One Snowy Night (Sweet Home, Alaska #1) - Patience Griffin Page 0,86

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