugs and a few tears, Louisa composed herself, then introduced the group. “Jade, this is Beth, Liz, Lisa and Caitlin. The girls from the Quilters’ Corner. Jade is my nurse.”

      They exchanged greetings with her, then someone asked, “Do you quilt, Jade?”

      She shook her head. “I mostly watched my mother, and that was years ago.”

      Another woman walked over. “Then we’ll have to get you involved with us.” She smiled at Jade. “Hi, I’m Millie, and I work here. I could get you started on something simple. Louisa can bring you in.”

      Jade shook her head. “I think I’m staying pretty busy right now.”

      “Yeah, Louisa is a handful, all right.”

      Everyone laughed, including Louisa who said, “I can see how much you girls missed me.”

      Beth stepped up. “You can’t believe how much. Dang, woman, I’m so glad you’re back.”

      “I’m not back exactly. I still have a bum hand. I can’t make a stitch worth a darn.”

      Jade could see how hard that was for her to admit.

      “Come anyway, and sort fabrics, stamp blocks, use the cutter,” Millie said. “We just want your company.”

      Jade could see that Louisa was touched. “You do need someone to keep you all working. How are the hospital baby quilts coming?”

      “We’re a little behind. And there’s two babies due at the end of November.”

      Louisa turned to Jade. “We make quilts for all the newborns born in the area.”

      “Oh, my, how do you keep up?”

      “We aren’t a big community,” the woman named Liz admitted. “But I have a feeling that Jenny and Evan aren’t going to wait too long before they add to our town’s population.”

      With that said Jenny’s face reddened. “We’ve only been married a few months.”

      Beth spoke up. “I see you eyeing those babies that come in here. You want one, and when a woman wants a baby, a man doesn’t stand a chance.”

      Jenny blushed so badly that Jade felt sorry for her. “Just put in your order for the color so we can get started early.”

      The bell over the door sounded and Jenny let out a breath. “Thank you, I need to go back to work. Nice to see you again, Jade. Hope you’ll come back so we can visit longer.”

      “I’d like that,” she said, and discovered she wanted to get to know her.

      Jenny made her escape as Louisa announced, “We were going to lunch. Who wants to go? My treat.”

      “We all do,” Beth joked. “And I vote for Rory’s Bar and Grill. Sean Rafferty is working today. That’s Jenny’s good-looking father-in-law.” She raised an eyebrow. “As my granddaughter would say, he’s some ‘eye candy.’”

      The women laughed and Jade wondered if she could keep up with these ladies. She’d soon find out.

      With a wave, Jenny called out, “Behave. And enjoy yourselves.”

      They headed down the street only about a block. Jade kept a close watch on Louisa, but she seemed to be doing fine. They crossed with the streetlight and filed into the restaurant.

      The inside was dim and there were several patrons seated along the long oak bar. But the women took interest in the one male behind the bar, a tall man with thick white hair, an easy smile and a twinkle in his light eyes. He waved and the women giggled.

      Beth directed them to a large circular booth toward the back. After they filed in, Jade situated Louisa on the end, then got a chair and sat down at the head of the table.

      “Did you see him?” Liz said.

      “Of course we did,” Louisa said. “Sean’s a big man.”

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