“Wow, Lee Lee. Thank you. Will you put it on me?” I hold my left wrist out for her to slide it over my hand. “My favorite color is blue.”
“I know.”
My eyebrows furrow. “You do?”
“Mm-hmm. You told me when we decorated for Balentime’s Day.”
“You are so right. Thank you for remembering.”
“Can I help you with your mittens?”
I scoot away from the table to let Leah sit on my lap. “You might be better at this than I am.”
Together, Leah and I practice the movements Muriel shows me for the fourth time. The woman has the patience of a saint.
I hold the yarn in one hand while Leah and I both holdthe hook. It’s a mess of knots and dropped stitches, but we laugh the whole time we work.
Lauren, on the other hand, is a master at crocheting. She’s already gotten the base of a stuffed cow done. And when I told her I was impressed, she told me she’s been practicing with Muriel since she was Leah’s age.
“Oh, Gwennie darling,” Beverly calls out as Gwen passes by our little group.
“Hey, Miss Beverly. You guys need anything?”
“Can I have a brownie?” Leah asks.
Gwen raises an eyebrow at me, and my brain fritzes out. It takes me entirely too long to realize they’re asking me for permission.
Muriel must read my panicked expression because she gives the okay, asking for several for the table to share.
Thank you,I mouth at her. She smiles warmly at me in return.
“Do you have a gender preference?” Bev asks Gwen, who sputters at the question.
“I’m sorry?”
“For dating, do you prefer men? Women? Both? None? Any and all are acceptable answers, love.”
“Uh, men, I suppose. Why?”
A sly smile curls the corner of Beverly’s mouth. “Just curious.”
Marcie groans. “Beverly. You cannot make that poor girl your next project.” She turns to Gwen. “Run away now, sweetheart, or you’ll get caught in her trap.”
Gwen heeds her advice, widening her eyes at me as she scurries away.
“There are plenty of eligible men and women in this town,” Beverly tries to explain. “I’m just trying to find everyone their happily ever afters. It worked for Holt and Gia.”
Murielscoffs. “You didn’t do anything to help those two. They found their way back to each other on their own. As it should have been.”
Beverly grunts. “I told Holt he needed to call her, so I helped some.”
Marcie rolls her eyes. “Not enough to suddenly try out a career in matchmaking.”
“Come on. We know everything that goes on in this town. We know who’d be a good match.”
“No.” Muriel points at her.
“You don’t want your boys to find good partners?” Beverly cajoles.
