One Snowy Night (Sweet Home, Alaska #1) - Patience Griffin Page 0,87
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.”
It was pure blackmail, but Ella couldn’t resist. “Give him to me.” She knew there was a tone in her voice, but she didn’t care. Donovan handed over the dog. “Let me get my coat.”
But as she turned, Lacy was there. “What’s going on?”
Ella sighed heavily. “Do you want to come for dinner?” If she had to go, then she was bringing a friend with her.
“Let me dump these in the sink first.” The drinks. “I’ll need to text my mom at work, too.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Donovan said. “Your mom’s already at the lodge.”
“Why?” Lacy asked.
“Because the Sisterhood of the Quilt is back,” Sparkle announced.
“What’s the Sisterhood of the Quilt?” Lacy asked.
Ella knew. Her mom talked about them when she told stories about Aunt Izzie. “All these old ladies used to sew at the lodge together and called themselves the Sisterhood of the Quilt.” She set Boomer on the couch and slipped on her coat. “Mom talks about it as if it was special, but it sounds boring to me.”
“Come on, you two,” Sparkle said, “so you can see for yourself.”
* * *
• • •
MISS LISA WAS draining the spaghetti when Donovan returned to the lodge and his duties in the kitchen. “Are you ready for me to take over?” he asked the elderly woman.
“Yes. I’d like to start cutting out the Highland Cow fabric. I’m making a Snowball quilt design for the Highland Coos Cabin.”
“I’ll join you,” Sparkle said.
Donovan peeked into the living room and saw that Ella, Boomer, and Lacy were sitting in the beanbag chairs. “Ella, can you do me a favor?”
“Do I have to?” she shot back in typical teenage fashion.
“I would appreciate it,” Donovan said.
“Fine. What is it?”
“Can you go to the sewing studio and ask the ladies and Bill what they’d like to drink with dinner?”
She didn’t bother to reply, but with much groaning, she